3.5 weeks... can i bottle?

[fourlambs]

All,
After 3.5 weeks in the barrel, my brew is still occassionally bubbling, the SG is at 1011 and has been for around a week. Can i bottle or should i wait longer?

Phil

 

[doon]

Take a gravity reading over three days if its the same then brew is finished. Airlock activity does not give an accurate indication of fermentation

 

[carniebrew]

I think he just said it'd been at 1011 for a week, so there's your 3 days covered! Forget the airlock bubbling, go ahead and bottle it...if it's at the expected FG & stable over a week it's the perfect sign that she's ready to go.

 

[fourlambs]

Thanks all, let the bottling commence! :kooi:

 

[manticle]

Take a gravity reading over three days if its the same then brew is finished. Airlock activity does not give an accurate indication of fermentation

Neither does 3 day stability in all cases.

Without knowing any more details about the brew (kit, extract, mash, adjuncts, mash temp, fermentation schedule, yeast etc), I'd be loath to say it is definitely finished.

An AG brew mashed in the mid 60s or a kit brew with a touch of malt or an extract brew with no dry enzyme and good practice might be looking at 1011 as a suitable FG.

 

[verysupple]

I agree with Manticle. But assuming you didn't use a dry enzyme I'd say it's done, or at the very least, ready to botlte.

There are very good reasons why your airlock might be occasionally bubbling even if fermentation is trully complete. After fermentation is complete there is still CO2 dissolved in the beer that will slowly escape. Also, small fluctuations in temperature will make the liquid expand and retract slightly, sucking in and blowing out air to compensate.

 

[chrisso81]

I wonder if a beer thats stalled would give the same reading over 3 days? The last time I checked, a beer thats stalled isn't finished or ready to bottle. A fast ferment test will give you a fair indication if a beer is finished or not if you are worried about it.

 

[verysupple]

I wonder if a beer thats stalled would give the same reading over 3 days? The last time I checked, a beer thats stalled isn't finished or ready to bottle. A fast ferment test will give you a fair indication if a beer is finished or not if you are worried about it.

Absolutely true. Not very useful for the OP though as I doubt he saved a small amount of his wort just in case he wanted to do a forced ferment test.

 

[chrisso81]

Do you really need a sample of unfermented wort to perform a fast ferment test?

 

[mwd]

Do you really need a sample of unfermented wort to perform a fast ferment test?

No you can just grab say half a litre of the suspected stalled brew and bring it up to room temperature then go from there.

 

[Sterlo]

yes........

Sterlo

 

[bum]

opinion.........

<--- same thing it says over there

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Just bottle it. 3weeks is plenty of time in the fermented