3 Weeks In Fermenter And Still Bubbling - No Gravity Change!

[husky]

Put down a coopers real ale and coopers wheat malt tin three weeks ago. Gravity has not changed in the past week but its still bubbling through the airlock. Temp is stable an not changing. Gravity is 16 which is close to the expected 14. Could it be an infection eating its way through my beer? I had a taste, it wasn't the best but could just be the wheat malt as Ive never used it before.
any ideas guys?
cheers

 

[glennheinzel]

Put down a coopers real ale and coopers wheat malt tin three weeks ago. Gravity has not changed in the past week but its still bubbling through the airlock. Temp is stable an not changing. Gravity is 16 which is close to the expected 14. Could it be an infection eating its way through my beer? I had a taste, it wasn't the best but could just be the wheat malt as Ive never used it before.
any ideas guys?
cheers

If it has been at a stable gravity for a few days, then it should be ready to bottle.

Edit: Minor temperature drop might be causing the beer to absorb CO2 and then release it again when it warms up (and hence the bubbling).

Edit 2: How fast is it bubbling and what sort of flavours are you getting from the sample?

 

[the_yobbo]

+1 for Rukh

I've asked a very similar question in my early days regarding a very slow bubbling (once every minute) through the airlock. The only thing it could have been was CO2 release or expansion of the wort itself due to warming up.
Golden rule, use the hydrometer reading as gospel. (Unless the readings look completely wrong, in which case, buy a new hydrometer... heh heh).

 

[pyrobrewer]

Put down a coopers real ale and coopers wheat malt tin three weeks ago. Gravity has not changed in the past week but its still bubbling through the airlock. Temp is stable an not changing. Gravity is 16 which is close to the expected 14. Could it be an infection eating its way through my beer? I had a taste, it wasn't the best but could just be the wheat malt as Ive never used it before.
any ideas guys?
cheers

Even a drop in atmospheric pressure can cause bubbling!
Dont rely on the airlock to do anything other than keep air out - thats its job, they dont call it a fermentation meter for a reason , it isnt. I couldnt tell you if the last 100 brews I did "bubbled"
The test of a brew being ready is "have the yeast finished converting sugars into beer" this can be comfirmed buy using a hydrometer or refractometer. The same reading on 3 consecutive days should be sufficient indication of the end of fermentation regardless of airlock activity. If the reading falls during this time restart the count. The published final gravity is an expected target "actual results may vary" for a great number of reasons.

 

[husky]

Well I bottled this on Thursday last week. The gravity was stable and it tasted alright when it went into the bottle however today after nearly 4 days in the bottle there is almost no carbonation and virtually no yeast sitting on the bottom of the bottles.
Havn't changed any procedures the only difference with this brew is that I used the Coopers yeast and not the US05 I usually use.

 

[cubbie]

Well I bottled this on Thursday last week. The gravity was stable and it tasted alright when it went into the bottle however today after nearly 4 days in the bottle there is almost no carbonation and virtually no yeast sitting on the bottom of the bottles.
Havn't changed any procedures the only difference with this brew is that I used the Coopers yeast and not the US05 I usually use.

4 Days is hardly enough time, give it an extra week or two minimum, depending on your storage temps. In the meantime brew something else.