Home Brewing Question: What if your wort is still bubbling after a week?

[cjchaps]

I am a very novice home brewer and have only brewed a total of two batches in my life. I made a batch of Pale Ale last Sunday and it is still happily bubbling in the carboy. I was planning on bottling this Sat, but what should I do if it is still actively fermenting? I assume I should wait until it dies down before I bottle it?

 

[iamwiz82]

Let it sit. Make sure to check the FG to make sure that it is within the recommended ending point, too.

No secondary fermentation?

 

[cjchaps]

I haven't brewed for about 2 years so I am going simple with this batch so I'm not planning on transferring the brew to a second container for secondary fermentation...

 

[dug777]

you have to let it finish, what are your temps like?

if they are too low it will take longer...

 

[iamwiz82]

Make very sure that fermentation is done, then. Do you know what range the FG should be?

You do not want to have exploding bottles on your hands.

 

[DainBramaged]

<paging HomeBrewerDude>

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: dug777
you have to let it finish, what are your temps like?

if they are too low it will take longer...

The optimum temp will depend on the yeast he is using.

 

[cjchaps]

I am using a california ale yeast. My temps in the storage location are between 66 and 70 degrees.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: dug777
you have to let it finish, what are your temps like?

if they are too low it will take longer...

The optimum temp will depend on the yeast he is using.

regardless, my statement still applies 😉

 

[davestar]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
I am using a california ale yeast. My temps in the storage location are between 66 and 70 degrees.

good enough. i'd try to stay in the mid-60s for a pale ale, though.

what was the OG for this brew? the higher it is, the longer it'll take. 95% chance you have no problem. if your fermentation continues for an absurdly long time, that may be a sign that some wild yeast has infected your brew, which would result in some off-flavors for a PA style beer.

i don't use a secondary when i brew, simply because i haven't seen a need for it. my beers turn out full-attenuated, tasty, and clear. even proponents of secondary fermentation admit that your beer won't absorb off-flavors when sitting on the trub until a month or so. give your batch another week.

 

[cjchaps]

That sounds good... I've searching online and people have a bunch of different opions on these things.

I will let the batch sit for another week then bottle it, thx for the advice.

Originally posted by: davestar

Originally posted by: cjchaps
I am using a california ale yeast. My temps in the storage location are between 66 and 70 degrees.

good enough. i'd try to stay in the mid-60s for a pale ale, though.

what was the OG for this brew? the higher it is, the longer it'll take. 95% chance you have no problem. if your fermentation continues for an absurdly long time, that may be a sign that some wild yeast has infected your brew, which would result in some off-flavors for a PA style beer.

i don't use a secondary when i brew, simply because i haven't seen a need for it. my beers turn out full-attenuated, tasty, and clear. even proponents of secondary fermentation admit that your beer won't absorb off-flavors when sitting on the trub until a month or so. give your batch another week.

 

[Beattie]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
I am using a california ale yeast. My temps in the storage location are between 66 and 70 degrees.

That's fine.

What was the OG? What were you expecting the FG to be?

Primary fermentation will take like 3-4 days and then secondary will go on for a while afterwards. It still will bubble in secondary fermentation just slowly. I like to give it at least 2 weeks of fermentation before bottling but as long as it's attenuated like 65% and/or has a FG of around 1.008 - 1.014 or so it's fine to bottle.

 

[Krazefinn]

Bottle em now, and you will be treated with sporadic exploding botles. I remeber my first time, I was 15, and trying to ferment some Finnish "sima" under my bed. POW, drip drip drip.
Mom: Whats that smell?
Dad: did you pee in bed?
uh-oh, duhh!

 

[cjchaps]

I didn't take any readings before fermentation... Is it still useful for me to take a reading before bottling? If it's between 1.008 - 1.014 it should be OK to bottle?

Originally posted by: Beattie

Originally posted by: cjchaps
I am using a california ale yeast. My temps in the storage location are between 66 and 70 degrees.

That's fine.

What was the OG? What were you expecting the FG to be?

Primary fermentation will take like 3-4 days and then secondary will go on for a while afterwards. It still will bubble in secondary fermentation just slowly. I like to give it at least 2 weeks of fermentation before bottling but as long as it's attenuated like 65% and/or has a FG of around 1.008 - 1.014 or so it's fine to bottle.

 

[davestar]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
I didn't take any readings before fermentation... Is it still useful for me to take a reading before bottling? If it's between 1.008 - 1.014 it should be OK to bottle?

Should be fine to bottle in that range, maybe even a bit higher, but that would depend on your OG! Had you taken an OG reading, you could also calculate ABV%.