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Airlock still bubbling after 4 weeks

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  • Airlock still bubbling after 4 weeks

    Hi guys,

    I am brewing a Irish Creamy Red Ale extract kit and after 4 weeks the airlock is still releasing bubbles every 90 seconds or so even though the instructions mentioned 7 to 10 days. I have googled and it seems reason can vary from slow yeast to just CO2 being released even though fermentation is complete to something possibly wrong. Any ideas/suggestions? I don;t want to bottle and have exploding bottles - or waste time on bottling it is infected. the taste seems to be OK if somewhat watery.

    My FG seems to be stable but is very low at 0.008 - OG starting at about 0.04.

    Included in this kit was:
    1 x Mangrove Jack's Belgian Ale 1.7kg kit
    1 x Mangrove Jack's Brewblend enhancer pack 1kg (contains dextrose, malt extract, maltodextrin)
    1 x Fuggles finishing hops 15gm
    1 x Goldings finishing hops 15g
    1 x Mangrove Jacks British Ale Yeast

  • #2
    That is kind of strange and possibly troubling.

    Smell your beer. Does it smell ok, or do you pick up other aromas (sour, wild, farm).
    Look at your beer: What does the beer and the kreuzen look like? Do you have strange layers on top of the beer?
    You said the beer tastes ok, just watery, so that is a good thing.

    Is the beer in a fermentation chamber? If so, take it out so that it can warm up a bit and make the yeast finish their job quicker.

    Another possibility is that the beer is warm enough that it is evaporating.

    At what temp is the beer currently?

    I would suggest the usual gem RDWHAHB. Leave it for another week and see what happens.

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    • #3
      Thank you for the reply.

      I'm not picking up any strange smells or aromas - as a matter of fact, if I smell at the airlock when it bubbles there is hardly any smell left at all. the colour also look fine and there is no layer on top at all - no more fermenting foam either.

      The beer is standing in a plastic fermenter (the one that comes with a standard starter kit) in a dark room - no fermentation chamber - and the current temperature is 24 - although it has mainly been standing at 22 degrees. Is this high enough to cause evaporation? I have never had this before (although this is only my 4th brew). All the previous ones stopped bubbling in less than a week.

      The only thing I did different with this brew - because of high outside temperatures - was to have the fermenter stand halfway submerged in water for the first 2 weeks to keep the temperature at 22 max.

      Comment


      • #4
        Just an update, today the bubbling is about 3.5 minutes apart so it has slowed down since 2 days ago when I last timed it.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Krugie,

          What are the units for the gravity values you mentioned in your first post?
          Was it supposed to be OG = 1.040 and FG = 1.008?

          I would leave it for at least another week and test it again to decide if there are any weird smells or flavours. If you don't taste anything weird then I would suggest bottling the batch and open bottles regularly (after a week for priming). If the carbonation gets quite high, or you smell or taste something funky then dump them before you have bottle bombs.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by robcass View Post
            What are the units for the gravity values you mentioned in your first post?
            Was it supposed to be OG = 1.040 and FG = 1.008?
            Apologies - the readings as you posted them are correct.

            Thanks for the advise - I will do so and see what happens from there onward! Was really looking forward to tasting this one so hoping for the best. It's my last kit brew before the first full grain a attempt in 12 days time!

            Comment


            • #7
              don't rely too much on bubble activity to judge fermentation. rather use your hydrometer. if it's stable for a few days, bottle.

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              • #8
                +1 ... I would take another SG, especially since you say it's 2 days later now ... if it's still on 1.008 I would bottle .... but that's just me
                The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

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                • #9
                  Thanks guys - I will measure tomorrow and then bottle if stable. I will keep you posted.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I should have posted on here a long time ago... tonight the airlock has finally stopped bubbling!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by JIGSAW View Post
                      +1 ... I would take another SG, especially since you say it's 2 days later now ... if it's still on 1.008 I would bottle .... but that's just me
                      I assume you meant FG.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Just to update you guys, hydrometer reading was still stable and no more bubbling since last night - so the batch has been bottled. Hoping for the best! Thanks again for all the replies.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by krugie View Post
                          Just to update you guys, hydrometer reading was still stable and no more bubbling since last night - so the batch has been bottled. Hoping for the best! Thanks again for all the replies.
                          and the loooong frikken wait begins..

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by AtronSeige View Post
                            I assume you meant FG.
                            Nope ... SG = Specific Gravity

                            SG only becomes the FG once it's confirmed that fermentation is completed

                            Screenshot_27.jpg
                            JIGSAW
                            Senior Member
                            Last edited by JIGSAW; 7 December 2017, 13:01.
                            The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

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                            • #15
                              So, how did this turn out? I'm curious, since it'll be one of the kits I'll be brewing in the future - I like the idea of the red...

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