Beer Forum

So I brewed a cream ale on Sunday the 31st, and ended up with about a 1.049 OG... 23 day's later, one of my carboys is still throwing up CO2 bubbles from below...

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=96306972107&h=xIV5q&u=eCpuK&ref=mf

I don't think I've ever seen a brew (at all, not to mention this low in gravity), still active this long after brew day. This one was pitched with a healthy starter, and took off within a few hours. I still have a bit of Krausen on the carboy that is still active.

I was planning on brewing last Sunday and racking on this yeast cake, but now it's looking like this upcoming Sunday might not even be enough. I think I will take a gravity reading tomorrow just to check, though it seems futile if I can see activity.

Anyone else experience this before? Normally on a beer this size, I wouldn't hesitate to keg 2 weeks after pitching... but I've never seen one drag on this long. Any suggestions for my next step. I'm really hoping to keg this up this weekend....

what has the temp been? did it start low and climb or did it fluctuate? what about a wild yeast that is just going nuts(you would think that it would be close to zero by now if there is brett in there that is functioning like a semi-primary fermenter). my guess is that your gravity is gonna be 1.003 when you check it.

I agree with positiverpr - sounds like it might be an infection or a wild yeast in there. They take a lot longer to ferment and chew on things your normal yeast can't consume. Its not uncommon for a bret beer to stop bubbling after a week or so after pitching and then start to bubble again as the bret starts taking a hold of the beer.

When you check the gravity, give it a taste.

-Okt

Will check it tonight. Though I've never used bret, I was under the impression that it would show an akward... spider-webby type of Krausen... I don't see that here.
This batch was also done on the heels of an all-out brewery overhaul/cleaning. I'll check the gravities and let everyone know what it tastes like tonight.

Seems like there's nothing to be alarmed about. The carboy with no activity is at 1.009, while the one with the activity is at 1.010 or close enough. They both tast just fine. brought the temp control from 65 to 70 to try to meet a deadline.

Don't quite know what the lesson is here....

Thanks for the replies!