• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

8 weeks in Secondary and Still Have Airlock Activity

Beer Lover

Grandmaster Brewer
Joined
Nov 3, 2014
Messages
105
Reaction score
0
I have a Winter Warmer all-grain that I brewed 8 weeks ago.  I still have airlock activity and I am concerned.  The airlock activity is 1 bubble every 2 1/2 minutes.  Last night I moved the beer from the secondary to a third stage.  The carboy(secondary) had a foam on the wort and sediment on the bottom.  I did a taste test.  Seemed to be OK.  Now looking at the third stage the foam seems to be coming back and sediment on the bottom.  I think it is infected.  Maybe wild yeast?  I am going to take daily gravity readings.  If they stay the same I maybe good?
 
The gravity will tell.

If this is a heavy beer, a long slow secondary would not be completely unexpected.  I've bottle those kinds of beers only to have them explode 6 months later.
 
I agree with Beer Tigger.  Winter warmers usually take some time.  Patience is the key.  I usually advise that you bottle after three consecutive days with no airlock activity, but on bigger beers, I'll wait until it's stable for at least a couple of weeks.  If you've racked to a secondary, you won't have to worry about it being on dead yeast cells.  Patience.
 
I checked the specific gravity on this beer.  The original gravity was 1.069.  8 weeks later it is 1.014.  I sampled the beer and it is good.  I will be patient.  Thanks for the replies.
 
Back
Top