If you still see bubbling in your airlock is it always a sign that it is still fermenting. I made two identical pilsners. After about 10 days I raised the temp up 10 degrees. One of the fermenters sat lower in my keezer so I think it fermented a little slower because it was cooler. I had the thermocouple taped to the fermenter that was higher up. When I raised the temp up for my d rest the lower one started bubbling like crazy. After about 3 days the one had no airlock activity and the other had a little bit. Both of them were sitting at 1.010. I ended up mixing both batches before I kegged so that they would both be consistent. I usually would have just waited but I was having issues with room in the keezer. one of my fermenting buckets is a little bigger and I had to tilt one of my kegs just to fit it in. Should I keep the keezer at 50 degrees for a few days just in case it hasn’t fermented out all the way or just assume its done. The krausen had fallen on the one in question but I could still see co2 escaping a little bit.
The one tool you failed to mention, a hydrometer. I can’t make beer without it, kinda like American Express. I take hydrometer readings when I see the beer start to clear[ 2-3 wks primary usually]. When
you take readings and get consecutive results in a 1-3 day period [ same low reading ] then that is when it’s time. Just because someone says it’s done after 2 wks doesn,t mean it is. The hydrometer
is just as important as a thermometer. Visual appearances won’t tell you all you need to know. If it’s worked out for you in the past, you’re just lucky.
I did mention that my reading was 1.010. The bear was clear as the other one. it just looked as though it was still having activity. I should have just let it sit another day but I ended up racking it into the kegs. Right now they are sitting in my keezer at 50 degrees. I will wait another few days and take another reading. I normally let it sit a week longer than it needs then do a cautionary hydometer reading before I rack into the keg. These two recent batches have been a fiasco so far. I am just getting back into this after a 2 year break and I am struggling with constancy with my strike water, boil off rates and ect. I live in a warmer area now than I used to. Before I would under estimate my mash temps now I overestimate them.
Sorry I didn’t catch that, sounds like you are good to go. I do a nice gentle rolling boil and volume loss is fairly predictable. You may already do this, I purposely start mash at a little high temp[ 1-2 deg] and add a little cold water and slowly dial the temp in before closing. Then I measure the runoff for the correct boil amount that I need. Should turn out great.
Airlock activity does not mean fermentation is occurring. It only means gas is escaping the fermenter. Raising the temperature 10 degrees will accentuate this, since CO2 will be leaving solution.
