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Why is it still fermenting?

Yeast & Fermentation
#1

I purchased the extract SMASH american Session Ale. After the expected 7 days of fermentation, the foam fell back in and the bubbling stopped entirely. Then I re-racked it. I added 1 last oz of dry hops as stated and within 48 hours it started bubbling up again.
4 weeks now and there are still tiny bubbles coming up and the air lock bubbles once a minute.
Not a super high sugar content so not sure if there is something fishy going on. Temp stayed around 68 F.

Any help would be great because I wanted to bottle it soon but dont want to have bottle bombs.

#2

That happens… co2 will come out of solution in secondary, especially if you add dry hops. I wouldn’t worry.

#3

so you think I can go ahead and add sugar and bottle?

#4

It is possible the fermentation had not completed before you racked to the secondary. At least two specific gravity readings with a hydrometer are needed to confirm final gravity.

The dry hop can also create nucleation points for the CO2 in solution to begin off gassing through the air lock.

Take a gravity reading today and another two days from now. Two days apart for a low gravity beer may be okay especially with the amount of time since the start of active fermentation. If the SG readings are the same begin bottling.

In the future I would not rack to a secondary vessel until final gravity is confirmed. Though I don’t use a secondary anymore. I dry hop in the primary after final gravity is confirmed.

2 Likes
#5

Thanks flars, will take your advice.

#6

And DO taste the sample… If something fishy going on, your tongue will alert you! Sneezles61

#7

So the dry hops have been in there 3 weeks now?

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