Air lock bubbling

[j4c]

Hello.
My brew has been at 1.011 for 2 days.
I'm keeping it in the FV until sat anyway.
The air lock is still bubbling.
Is that because the yeast is still eating sugar?
Or something else.
Cheers

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[simple one]

It could be still fermenting slowly.

Or it could be still just venting off CO2 in solution. This happens more with temperature changes.

Leave it a couple more days, and measure. If it's still at 1.011 then bottle/cask/keg.

[j4c]

Thank you


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[j4c]

Checked it again today and is at 1.010
Still get an occasional pop on the air lock.
Is very clear now.
Looks like my cold crash and bottling is gonna have to be pushed back.
Was gonna do that sat and then do a Belgium blonde on Sunday.

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[simple one]

Sounds ready to bottle!

[j4c]

I hope.
I raised the temp to 21c was bubbling every 15 sec this morning. Every 30 or so now.
Wanna turn it down tomorrow night.

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[BenB]

If you raise the temperature you will get bubbling just by virtue of CO2 being less soluable at higher temperatures. This is one reason why if you cold crash you really want to force purge the headspace with CO2 IMHO. Otherwise you end up with all the CO2 in the headspace being pulled into solution and a headspace full of air.... I know some people cold crash and let the bubbler sort it but I don't and I know JZ cautions against it. At the very least it's worth checking your choice of bubbler isn't going to reverse suck a load of nasty liquid into the beer (good reason for using vodka or starsan in airlocks).

[j4c]

I don't think I understood that fully


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[BenB]

The amount of CO2 that will remain in solution depends on the temperature (one of the laws of physics - might be Boyle's law- or is that pressure/soluability??). So if you get a beer that has fully fermented and start heating it you will drive CO2 out of solution and see the airlock bubbling. This is not a sign of the beer starting fermenting again at the higher temp- just a sign that you are driving CO2 out of the beer. If you then cold-crash that beer the beer volume will shrink and you will also cause the CO2 in the headspace to go back into solution- this will cause the airlock to bubble backwards, pulling air into the headspace. Worst scenario you will cause air / oxygen to go into solution in the beer resulting in possible oxidation of the brew.

[j4c]

I see.
So I guess drop it a bit first then crash it.
Or just don't crash because I'm a novice and will bugger it all up

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[j4c]

The reason I raised it is because it never stopped bubbling. Thought maybe the extra two degrees might help it finish.
I am just making it up as I go along

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[Maldon John]

If the gravity has remained the same for 2-3days,and you are at or close to,target/ expected final gravity then the beer is ready to package. If the gravity has fallen some way short of the target/expected FG then it may be time to take remedial measures e.g. SLOWLY raising the temperature, gentle rousing.

[orlando]

If the gravity has remained the same for 2-3days,and you are at or close to,target/ expected final gravity then the beer is ready to package. If the gravity has fallen some way short of the target/expected FG then it may be time to take remedial measures e.g. SLOWLY raising the temperature, gentle rousing.

The point about leaving it at FG for a few days is something that is not observed often enough, throwing up a comon "fault". Yeast "clear up" a lot of artefacts of fermentation that are not desirable, one of which is acetaldeyde. This is the "fault" that smells of green apples, unless you are cask conditioning a beer or bottle conditioning using gravity points left over from the primary fermentation, always make sure you allow these extra days.

[BenB]

Absolutely - best improvement I've seen in my beers was just leaving them on the yeast for longer and not being stressed about getting then off it....

[rpt]

Raising the temperature at the end of fermentation is good practice anyway as it helps assure full attenuation and clean up. I always raise ale fermentations to 24C, 1C every 12 hours.