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Audiopup
03-22-2005, 11:01 PM
I brewed a Belgian White nine days ago and have a few questions that were not contained in this thread: http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6231&highlight=airlock.

I fermented in a 6.5 gal plastic bucket with airlock and pitched a white labs witbier yeast after making a starter the night before. After 8 hours I got a good active fermentation that seemed to subside after 24 hours. I waited until 5 days after brewing, sanitized my 5 gal carboy and all the siphoning equipment, then went to siphon. When I took the top off of the bucket there was still a nice kraeusen, but decied to rack anyway because I am impatient. After it was racked the beer went nuts, blowing yeast through my airlock for three days. I constantly cleaned it out and finally it stopped coming up that far. It is now nine days after brewing and still bubbling once every 30 seconds.

Now you know the history, this is my concern: when should I keg? I have brewed an APA and an Irish Red before and after two weeks of fermentation/conditioning I kegged. (Both lasted 5 to 7 days in the primary and then was racked to a carboy for the remainder.) I've never had an obvious fermentation last so long and wonder when it would be safe to keg. Thanks for the help.

21st-Amendment
03-22-2005, 11:14 PM
When the krausen is visibly low, take a hydrometer reading. If it's in target range, should be ok! You might want to wait a day or so, and if you have another carboy i'd rack it over and let it sit a few days. Acts as a secondary for better conditioning and removes the beer from that trub you created with the fermenting in the 5 gallon. But if your hydrometer reading is where it should be, i don't see any problems keggin it now.