Fermented cold but seems to be going way too long.

[HopRunner]

Here's the deal. I brewed a batch of all grain Nut-Brown and I pitched 1.8 liters of Dry English Ale yeast - WLP007. I have read that this yeast takes off like a rocket so I decided to ferment cold. My thinking was that I would have a cleaner brew if I kept it cool and slowed things down.

I made my starter using a stir plate and kept the temp between 62-64F. I pitched the starter at about 24 hours.

I cooled my wort down to @ 62 F, aerated with bottled O2, and pitched the entire starter. The fermentation took off but I was able to keep it slow by putting the carboy in a bucket of cold water. The fermentation never got above 64F. After a couple of days I took it out of the bucket and let the temperature settle at about 62F for the rest of the week and then settled at 60F.

Well, it has been three weeks and there is still airlock activity. Not much but at least a bubble a minute. I am starting to get paranoid that maybe I contaminated the wort and I have some sort of infection....

I mean could the yeast be THAT slow? I moved the carboy to a slightly warmer area two days ago, it is now sitting at 65F and as of this morning it was still, slowly, bubbling away.

I guess I only have two questions.

What do you guys think is going on? And.. At these temperatures how long can I keep it in the primary before I get off flavors from the yeast bed?

Thanks,

[DannyW]

What is the current gravity? Just the warming from 60F to 65F will kick out some CO2. It might be long since done, but masquerading as a slow ferment. gravity check is the only way to know for sure.

For your second question, It can sit for many weeks without autolyzing, especially at those temps.

[HopRunner]

Give me a couple of hours (currently procrastinating at work) and I will post the current gravity reading.

Just for the hell of it..
Here is the recipe for your critique:

All Grain Recipe:
11lb British Two-Row Pale
.75lb American Special Roast
.5lb American Victory
.5lb Crystal 40L
.25lb British Pale Chocolate
.25lb American Chocolate
.5lb Biscuit Malt

Mash Temp @152 F for 75 minutes.

2.0 - Yakima Golding - 60min
1.0 - Willamette 10min.

I reduced 7 gallons of wort down to 5.5 gallons in a 90 minute boil.

Yeah!!

[HopRunner]

Just tested the wort and it is about 1.014. I had a starting OG of 1.064.

I tasted the hydrometer sample and it tasted pretty good. I think it is good to go...

[Bugeater]

One of the problems with that yeast is that it flocculates really well. That is, it all drops to the bottom of the fermenter pretty quick. When it does that only the top surface of the yeast cake is exposed to the wort. The rest just lies there doing nothing. To get best results, and quicker fermentation, you need to rouse the yeast now and then (just rock the fermenter around a bit) to get it back into suspension. About every other day is often enough.

Wayne

[HopRunner]

Yeah, I thought that might be the case so I did roust it several times... maybe five times total. I am going to let it sit until Saturday and then I am going to bottle!