Do people normally bitch about long fermentations?

[frod1963]

I did my first starter which I used on my 3rd AG an ESB. The damn thing went crazy for 8 days and now 12 days later the airlock isn't bottomed out.? The thing is still moving every so often. There are no signs of infection and my sanitation is dialed.

[RLinNH]

What was the OG of your Starter?

[frod1963]

Used light DME and I belive it was 1 cup DME to 2 cups water with one tsp of yeast nutrient. The OG was 1.030. I used o2 and pitched the whole starter. Im going to check a gravity today and see what turns up. Thanks in advance.

[Fritz Eye]

Used light DME and I belive it was 1 cup DME to 2 cups water with one tsp of yeast nutrient. The OG was 1.030. I used o2 and pitched the whole starter. Im going to check a gravity today and see what turns up. Thanks in advance.

Just my $ 0.02 worth. A ratio of 1 cup DME to 2 cups water should have a higher gravity. The specs on mrmalty.com suggest using a 10:1 ratio to make worts in the 10.30-1.040 range.
Maybe there was typeo?
But let us know how it low it finishes. Depending on the yeast I have had some low gravity beers that took about 10-12 days to stop bubbling to only finnish around 1.011. But they came out just fine.
Good luck.

[frod1963]

just took a hydro sample and gravity is at 1.016. Starting gravity was 1.056 so with my backwoods math skills that's 5.25%. The best part is it tastes damn good. Thanks this site kicks ass.

[Fritz Eye]

that is about 72% attenuation, which is pretty much spot on for an English style yeast.
Great job. It sounds like it will only get better.
As far as mrmatly.com ..... Jamil does not mess around.
Drink up.......

[HopRunner]

I did my first starter which I used on my 3rd AG an ESB. The damn thing went crazy for 8 days and now 12 days later the airlock isn't bottomed out.? The thing is still moving every so often. There are no signs of infection and my sanitation is dialed.

Are you talking about your starter or your primary fermentation? If your primary fermentation is still bubbling away after 12 days that would seem normal.

If you are talking about your starter then there is a lot of things to worry about. Like, you need a lot more water, and you shouldn't use an air lock, and it should only go a couple of days, and you shouldn't let it ferment out all the way, and...etc

Have you checked out the Brew Strong "Yeast Starters" episode? If not, then you should because they lay it all out for you.

[BigNastyBrew]

He's talking about the ESB he used the starter on. It WAS worded funny.