Do I really need to take SG readings?

TAK · 02-06-2012, 04:12 AM

Full disclosure, I'm a noob. I brewed an English Pale Ale as my first batch two weeks ago. I bottled after 8 days, which I justified because my SG readings were constant at 1.010 for 3 consecutive days. It’s carbed and tastes decent today but is cloudy as…

I did a “mini-mash” oatmeal stout this weekend and it’s vigorously fermenting. I read through all 32 pages of the below thread and have concluded that I’ll let the stout sit in primary for a month or so.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/index29.html

However, I’m wondering, if I’m going to let it sit in primary for 4 weeks, do I really need to peek in there at all to take SG readings before I’m ready to bottle? It seems to me like, unless fermentation gets stuck for some reason, it will definitely be done in 4 weeks so why bother stirring up the CO2 blanket and introduce O2. Even so, if I open it after a month to bottle and find that my FG is questionable, then I can deal with the stuck fermentation at that point.

Proponents of the long primary fermentation, please weigh in.

**BigB** · 02-06-2012, 02:01 PM

No, you don't "need" to take a SG readings... That is just a method for those (particularly new brewers) who want to be sure that fermentation has stopped. I haven't taken multiple SG readings in a couple years now. I'm confident in my process and the only SG readings I take are before pitching yeast and immediately before I bottle or keg (just to see what the FG was). I have yet to have a beer at bottling time that wasn't at or below my expected FG after 3 weeks in the primary.

wailingguitar · 02-06-2012, 02:07 PM

I haven't taken a FG at home in maybe 15 years. I don't like wasting beer!

I am confident that the beer will be done within a certain amount of time. TAK, you are right, if an ale is in the ferm for a month, it's done.

TAK · 02-06-2012, 10:11 PM

Thanks - I'll leave it alone. I guess I'll just have to get another brew started in the meantime.

**dsmith1279** · 02-08-2012, 03:45 AM

Ditto. It is my belief that if your in a hard production environment You want the fastest in/out process as possible. Thus, the faster = the sooner to market and the more money you make. For homebrewing you brew on your day off... Get to transfer to the secondary in 14 days ish then you keg after 10-20 days ish. Check your OG and your FG and your good to go!

Calder · 02-11-2012, 03:40 PM

I usually rack to secondary after 2 weeks. I like to harvest the yeast, and leaving it too long under a weight of beer is not good for it. Often, I will also add gelatin to the secondary to help clear it. When I transfer I take a gravity sample and drink it. It tells me how the beer is doing. Almost always it has reached FG by that time.