Am I risking bottling too soon?

**bricks** · 02-04-2012, 05:27 PM

I just did my third batch since starting back brewing after a 15 year hiatus. It was a porter brewed with extract and steeping grains. I was trying to make a clone of Black Butte porter using the ingredients found on Deschutes web site and guessing at the amount.

This coming Monday will be three weeks in the fermenter. Beersmith said OG should be 1.056, and I hit 1.055. Says FG should be 1.015. I just took a reading and it is at 1.018. Do you think I need to wait and take another reading tomorrow, or do you think it is safe to go ahead and bottle this evening?

After sampling the amount pulled for the hydrometer reading, I am really excited about this one. The first two batches had kind of an off flavor, don't really know how to describe it. This one tasted fantastic! I can't wait to bottle it and let it age a bit before trying!

**stikks** · 02-04-2012, 05:38 PM

What kind of yeast did you use?

**bricks** · 02-04-2012, 05:56 PM

Sorry, I should have put more info in the first post!

I used safale 04 yeast, and had to go with room temp of about 69 on the fermenter, which would result in low 70's for beer.

Ingredients included 7 lbs. of LME, and 1 lb. each of carapils, crystal 60, and chocolate wheat, with nugget, cascade, and tettnang hops.

**unionrdr** · 02-04-2012, 06:02 PM

I'd let it ride a few more days to see if those last couple gravity points get knocked off.

**stikks** · 02-04-2012, 06:04 PM

Safale -04 average attenuation is about 72%,I looks to me that you are at around 67%
at 1.018.I would let it sit a couple more days and check gravity again.It might be done
or it could drop another point or 2.I havn`t used 04 in a while so I`m not real sure.I have
had 05 attenuate at around 75% several times though.

just my thoughts