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Anubis · 08-21-2010, 01:27 AM

So here was what I made..

Original Gravity: 1.070 (1.063 to 1.073)
Final Gravity: 1.015 (1.013 to 1.017
SRM: 6
IBU: 14.1 IBU / 6 HBU
ABV: 7.3%
YEAST: Fermentis US-05

6# Pale Liquid Extract
2# Briess DME Golden Light
12oz Corn Sugar
12oz Crystal 40L

60 mins 1.5oz Hallertauer 3.8
5 mins 1.0oz Cascade 8.5

Ferment 2 weeks. Strawberry Extract to taste before racking into secondary for another week.

Although when I was about to take an OG reading I broke my hydrometer. I pitched the yeast last night around 7:30 and it really took off through the night. I got off work and got a new hydrometer then headed straight home. I took a reading about 10 min ago (6:20) and it is at 1.056. Is it possible it dropped down .015-.017 in that amount of time?

I am thinking I'll just keep in the prime for 2 weeks then 2ndary for 1 week just to be safe. I'm just worried if I get "stuck", will I know it?

**BigB** · 08-21-2010, 02:27 AM

Absoulutely! Dont' strss about the daily numbers. Leave it alone for 3 weeks. Let them lazy yeasties earn their room and board!

cdburg · 08-21-2010, 02:27 AM

That kind of drop isn't unreasonable. It sounds like things are going well so far.

"Stuck" is more about the final gravity, especially with extract brewing, since you have a really good idea where your OG should have been. Let it ferment until there is no more activity (use your new hydrometer to test). When the activity seems to have stoppd and the gravity has been the same for 2 or 3 days in a row, it's probably done. From there, feel free to move to a secondary (which I would personally skip) or bottle.

Anubis · 08-21-2010, 03:52 AM

So yeah, then I will continue as planned. Leave it alone for 3 weeks and call it good (while taking readings along the way of course).

I know being "stuck" is a matter of FG. My concern stemed from the fact that I had no way of knowing my OG so I could not be 100% sure of what my FG should be. So if I did get "stuck" I would not be able to be sure either way. Sure my reading have not changed so it should be done, unless it has stopped at a higher gravity than it should have.

lumpher · 08-21-2010, 03:54 AM

i would expect that kind of drop, and another 1 or 2 just like it

cdburg · 08-21-2010, 04:06 AM

With an extract beer, unless you add more water than needed or boil too much to concentrate the wort more than expected, your OG should be pretty close to the recipe. You don't have to worry about efficiency in terms of conversion or sparging like you would with all grain. As long as the recipe's numbers were good (i.e the person who wrote the recipe put together an accurate one), you should be very close to the stated OG from the recipe.

Even when you know your exact OG, you can't be entirely sure of your FG. There are a range of factors involved in determining where the yeast will take the finished beer.

If the recipe gives a FG or 1.013 to 1.017, and you hit that for 2-3 days in a row, you should be fine. If you're significantly above that range, you might not be ready to bottle.