Runswithlightning

Recipes 

I'd my first all grain, a dogfish 60 minute clone. My og was right around 1.042 and my final gravity appeared to be 1.020. Did I do something wrong in the process or am I reading the hydrometer wrong. Do I need to take a sample out and take a reading or can I put the hydrometer right in my bucket?

dezman

Recipes 

How long has it been? might not be done yet.
Should be ok sticking hydrometer right in bucket as long as you sanitize.

badbrew

Recipes 

Wait a few days after the last reading and reread again to check for a change.

Runswithlightning

Recipes 

I put it in the primary two weeks ago, let it go until it "finished" fermenting(no more bubbles at least then I moved it to secondary to dry hop it for a week. After two weeks total I checked the gravity and it was at 1.020.

kh54s10

Recipes 

Are you reading your hydrometer sample at 60 degrees? If not you have to compensate for the temperature difference. Your hydrometer should have come with a compensation chart.

nilo

Recipes 

Depending on which yeast you used, you may have removed the beer from primary before it was done fermenting. Bubbles can not be used to indicate if fermentation has "finished". Gravity is the only way to do that.
Your hope now is that you have enough yeast in your secondary to work the rest of sugars. Leave it there for another week or two and check the gravity again.

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Nilo
http://beertech.blogspot.com

Runswithlightning

Recipes 

And if I didn't? I assume I will have a very sweet, low alcohol beer then?

hbtasdfg

Recipes 

i had a possibly similar situation but with extracts. i used the wrong combo and i wound up with way too many nonfermentables and gravity that fell from 1.050 to 1.020 when fermentation ended. It was not really sweet more heavy and low in alcohol.

Yankeehillbrewer

Recipes 

What was your Grain Bill,Yeast & Mash temp?

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Kegged:Coffee Porter, ChinSimTra IPA,American Brown,Motueka Pale Ale
Bottled: Barleywine

Primary #1:Pilsner
Primary #2:
On Deck:Hefeweizen,IPA

beerman0001

Recipes 

Sounds like your first Ag did not go so well. Most likely you had an issue with your mash temps. Most dfh 60 clones OG is in the 1.065 range and can finish anywhere between 1.010 and 1.018 depending on how you mash. You will be able to drink what you have but it will be one sweet Hopper 2.9% beer.

So when you are ready please list the recipe and ALL the steps you did to brew this one.

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Fermenting.
On tap: World wide lager, Czech pils, Dunkel, Maibock, DFH 90, Centennial ipa, Chimay red, Citra ipa
Waiting on a tap. Chimay white, Dfh 60, Pliny the elder, Dopelbock, Vienna Lager.
Lagering:
On Deck: .
Hiding in dark corner: Lambic, Flanders red, Oud Bruin, DFH 120(in bottles)