Hydrometer readings and bottling

meatman · 11-25-2007, 08:46 PM

So I am on my 2nd batch and was going to bottle, but I think its not ready. According to a website I have been referencing (defalcos.com) my hydrometer should read at least 1.013 or below before bottling. I just took a reading and I am at 1.016 - 1.017 so I guess I need to wait longer to bottle. It has only been 7 days, which is how long I waited on my first batch, but now I am realizing that I need to wait longer. I am not using 2nd stage method until I get more batches under my belt.

I assume I am reading my hydrometer correctly. I see a 1000 mark and an 1100 mark. Between those marks are 10, 20, 30 , 40 etc. with ten hashmarks in between each number. I filled up a testing tube and dropped my hydrometer in and I see the line above 1000, and the 6th or 7th hashmark between 10 and 20. That means 1.016 - 1.017 an adding .001 for 7 degrees above 60F puts me solidly at 1.017, maybe even 1.018. Does that sound right?

I admit I don't really know my original specific gravity because I am fairly certain I read the hydrometer wrong.

I guess on the positive side I tasted small sample and it taste decent at this point.

Thanks.

meatman

**eddie** · 11-25-2007, 08:59 PM

Don't get too hung up by the recommended gravity readings. Sure, it's good to shoot for them and certain styles have an optimum gravity range but unless you're going to enter your brew in competition it's not really such a big deal. What matters more is fermentation and determining when it's done. If you took a hydrometer reading yesterday, take another one tomorrow. If the readings are the same, you're ready to bottle. If the reading has dropped then you're still fermenting and should let it go another week or so and check it again. Once your gravity bottoms out, you're done fermenting for all intents an purposes.

Follow this link for more information on hydrometers:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Hydrometer

**Yooper** · 11-25-2007, 09:13 PM

If you post your recipe, we can give you your approx. OG by running it through some brewing software.

Your fg depends on several factors- the fermentability of the wort, and the type of yeast you used, mostly.

You can always wait to bottle. Without using a clearing tank, I'd recommend keeping the beer in primary for 3 weeks before bottling even if the beer is at fg after a week. It'll clear nicely and you'll have less sediment in your bottle and better tasting beer. There is really no reason to rush the beer into bottles (except most of us are pretty impatient).