Question about hydrometer reading..Irish Red Ale....need help!

Hi all....I could use some help! I just transferred my first brew from my primary fermentor to my secondary. As a newbie, I forgot to take a hydrometer reading after closing my lid on the primary, so I I'm not sure about my SG. That being said, after 7 days in my primary, the reading today was 1.020. The FG is supposed to be 1.010 - 1.012. Am I on the right track? Will it continue to drop from 1.020 to 1.010 over the next 7 days.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Signed....a paranoid thirsty man.

Need to know your O.G. and the recipe.

And how long was it in the primary?

is it possible your fermentation stalled because of temperature variations? I have my Irish red at a consistant 70 degrees. I've been getting a 1.014 reading for two days now. It's been in primary for 2 weeks.

I made a rookie mistake and didn't take a reading on the first day. That being said, the recipe calls for SG: 1.042-1.046 and FG: 1.010 - 1.012. I have kept the room temp and primary bucket at approximately 66 to 68 degrees. It was in the primary for 7 days and has now been moved to the secondary carboy with a hydrometer reading of 1.020.

Just RDWHAHB. Since this was an extract beer your SG was more than likely in that range. Your temperature seems fine. When you racked to secondary you may have roused the yeast enough to gain a couple more points but it may not. Just be sure to use your hydrometer like you have been. If it doesn't SG doesn't drop anymore you'll be fine to bottle/keg it will just be a little sweeter than you might have wanted but will still be good. Sometimes brewing with extract you don't get very good attenuation.

Thanks double e5...appreciate you talking me off the ledge. Funny thing you mention 'sweeter'. I felt like the brew smelled a litte 'sweet' or 'fruity' when I opened the primary. Also, there wasn't a Krasuen on top.....which may or may not mean anything. Anyway...I'm hooked on the hobby...so there is always the next brew to look forward to.

Several of my beers were finishing high, then I took a hydro reading of distilled water at 60 deg... turns out my hydrometer was 4 points too high. You also my not have topped off with enough water.

My first brew was also a kit Red Ale - it finished at 1.020 too - I bottled it and it was great. I bet yours is done and is fine and it will be great beer.

I've read somewhere along the way that not aerating the beer enough before pitching the yeast can lead to low attenuation and a higher than expected final gravity. My second brew also stalled out at 1.020 and I'm starting to think I need to aerate more.

I'd let it sit in the secondary for at least a week and then take another reading. Cheers!

Jim

Funny you mention not topping off with enough water and not aerating enough. I'm pretty sure I'm made a mistake of both fronts. When I finished boiling my wort, I lost about a gallon from the process.....that caught me by surprise. When I topped off, I'm not sure I added enough. Also, after I added the yeast, I don't believe I aerated it enough. Well....this is my first batch and we'll see what happens. I'm not going to sweat it.....I have a Red Stripe Clone mini-mash coming this week.....so I'm looking forward to trying that out.