arover

Recipes 

It's been 4 weeks since I brewed my cream ale, I went over on the water by roughly 1.5 gallons, but still ended up with a starting gravity of close to 1.050. The kit instructions estimated a final gravity of 1.016, also saying I should transfer it to the secondary at 1.020 (which I never listen to, I usually just transfer after 3 weeks as a general rule, it was at just about 1.020 by that point however). I transferred it to secondary a week ago, and I've had 2 straight days of the same reading, ~1.018. I was planning on doing some bottling tonight, but I don't know now. What do you guys think? I thought the overdoing the water would give me a lower starting gravity, but I'd end up with the same final gravity...or am I wrong?

mrfurlly

Recipes 

dont worry about 2 points, 10 points sure....but not 2

homebeerbrewer

Recipes 

Also, your beer may not be at the exact temperature that your hydrometer is calibrated for. A few degrees in either direction could cause the numbers to be off. Four weeks should be plenty of time, it's probably ready to bottle.

arover

Recipes 

Thanks for your opinions guys, I'm going to go ahead with the bottling. The temp was at 62F, just above the calibrated point, so it shouldn't have thrown off the reading much at all. But you're right, 2 points isn't much.