OG Reading Help

So for my first brew ever I followed directions from this site to a T and was very sanitary and everything seemed to go great. 12 hours later I had a nice and bubbly airlock and now 36 hours later the airlock is very very bubbly (which I take is a good thing)

My question is my my amateur calculations is the hydrometer is reading at 1.026 which I may be reading wrong (Picture below) but the instructions say it should be at 1.042-1.046 with a FG of 1.010-1.012.

1. Am I reading this correct?
2. Am I way off on OG?
3. Am I just a worried Noob and the rapid airlock means everything is ok?

Any help is much appreciated.

Not sure how to add the picture

See if this doesn't answer your question. Attention new brewers, yes your original gravity reading is wrong. Don't panic.

Awesome, did a quick search but at work so figured someone would point me in the right direction.

"Brewers get a low reading if they get more of the top off water than the wort, conversely they get a higher number if they grabbed more of the extract than the top off water in their sample."

When I take readings after a week or so will the wort have the same reading top, middle, and bottom or would i need to gently stir?

Thanks again,

Eman24dx said:

Awesome, did a quick search but at work so figured someone would point me in the right direction.

"Brewers get a low reading if they get more of the top off water than the wort, conversely they get a higher number if they grabbed more of the extract than the top off water in their sample."

When I take readings after a week or so will the wort have the same reading top, middle, and bottom or would i need to gently stir?

Thanks again,

Click to expand...

The yeast will churn everything up and mix it well.

Don't stir it! For God's sake, don't stir it!

Don't even look at it. Put it away for three weeks, and don't even think about it. Then three weeks later, lock eyes meaningfully with it across a crowded room, but don't approach. You have to make the beer want YOU. Finally, a month after you pitched the yeast, rack, and then bottle.

Don't obsess over gravity readings. The yeast know what to do, and they're doing it all by themselves.

Haha, thats great. BUT, I will need the primary free in 7-10 days as I am planning my 2nd brew day and ordered a glass carboy and intend to get some use out of it.

Haha. It's like you were reading my thoughts from a year ago word for word. That is until I learned that the beer will dictate to me when I transfer it. And what an unnecessary step a secondary is unless you have a high OG beer or making a fruit beer or things of the like. Not to mention what a pain it is to clean carboys. But if it works for you, awesome. It sure didn't for me

Eman24dx said:

Haha, thats great. BUT, I will need the primary free in 7-10 days as I am planning my 2nd brew day and ordered a glass carboy and intend to get some use out of it.

Click to expand...

Choose your own adventure. Before you do though, it might be useful to read one of the many great threads on why you may get better beer if you leave it in the primary for longer. I don't feel like searching for them right now, but I'm sure you can do so. Or Revvy can point you in the right direction.

I have read the many threads and as a Noob will probably just break down, open the wallet and buy another primary bucket with lid and airlock and have a 2nd primary bucket. Only like $20 anyways. Seems like 75% here would recommend that method vs a secondary.

I guess I can get good use out of the secondary 5 or so brews down the road when I am brave enough to attempt dry hopping or adding fruit to beer.