I should have taken the gravity sooner

Hi all,

Thanks for all your help on this forum. I've learned a lot over the past few weeks, unfortunately I read most of this information too late -- after I had already started my first batch. But I've learned from these mistakes and will correct them the next brew day.

Long story short, 3 weeks ago I made a red ale from a kit I got at my LHBS. I took a hydrometer reading today, and it measured 1.06, which I'm pretty sure is higher than the instructions in the kit said it was supposed to start at. I didn't take an OG reading at the time.

I used the yeast included in the kit (Munton's dry ale yeast), and it started bubbling the next day, but it stopped within 24 hours. Looking back on it, the wort was too warm (in the 80s, I think -- another mistake), so I'm not sure if I killed the yeast or something like that.

Should I repitch with new yeast? Or is it too late? I tasted it and it wasn't the worst beer I've ever had .... it smells sweet, so I believe it's still got some fermenting to do.

I've definitely learned what mistakes I made with this batch, I'm just curious if it's salvageable? Thanks in advance to all .....

Wait. it finished at 1.06? or 1.006?

How much malt (extract?) was included with the kit?

Umm calibrate your hydrometer and make sure it read 1.000 in water....

if you are correct in saying that it stopped at 1.06 (1.060) then there's definitely sugars still left to ferment. Repitch, if it's really at 1.060, if it's at 1.006 then you're fine.

(Posting with a red face)

I should rename this thread "hydrometer reading 101".

I did another reading, and it turns out that I didn't fill the hydrometer column enough -- I filled it 1/2 way, and now it's reading around 1.015. I think this is close to what it's supposed to finish at.

It definitely smells fruity, but that's another mistake on my part (fermenting too warm).

So it looks like I won't be repitching -- thanks for your responses.

Good to hear!

DaveyBoy said:

(Posting with a red face)

I should rename this thread "hydrometer reading 101".

I did another reading, and it turns out that I didn't fill the hydrometer column enough -- I filled it 1/2 way, and now it's reading around 1.015. I think this is close to what it's supposed to finish at.

It definitely smells fruity, but that's another mistake on my part (fermenting too warm).

So it looks like I won't be repitching -- thanks for your responses.

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That's more like it... man, i don't think i've ever heard of a beer showing activity but staying at starting gravity... and if it had been at 1.060 it would have been dangerously sweet, like inst-diabetic sweet... lol... always take the reading 3 times to be sure...

DaveyBoy said:

It definitely smells fruity, but that's another mistake on my part (fermenting too warm)

Click to expand...

The fruitiness will diminish when its carbonated and chilled. Go ahead and bottle it, wait 3 weeks (if you can) and chill one and see what you got. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised

Despite what it might seem like when you read these boards, it's surprisingly hard to make really awful beer. Your beer wants to be good...as long as you don't get in it's way too much (and it sounds like you didn't), it will be.

Thank you all for you encouragement and advice -- it's most appreciated!

You know, well, maybe you don't, whenever you take a gravity reading you also need to take a temp reading as one affects the other.

homebrewer_99 said:

You know, well, maybe you don't, whenever you take a gravity reading you also need to take a temp reading as one affects the other.

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Ahh yes, thanks for the reminder. I added .001 since it was at 70 degrees .....

Good (Davey)Boy! You're learning...