Question about my FG reading....

I am trying to free up my primary so I can make another batch of beer while I have some free time. Because of this I need to rack my beer into a secondary (I know that secondarys are frowned upon). I was planing on doing this today, so I took a reading. The FG of my kit is 1.012 and it has been in the primary for two weeks. I surprised at my reading, am I way of my FG or am I just reading this wrong?



Also, my tubing from my racking cane is a little hazy and slightly discolored, should I get a new one?

Your FG looks OK, letting it sit in secondary for another couple of weeks should drop it closer to your expected value. BTW I don't think it's secondaries per se that are frowned upon, it just the insistence that they are required that people question.

I'd give your racking cane tubing a good soak in some PBW and see if it clears up.

What is the temperature of the sample. That will effect the gravity reading. There are several internet calculators that will help you convert.

Actually, from the picture it appears your gravity is currently closer to 1.018. However the hydrometer appears to be touching the side of the cylinder. Try to keep the cylinder level so that the hydrometer floats inside without touching the sides. The line under the 10 on the hydrometer is 1.010 and then each line below that adds .002. When you get to the line below the 20 that is 1.020.

Did you adjust for the temperature correction? It looks like it's reading 1.016-1.018. You might want to give the hydrometer a spin the level it out and get the bubbles off it. I typically ferment for about 3 weeks to give the yeast enough time, but fermentation is complete and you're happy with the taste, you can bottle. Fermentation is considered complete when the gravity has stabilized over a 2-3 day period. I give the yeast a little longer so that they can clean things up for me.

Agree with Pie Man; if the gravity is constant for 3 days, its done. You can bottle at that time, or let it sit (for various reasons). Also, temp correcting your gravity is good, and there are multiple calculators online (just Google "gravity temp correction" or similar).

As said, level the cylinder so the hydrometer is not touching the side. Spin it so there are no bubbles attached to the hydrometer. Also adjust for the temperature. Most hydrometers are calibrated for 60° F.

As to the tubing. Discolored does not necessarily mean replace. If it is clean and sanitized it is OK.

What was your OG? If this was extract, you may very well be done. Sometimes they have more unfermentable sugars.

If you got to 1.018 from 1.100, congrats! If you started at 1.020, then not so much... The attenuation varies based on strains of yeast, it's just another characteristic to take into account. Typically (if I recall correctly) it's on the order of 80%.

I took the reading several times making sure it want leaning on the side, it just happenstance that the best picture was the one I posted. Long story short...I wasn't able to get my OG reading, however the SG of the kit was 1064. The temperature of the room is 70, so I'm guessing that's the temp of the beer.

Should I not rack the beer to the secondary today?

james138 said:

I took the reading several times making sure it want leaning on the side, it just happenstance that the best picture was the one I posted. Long story short...I wasn't able to get my OG reading, however the SG of the kit was 1064. The temperature of the room is 70, so I'm guessing that's the temp of the beer.

Should I not rack the beer to the secondary today?

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If it's been in the fermenter 2 weeks, and the gravity isn't changing, why not bottle? I would. I can't see any advantage at all to moving the beer, and let letting it sit and then moving it again to bottling. That risks oxidation, infection, plus adds an unnecessary step.

It looks pretty clear, so I'd bottle it.

If it's done, it's done. It isn't going to get any more "doner".

Yooper said:

If it's done, it's done. It isn't going to get any more "doner".

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True wisdom.