Know when fermentation is done

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ghall

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So I am brewing an IPA, but am having trouble figuring out if it is done fermenting. Still receiving bubbles in the airlock every 10 seconds or so, but my FG reading is at 1.015 which is below what I estimated. Has anyone had this happen? I don't want any bottle bombs, but I was hoping to bottle this weekend so as to have the brew ready for a camping trip :(

What would be your next steps? Can the FG reading fall below 1.01?

Thanks for any advice.

Grant
 
Most likely CO2 just coming out of solution. If you're good with where it's at, and FG is stable, crash and pack!
 
Thanks. I was hoping that would be what it was. I had heard infections can cause weird problems with the gravity reading and later the carbonations levels.
 
Whoa, stop right there. Yes, SG can fall below 1.010 - way below. I have seen saisons at 0.998.

Do NOT bottle just because you are at your target FG. Wait two days, take another measurement. If it's the same, then yeah... just some degassing. Nothign to worry about.

If the gravity keeps falling, it is still fermenting. If you bottle it before it's done, you run a huge risk of bottle bombs.

You cannot stop fermenation without pasteurizing or otherwise killing the yeast. Just let them do their thing.

Think of OG and FG as targets, but not absolutes. You are working with living organisms, here.
 
Yeah been at 1.015 for two days. Still going to give it till saturday just to make sure.

Thanks for all the input
 
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