Learning from my mistakes...

My beer had been in the secondary for about 2 weeks and I decided to bottle today. After I transferred to the bottling bucket I took the final gravity reading which was 1.022 (should have been between 1.012 and 1.015). Today was my only day available to bottle for the next 2 weeks so I decided to proceed with bottling (as the beer still tasted good). This is my 3rd batch and each time my FG has been higher than the recipe calls for. After reading through this forum, the only thing I can figure out is that I am (incorrectly) adding the yeast directly to the primary before fermentation. The next time I make a batch I will plan to use a yeast starter or prepare the yeast a little better. Does anyone know if there is any other things that I should try to keep the FG lower? Cheers in advance!

bad hydrometer?

I'm not one of the veterans here so my advice is worth what you paid for it, however it may not be the lack of a yeast starter that is resulting in a higher FG. In fact, it probably isn't. Can you tell us what your recipe is? OG target? Did you hit your OG right on? Did you pitch your yeast at 80 degrees or less? What type of yeast is it? If dry, you probably don't want to make a starter. Are you fermenting at 68-72 degrees (assuming you are making an ale)?

Did you check hydrometer readings 3 days in a row to make sure the gravity wasn't still dropping?

Since you have been high on your FG every time, you might try checking the accuracy of your hydrometer by taking a reading in distilled water. It should read 1.000 at 60 degrees (or 68 degrees depending on your hydrometer).

If all else fails and your gravity is actually 1.022 its no big deal, you will still most likely have great tasting beer.

theguy said:

Does anyone know if there is any other things that I should try to keep the FG lower? Cheers in advance!

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Don't rack the beer off the yeast, at least not until after you have reached your FG.

Don't be afraid to let it sit in primary, it really won't hurt anything...

I typically wait at least a month in primary prior to bottling / kegging...

Good luck!

Thanks for the replies.
Turbo, My target OG was 1.052 - 1.055 and I measured it at 1.049 in the fermenter at 70 degrees. The recipe is for a German Oktoberfest. Unfortnately I don't remember the type of yeast I used (Brewers Best Kit). My fermenting temp was pretty close to 68 degrees. I also checked the hydromerter for 3 days which read 1.021. I just checked the hydrometer and it is accurate.

Duckfoot, For my next batch I will plan to leave it in the primary longer. I guess I thought transferring it into the secondary might help it drop, but it sounds like that was not the case.

Well, racking it / bottling it takes it off the yeast cake...

Yeast are pretty smart when it comes to beer... Just let them do their job...

My first batch came out very dry for an amber ale... Follow the recipes, and worst come to worst, just keep checking your gravity readings... I have been pretty blessed so far...

Let us know how things turn out...

I wouldn't have done anything to my beer if it wasn't at fg....the yeast are in charge, not us, and they have been doing it for 5,000 years...If It wasn't at fg and I couldn't bottle it for 2 weeks...I would bottle in two weeks...the beer would only IMPROVE with time...many of us leave our beer alone for a month in primary, then bottle...No need to rush something...

Duckfoot said:

Yeast are pretty smart when it comes to beer... Just let them do their job..

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the yeast are in charge, not us, and they have been doing it for 5,000 years...

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I said something that Revvy said before he said it!!!! WOOHOO!!!

I feel somewhat vindicated.....

Duckfoot said:

I said something that Revvy said before he said it!!!! WOOHOO!!!

I feel somewhat vindicated.....

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For you, buddy!!!

Revvy said:

For you, buddy!!!

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Much love given to our blessed Revvy...

Noobs pay attention to him... His is wise beyond his years...

:rockin:

Don't use a hydrometer and you won't be so worried

Just curious, but I accidentally racked my beer into my bottling bucket with the priming suger already added THEN toke my FG reading. Just curious as to if this would give me a false reading. It said it was at 1.018 and it should have been at 1.015, and it had been in the primary for 3.5 weeks. See what happenes when you RDWHAHB one to many times while in the brewing process.

Runyank said:

Just curious, but I accidentally racked my beer into my bottling bucket with the priming suger already added THEN toke my FG reading. Just curious as to if this would give me a false reading. It said it was at 1.018 and it should have been at 1.015, and it had been in the primary for 3.5 weeks. See what happenes when you RDWHAHB one to many times while in the brewing process.

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In a word - yes. Your final gravity is measured before you add the priming sugar. However - don't fret... 5 oz our priming sugar in 5 gallons will add about 0.002 points to your specific gravity so just subtract that from your measured amount. The remaining difference can be attributed to the hydrometer being off a couple of points, slightly incomplete fermentation, a slightly different amount of beer, etc... or a combination of all those factors.