Hydrometer readings

[crazyturtle64]

This is my first post and my first ever home brew. I did an all grain using my buddy's equipment. The beer we chose was the dragons milk October beer. According to him we were spot on with all our readings. I just racked it from the primary into the secondary tonight and took a hydrometer reading.
My starting right after brew was at 1.073 tonight it was at 1.026. Is that a good reading? Should it drop more with in the next week in the secondary? Appreciate all the help.

 

[b-boy]

What was your expected FG? Are you higher than expected?

It's tough to say if 1.026 is a good number without knowing your grain bill, mash temps, etc...

 

[Jupapabear]

Also, how long was the primary fermentation before your racked to secondary?

 

[crazyturtle64]

So estimated after boil on beer smith, said it should have been 1.062 we were 1.73. It said it was estimated after second germination to be 1.015. It was in the primary for 7 days.

 

[kstiglich]

So estimated after boil on beer smith, said it should have been 1.062 we were 1.73. It said it was estimated after second germination to be 1.015. It was in the primary for 7 days.

The final gravity will depend on the original gravity (after boil), the quantity of unfermentables you used and the attenuation of your yeast. If you are using any application you must include all this information to predict your final gravity. By the way, you have to adjust your application to your efficiency, for example improve your efficiency to go from 1.062 that was supposed to your 1.073.

Now, that you are been empiric, you will have to leave there in the secondary for a week and make some readings then to confirm it is still fermenting. You need to make one reading per day during two or three days, and if all of them are equal, then your fermentation has finished. It will still need some additional days to consume some by products, so think that it will stay at your fermenter for 10 days more maybe.

What temp are you fermenting, what yeast are you using?

Regards

 

[fantomlord]

The final gravity will depend on the original gravity (after boil), the quantity of unfermentables you used and the attenuation of your yeast. If you are using any application you must include all this information to predict your final gravity. By the way, you have to adjust your application to your efficiency, for example improve your efficiency to go from 1.062 that was supposed to your 1.073.

Now, that you are been empiric, you will have to leave there in the secondary for a week and make some readings then to confirm it is still fermenting. You need to make one reading per day during two or three days, and if all of them are equal, then your fermentation has finished. It will still need some additional days to consume some by products, so think that it will stay at your fermenter for 10 days more maybe.

What temp are you fermenting, what yeast are you using?

Regards

I would suggest taking a reading, and then wait 3 days or so to take another to minimize the number of times you open the secondary--this will help mitigate the risk of oxidation and contamination.