Risk of Bottle Bombs?

[jonboygentry]

It's nearly been 3 weeks since a brewed this batch. Final gravity is supposed to be 1.012-1.015. I did a gravity reading at it was 1.020. What's my risk of bottle bombs when it comes time to bottle? This is a 5 gallon batch calling for 5oz of priming sugar. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[jethro55]

You are close but I am unsure. 3 weeks should be good unless it got stuck. Did it ferment at the right temperatures?

 

[jonboygentry]

Yeah it got a little high around 73. Then I got it down to 68. It's been sitting there for nearly 3 weeks.

 

[freisste]

Was this an extract brew? A search of the term "curse of 1.020" will show you how often extract brews stop there. If you were in the ideal temp range for three weeks and you pitched healthy yeast, you are likely just out of fermentable sugar (this is an issue with extract because you don't know exactly how it was mashed).

My guess is that it is done.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Check your hydrometer in a 60F sample of tap water. The paper scale can (and often does) slip several points during manufacturing. My hydrometer is off by about 4 points, and I double check that it hasn't slipped any more between batches.

What was your original gravity? What are you brewing?

 

[jonboygentry]

This was a Scottish Ale. Yes it was an extract kit. And my first reading was 1.055.

 

[jonboygentry]

So what's the risk then of bottle bombs?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Did you calibrate your hydrometer?

 

[jonboygentry]

It seems to be spot on.