Taking an FG reading to determine if the beer is ready to bottle

[Matty1222]

Hello fellow home brewers!
I have had my beer in the plastic fermenter for 25 days. I would like to take a FG reading a day or two apart to be sure it stays the same to make sure we are ready to bottle. How do I bring the beer down to 59 degrees so the hydrometer will work? How much beer to I test and what do I put it in to get an accurate reading?
Is the FG reading even necessary if I never got an accurate OG? I didn't get an accurate OG I believe because I didn't test a large enough sample in a large enough container.
PS- I used a home brew kit and followed the instructions for everything else except recording the OG.---

Ps- used a home brew kit and followed the directions pretty accurately

 

[brew_ny]

cool the sample

 

[Cathedral]

1) you don't have to bring down the temperature of the beer; you can correct the reading to reflect the temperature you measure at. It depends on what your hydrometer was calibrated at; it should have come with a sheet that lists how many points to add or subtract depending on the deviation from the calibration temp. If you don't have that, you can search online.

2) you only need enough beer to float the hydrometer.

3) test vials made for the hydrometer work well; I use a wine thief and it works like a charm. It only takes 2-3 ounces to float it. Their cheap, so go buy one.

4) Measuring FG is important before bottling so you know the fermentation has stopped. Take two readings three days apart, and if the reading stays the same, you're ready to bottle. If the reading changes (drops a few points) your fermentation is still going and you need to wait longer.

 

[Matty1222]

Thanks Cathedral! Very informative and much appreciated! where can you purchase a vial for the hydrometer? Ours didn't come with one.

 

[brew_ny]

try here

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...meters-refractometers/breakdown-test-jar.html

all the best

S_M

 

[Cathedral]

try here

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...meters-refractometers/breakdown-test-jar.html

all the best

S_M

That works, but this is what I use:

http://morebeer.com/products/sample-taker.html

I like it because I literally just float it in my bucket of sanitizer while I'm brewing, take it out, dip it in the wort, and get my reading, and tip the wort back in and I know without a doubt that it was clean the whole time. My hydrometer has never left the safety of the tube since I bought it--so it helps protect the hydrometer as well.