Did I fail at beer?

[Scrow]

So I just opened my brew I started about 48 hours ago to check with the hydrometer, and I sanitized everything and dipped the container for the hydrometer in to get a sample. I dropped the hydro in, and I think the gravity went up...

There is a lot of nasty stuff floating on the top (I am guessing Krausen?) and the OG when I checked it (@ about 80 or so degrees) was about 1.045 or 1.048. Now it is about 1.050. What did I do wrong??

 

[Yooper]

Well, it's not possible for the SG to go UP. So somewhere there is a wrong reading. What is the recipe? We can find the OG from that.

 

[Yooper]

Also, to take your sample (although there is no reason to, just 48 hours in), you use a wine thief or turkey baster, sanitized, and take the sample OUT of the fermenter into the hydrometer jar. Don't just drop it in there- it's very hard to read unless you're at eye level, plus with the krausen in there, it'd be very difficult.

 

[Corkster]

fear not young brewer... if you have krausen then you have fermentation.....

remember that the fermentable sugars in your wort are viscous... they get thicker when cooled... taking a hydro reading at 80 degrees means that the sugars were running a bit thinner and as it has cooled they have thickened up.... kinda like the grease on your fried chicken is runny when hot and cools to a gelatinous goo in the fridge.....

don't worry.... and don't take another reading for 1 week at least...... trust me... patience will be rewarded!

 

[Scrow]

Ok thanks guys! For the record its the Brewers Best kit... American Micro Style Pale Ale

 

[Kronin]

SG goes up if there is lotrs of little CO2 bubbles on the hydrometer!!!!! as would happen if you drop it in with a bit of force,. eh

 

[Parker36]

It'll be fine. Give it some time and it will sort itself out. Great thread title, by the way.

 

[llazy_llama]

Who was it who said, "The only way to fail as a homebrewer is to quit?"

You are fine. Your beer is fine. Everything is fine. Give it some time (like a month) and find something to do to occupy your time. While I was waiting on my first batch, I learned how to brew my own beer. It's time consuming, so it should set you up nicely with something to do while you wait.

 

[orangeandblue302]

I farted alot waiting for that honey brown ale to condition..that was a good occupier of time...

 

[webnmar]

I counted the yeasties for my first brew. Wow, there are alot of 'em!

 

[winzerz]

hey while you are waiting for your first batch to finish

start another batch so you will not micro view your first batch

its all good