Fermentation Finished in 3 Days?

[CD3]

Hi All,
I'm a noob, on my second brew. I used dry yeast on the first batch and Activator Wyeast on this batch. This batch was very active within the first 24 hours but seemed to have finished by the end of the 3rd day. I had planned on leaving it in primary for 2 weeks, but at this point I am unsure.

I think my problem may have stemmed from steeping the grains too hot as I didnt have a thermometer (also added 6lbs LME). Would this have reduced the sugars? My OG was only 1.034 when it should have been 1.042-1.046.

So I guess my question is should I open it up and take a gravity reading or let it sit for another week? Thanks

 

[Revvy]

Just because your airlock isn't bubbling doesn't mean that fermentation is finished.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. And the peak of fermentation has already wound down, so there's simply no need to vent off any excess co2.

Just leave it alone for at least another 10 days OR MORE, then you can take a hydrometer reading and decide if you want to secondary it...OR you can do what many many many of us do and leave your beer alone for a month, that will let the beer finish fermenting and then let the yeast clean up after themselves, that way they will get rid of all the byproducts of fermentation that often lead to off flavors, and if new/impatient brewers move to soon, they end up stuck with.

Thoughts about that have shifted over the last few years, now we have found that leaving the beer in primary for a month improves the flavor of beer by cleaning up the byproducts of fermentation...There is about 1,000,000 threads about it, including at least 5 threads active today alone in the beginners section...look for threads about secondary, long primary, no secondary, long primary, autolysis, and you will see our answers, over and over and over again.

All my beers stay in primary for a month, been doing it for 3 years now, and have won awards for my beers doing so....

Even John Palmer talks about this in How To Bew;

Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

Just seperate the idea that bubbling or not bubbling = fermentation or non fermentation. Plenty of beers get brewed without a single airlock bubbling. I have 9 fermenters and I average only about 50% airlock bubbling.....

 

[Mmenges]

Next time you steep grains be sure to have a thermometer on hand and try to keep the water temp between 150 and 160. Once the water temp goes over 170 the grains release tannins which will give your beer off flavors.