FG concern...

[Dingo_1]

Hey everybody,

I recently made the Austin Homebrew Apple Peeler for my anniversary with my girlfriend. I put it into the primary on 9/19, and the secondary on 10/8. I didn't have a hydrometer to find an OG, and just for fun tonight I checked it at it was at 1.010. The kit says it should be down to 1.003. Maybe stupidly, I decided to bottle it so it would be ready in time for our anniversary. However, there are a few questions.

1) I used Safale-05 instead of Wyeast London ESB 1968. I thought this would give me a higher attenuation rate and bring my FG lower, but maybe not?

2) I added in apple cider (as recommended by the recipe) into the primary fermenter instead of my boil kettle at burn out. Could this affect my FG?

My main question is should I be concerned about bottle bombs? It sat in the fermenters for nearly a month when the kit only calls for 2 weeks!

I'm worried... help talk me off the cliff?

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

I think you'll be fine. Check the FG again tomorrow and if it's still ~1.010 then you're definitely good to go.

I'd just bottle it anyway as ~4 weeks is plenty of time for FG to be reached, 1.010 is as close to a terminal gravity level as you normally can get and there are many reasons to explain why expected FG's are not reached perfectly. Did you temperature adjust your FG reading?

There was a batch of mine where I miscalculated the amount of sugar and the bottles began to swell big time after just a couple of days. Luckily I used plastic bottles with screw tops so I was able to EVER SO GENTLY open the tops just enough to allow excess pressure to escape before closing them again. Turned out fine.

 

[phuff7129]

Give it a couple of days and check your gravity again. If it is still 1.010 then it is done and ready to bottle. If it is lower then it is still fermenting and you'll have to let it finish.

 

[day_trippr]

I think the horse already left the barn...

Cheers!

 

[Dingo_1]

Yes, as I stated, I already bottled in hopes of it being done in time for the anniversary... Should I be prepping for the worse here?

When will I know if I'm in the clear?

 

[phuff7129]

Yes, as I stated, I already bottled in hopes of it being done in time for the anniversary... Should I be prepping for the worse here? When will I know if I'm in the clear?

Sorry I missed the already bottled part. Based on the yeast you used and your fg I would say that most likely it is done. Put your bottles in a bin that will catch any glass and liquid just in case. If you haven't had any bombs in two weeks you should be in the clear.

 

[Dingo_1]

Awesome! Thanks. It's only been about 2 days, but so far so good...

 

[GrogNerd]

OG of 1.046 and 4 weeks in fermenter?

it was done; wouldn't worry too much about bottle bombs

well, I guess it depends. at what point in those 4 weeks did you add the cider? anytime in the first 2 weeks I would say no problem with bottle bombs. if it was in the last two weeks, I would be concerned with increasing concern the closer to bottling it was added.

 

[Dingo_1]

I added the cider into the fermenter instead of water. So I filled about 3 gallons of it on brew day.

Sounds like I should most likely be fine, but be safe just in case. I have them in boxes and covered to minimize damage. 3 days and so far so good...

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[bethebrew]

The part that still confuses me is the 1.003 final. This wasn't a saison, right? Anyway you added sugar/cider instead of water, so I guess that would explain the 1.010.

 

[Dingo_1]

Yes. That also bothers me a bit still too. It wasn't a saison. I think it's an ale technically? But the recipe called for the 3 gallons of cider and it still said I would end up with a 1.003 FG...

 

[Dingo_1]

Yeah. That part confuses me too. The FG should still be at 1.003 even with the cider according to the kit. The kit said the cider was a must to add, so I'm assuming that would make it 1.003. However, the kit ALSO says to to it off with a half gallon of water to bring it up to a full 5 gallons. I didn't have to add the water because the cider brought it up to the full 5 gallons as it was, so maybe that explains a bit too.

 

[bethebrew]

Yeah. That part confuses me too. The FG should still be at 1.003 even with the cider according to the kit. The kit said the cider was a must to add, so I'm assuming that would make it 1.003. However, the kit ALSO says to to it off with a half gallon of water to bring it up to a full 5 gallons. I didn't have to add the water because the cider brought it up to the full 5 gallons as it was, so maybe that explains a bit too.

These kits seem to mostly suck. But you got some brew, enjoy it.