First Batch Almost Done

[scottyg354]

Just tried out my first batch from the fermenter after taking a hydro reading. Tasted good, but the almost seemed to be a little carbonation in it. Is this normal?

Also, I never took an OG but the hyro reading was about 1.002. Is that good or bad? I know if i take it again tommorow and its the same I can start bottling, correct?

 

[FensterBos]

1.002 is REALLY close to the consistency of water, so yes, it is probably bad. The reasoning for this is that a lot of your sugar/alcohol could be at the bottom of the fermentor, which is why you are getting this reading. If you gently stir the wort/beer you might mix up the liquid enough to get a more accurate reading.
Slight bubbles is fine since the yeast gives off CO2 during fermentation; that is usually expected. Just make sure fermentation is completely prior to bottling or you are at risk of getting bottle bombs.
Can you provide us with the following: How much malt extract/grain did you use? What is the style? How long have you been fermenting the beer for?

 

[NorthRiverS]

It's not going to be very carbonated after just fermenting. The CO2 dissipates as a gas. After fermentation is finished (by taking hydrometer readings.) Then you add priming sugar and bottle. Then you keep your capped bottles at room temperature for three weeks so the yeast can produce the CO2, in the bottle, producing the fizz.

NRS

 

[scottyg354]

1.002 is REALLY close to the consistency of water, so yes, it is probably bad. The reasoning for this is that a lot of your sugar/alcohol could be at the bottom of the fermentor, which is why you are getting this reading. If you gently stir the wort/beer you might mix up the liquid enough to get a more accurate reading.
Slight bubbles is fine since the yeast gives off CO2 during fermentation; that is usually expected. Just make sure fermentation is completely prior to bottling or you are at risk of getting bottle bombs.
Can you provide us with the following: How much malt extract/grain did you use? What is the style? How long have you been fermenting the beer for?

It was actually a brew kit. It was a brown ale, in a bucket fermenter for roughly 2 weeks. I was actually thinking of transferring to a secondary and maybe adding a little more yeast and let it ferment for another week or too. I don't know if it was a crappy kit or what, but I have a Carboy of Cider fermenting and it is bubbling like crazy for the past week, the brown ale pretty much stopped bubbling after about 2 days.

The kit was a Brewers Best English Brown Ale Kit:

FERMENTABLES
3.3 lb. Amber LME
2 lb. Amber DME

SPECIALTY GRAINS
8 oz. Caramel 60L
4 oz. Chocolate
6 oz. Carapils®

HOPS
1 oz. Bittering
1 oz. Flavoring
.25 oz. Aroma

YEAST
1 Sachet

Any suggestions on a yeast that would be good to add to a secondary?

 

[FensterBos]

I wouldn't add the kit to the secondary to add more yeast; if your hydrometer readings are correct, which I doubt, there is almost nothing to ferment. You would only be making the beer more yeasty.

 

[scottyg354]

I wouldn't add the kit to the secondary to add more yeast; if your hydrometer readings are correct, which I doubt, there is almost nothing to ferment. You would only be making the beer more yeasty.
How much malt extract was used in the kit, 3.3 lbs? And how big of a batch does it make, 2.5 gallons? 5 gallons?

5 Gallon Kit.

The kit said to transfer to bottles after a week. I spoke to some folks on here and they said to let it sit maybe for an extra week or two.

I'm not sure if im reading my Hydro right. The reading was right on the top. It was a green area that said finish. There was a 1 and it was down two notches from the 1. I know i sound kit of dumb, but thats how I got my reading.

I'm also fementing at 68 Degrees.

 

[FensterBos]

Letting it sit for an extra week is going to help your beer even taste better; not to mention it helps to ensure that fermentation is completed and helps reduce bad flavors.
All of the hydrometers I've used have the numbers get higher on the way down (top to bottom); most of these hydrometers go by increments of two. So there is a good chance your reading is at least 1.004.
Is it like this: http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00TBeQFgaSgibV/Triple-Scale-Wine-Beer-Hydrometer-TW5102B-.jpg

 

[scottyg354]

That exactly what it is like.

 

[unionrdr]

Ok,I think I got it,as I have that same hydrometer. 1.000 is the black line separating the red strip from the small green one at the top of the range for "finished beer". Now,if it was 2 notches below the "1" as he calls it (in the white area right below the green strip),that's the 10 mark,not to be read as 1.0. So,being 2 lines below that would actually be read as 1.014. Those graduations go 10,20,30,40,etc,with 2,4,6,8 between them. Is that where you were looking?

 

[scottyg354]

Ok,I think I got it,as I have that same hydrometer. 1.000 is the black line separating the red strip from the small green one at the top of the range for "finished beer". Now,if it was 2 notches below the "1" as he calls it (in the white area right below the green strip),that's the 10 mark,not to be read as 1.0. So,being 2 lines below that would actually be read as 1.014. Those graduations go 10,20,30,40,etc,with 2,4,6,8 between them. Is that where you were looking?

My hydro isn't exactly the same. Where the Start-Finish sections is on this one is white, mine is green. On mine there is a 1 right above it followed by a black line and the incriments. It is 2 notches below the black line

 

[unionrdr]

On mine that's right at the bottom of the green line at the top. So that would be 1.004. IDK,something seems wrong here?...

 

[scottyg354]

On mine that's right at the bottom of the green line at the top. So that would be 1.004. IDK,something seems wrong here?...

At work right now. I will take a pic of my hydro when I get home and send it. Do you want to converse about this through e-mail? I can send you a message with my address.

 

[unionrdr]

Sure,that's ok...

 

[FensterBos]

I don't know what to tell you; it seems like you are reading it correctly as long as you are reading the numbers between the 1.000 to 1.010 lines (e.g. 1 to 10).
If I was in this position I would give the beer a light stir prior to your next reading; make sure you don't create any bubbles and use a sanitized utensil. You can also take a deeper sample by using a sanitized turkey baster or wine thief. Or, if you think you are full fermented, you can rack to you bottling bucket and then take a reading before adding the priming sugar and/or before filling your first bottle.
But that is my opinion, who knows if I'm way off.

 

[scottyg354]

Well just tool another reading and right now I'm getting 1.011 which is after I stirred it a bit. It actually read 1.008 but that was at 60 degrees. The instructions said brew at 64 add .002 and at 72 add .004 I'm at 68 so I added .003. Am I right with this?

 

[Goblism]

This may not seem like the best advice but I think it works here.

RDWHAHB, give it a week and bottle it, it will be beer

 

[kanddr]

Sounds about right. I'd relax and let it do its thing.

 

[FensterBos]

Well just tool another reading and right now I'm getting 1.011 which is after I stirred it a bit. It actually read 1.008 but that was at 60 degrees. The instructions said brew at 64 add .002 and at 72 add .004 I'm at 68 so I added .003. Am I right with this?

You are right to adjust the hydrometer reading since most hydrometers are calibrated at 60 degrees; I use this calculator to adjust my readings, if necessary: http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/. The Final Gravity for your beer is 1.011 to 1.015 so I think you are safe to bottle; if are not in a rush, I would probably wait another five to seven days to ensure the yeast finishes their job, but as long as you are hitting your FG number on consecutive days then I think you are fine.