First batch (stout)

[dancingbarefoot]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of making my first batch o' stout. Like all new things, I'm apprehensive that I've done it wrong. Can SG be too low?

It stopped bubbling in the primary, so I measured the SG and got 1.011 (assuming I'm reading it correctly). The instructions said to go ahead an rack to secondary as long as it was under 1.020, so I did.

Still, the instructions say to wait for a week or two now before bottling, at which point it should be 1.013 or less. Is it bad that my SG going into the secondary is so low? Since it's already lower than the instructions say for bottling, did I screw up somewhere?

 

[ScottT]

Not bad. Just more fully fermented. May have slightly less body but will have higher ABV.

Don't worry.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Most likely not a problem at all. I almost always wind up with a final SG a point or two lower than predicted, I suppose due to my fermentation conditions. If you look at the technical specifications for yeast it has a characteristic known as attenuation which basically tells you how fully a yeast will ferment fermentables. Furthermore, attenuation is typically given as a range since it's dependent on many factors.

So, let's say your yeast strain has an attenuation given as 70-74%, it will ferment out anywhere from 70-74% of your fermentables (let's just ignore statistical distributions and accept that for the purpose of discussion...). Most likely the predicted final SG would be based on a figure of 72%, while in practice some people (perhaps you!) would get 74% attenuation resulting in a slightly lower final SG, and some people would get 70% attenuation resulting in a slightly higher final SG.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it until proven wrong.

 

[david_42]

Sounds like a fast ferment and bottling time. Many recipes give a target range for both OG and FG, recognizing the variations in brewing skills, malts, grains, water, yeasts, etc. If they don't and your numbers are within 2-5 points of the target, you're fine. On FG, the real test is has it stopped changing?

 

[dancingbarefoot]

Thanks for the reassurances.

On FG, the real test is has it stopped changing?

That's something I'll have to keep an eye on. How often should I check the SG?

 

[david_42]

Check your gravity daily once bubbling slows. Three successive readings without a change means it's done.

 

[dancingbarefoot]

Check your gravity daily once bubbling slows. Three successive readings without a change means it's done.

Thanks!

I'm sure I've read that somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can remember it five minutes later.

 

[Dude]

OG = Original gravity
SG = Specific gravity
FG = Final gravity


Just posted those for clarification--your post confused me on which reading you were concerned with. 1.011 for a SG is WAY too low. 1.011 for a FG is ballpark.

 

[dancingbarefoot]

I thought SG was specific gravity, sorry. What abbreviation are you supposed to use if it's not the original or final? What's the difference between original and starting? Those mean the same to me. (Too many abbreviations to learn all at once! )

1.011 for a SG is WAY too low.

OK, but what can I do about it, if anything? All the books and how-tos I've read only mention what to do if it's too high. Nothing about what, if anything, to do if it's too low.

The original - by which I mean when I put it into the primary - was well within the range on the instructions I have for this stout. (1.035, I think, but I don't have my notes handy.)

 

[Windaria]

While I am not sure what he was talking about in terms of proper terms and all... ORRELSE was basically saying that your gravity is fine, since you are saying SG for something that is closer to your final gravity, at which point you are right were you should be and should be just about ready for bottling. (correct)?

As for terms... I know OG means original, I know FG means final... but I thought SG was Secondary Gravity, as in when you put it into secondary and all... ? Otherwise Starting and Original would mean the same thing to me too...

 

[Dude]

I thought SG was specific gravity, sorry. What abbreviation are you supposed to use if it's not the original or final? What's the difference between original and starting? Those mean the same to me. (Too many abbreviations to learn all at once! )

My bad. SG is in fact specific gravity. Sorry for the confusion. (I edited it just in case it causes any more confusion.)
You'd call OG the gravity of your wort right before you pitch your yeast. You'd call your FG the gravity reading right as you'd start bottling or kegging. SG is a gravity reading at any other time during the process. Sound better?
Sometimes I'm really dumb.
I must not have read your whole post because you were right on the whole time.

The original - by which I mean when I put it into the primary - was well within the range on the instructions I have for this stout. (1.035, I think, but I don't have my notes handy.)

So far it doesn't seem like you have much to worry about. Your OG (if I'm reading this right might be a touch low but ballpark. Your other gravity reading of 1.011 is ballpark too. If you put that beer in secondary for a week or so you might get it down further.

Sounds like it is alright to me.

 

[dancingbarefoot]

So far it doesn't seem like you have much to worry about. Your OG (if I'm reading this right might be a touch low but ballpark. Your other gravity reading of 1.011 is ballpark too. If you put that beer in secondary for a week or so you might get it down further.

Sounds like it is alright to me.

Whew! You had me a bit worried there. Sorry about all the confusion with abbreviations. I'm trying to learn them as quickly as possible, but it's a lot to remember.

Yeah, my OG was on the low end of the range given in the instructions. I'll just take some measurements each day until the FG remains constant. Sounds like I won't have to wait very long.

 

[Shambolic]

I'm not a fan of "three consecutive measurements the same before you bottle". That means you're taking a lot out of your brew is SG samples!

Just let it chill out in the secondary (or even the primary, if it's all you have) for a while, and all will be well.

 

[david_42]

Obviously, one drinks the SG samples & learns how flavors change as the wort becomes ale. With lots & lots of practice, you learn how to predict what an ale should taste like based on the wort. Or you fall down!

 

[dancingbarefoot]

I'm not a fan of "three consecutive measurements the same before you bottle". That means you're taking a lot out of your brew is SG samples!

Just let it chill out in the secondary (or even the primary, if it's all you have) for a while, and all will be well.

I did wonder about that.

I have to confess that I haven't taken any more samples since racking to secondary, anyway. I injured my arm and it's just too much of a hassle until it heals a bit.

So far, other than worrying, the hardest part has been lifting the damn primary onto a table so I could rack to the secondary. That sucker weighed a ton!

 

[Walker]

I'm not a fan of "three consecutive measurements the same before you bottle". That means you're taking a lot out of your brew is SG samples!

Consider putting your hydrometer directly into the secondary and leaving it there througout the entire secondary fermentation. You can just look at it any time you want for a reading.

-walker