Gauging fermentation through visuals and time-keeping alone

[ophillium]

Hey folks,

For reasons of time and energy (or lack thereof) I seldom have opportunity to thief the sample required to conduct a gravity reading on my batches. I'm also loathe to spend the 250ml of beer it takes to get a sound reading.

My brewing scheduling thus looks something like this:

Day 1 Brew Day
Day 25 - 35 Bottling Day

Sometimes I rack the beer midway through, but that is beside the point here.

On Brew Day I measure the original gravity (OG) and on Bottling Day I measure the Final Gravity (FG). I've never had a batch where the FG wasn't within a couple of points away from the Target Gravity (TG?), so it always seems safe to assume that fermentation is "complete" -- or, at least, complete enough for bottling.

I wonder 2 things:

- if there are ways to refine this process further, without taking a gravity reading.

- if there are distinct phases of fermentation within that period that I should be watching for or at least aware of.

If you have any insight or advice to lend I would appreciate it very much.

- phil

 

[JLeuck64]

That's about the timeline I experience as well. For beers with a 1.050-ish O.G. (or less) I give them 3 weeks before I check gravity and it's usually within a couple points of F.G. then I add dry hops or bottle. For beers with a 1.060-ish O.G. I leave them be for a month before I check gravity. I always pull a sample and taste test too. I've learned that with the higher gravity beers it helps me to gauge when they are ready to bottle if I taste those samples. A little residual sweetness tells me to let them go a bit longer, or increase the temp to help them finish. I bottle condition so I have to be careful with un-fermented sugars! With beers above 1.070... I have yet to dial in that timeline but I am still working on it! ( ;