Gravity

[nickel23]

How often should I or can I test the gravity level?I feel like I should open the carboys.

 

[sj3324]

How long has it been? I usually wait at least a week before I check.

 

[COLObrewer]

Depends on the beer, I typically dont check anything until 3 weeks unless I am trying to push a wheat or low gravity beer.

 

[nickel23]

It is a brown ale and It has been in primary for about 5 days.

 

[nicklepickles]

It is a brown ale and It has been in primary for about 5 days.

Rdwhahb!

 

[JeepDiver]

You can test as often as you like, but you don't NEED to. I usually let my beer set in primary for three weeks. I then test when I take it upstairs for bottling kegging. If it is close to expected final gravity I bottle or keg. There is some risk doing this, since I don't take multiple readings, but over time I have realized that if it is where it is suppose to be there isn't going to be much changing after 3 weeks, as long as there was some krausen within the first few days. I just shine a light through the bucket and you can see the outline of the krausen. Over 5 years I have only had once beer that wasn't ready after 3 weeks.

 

[wildcatman17]

Ok so my first brew went well I think.Sparge was a little fast only about 30 min . Checked gravity after boil when cooled it was only. 0.30 hope that is ok..

 

[Braufessor]

You can test as often as you like, but you don't NEED to. I usually let my beer set in primary for three weeks. I then test when I take it upstairs for bottling kegging. If it is close to expected final gravity I bottle or keg. There is some risk doing this, since I don't take multiple readings, but over time I have realized that if it is where it is suppose to be there isn't going to be much changing after 3 weeks, as long as there was some krausen within the first few days. I just shine a light through the bucket and you can see the outline of the krausen. Over 5 years I have only had once beer that wasn't ready after 3 weeks.

This^^^

 

[kh54s10]

Wait 3 weeks, take a gravity reading and if it is what you were expecting go ahead and bottle. If it is not where the recipe predicts wait 2 more days and check again if the readings are the same - bottle. If not wait another few days and test again.

I typically take a reading of the OG before fermentation and only a second one before bottling. Try not to disturb the beer more than necessary, you are more likely to harm the beer than learn anything useful.

 

[nickel23]

Thank you. I took a reading today and got a 1.018. The brew should get down to 1.012 or so before bottling. I will let it sit for another week or 2.

 

[JeepDiver]

Thank you. I took a reading today and got a 1.018. The brew should get down to 1.012 or so before bottling. I will let it sit for another week or 2.

If this is an extract then there is a good chance it won't go much lower. You will be fine waiting a couple of weeks, more time is hardly ever a bad thing , but you could give it a few days and check again: if it is the same you are good to go.

 

[nickel23]

It was an extract kit and my first 5 gallon brew as well. I will check it again during the middle of the week and look to bottle it this weekend. I have an American amber and a cascade IPA as well. Those both have gone 5 days. Do I do something different with those? Or wait 2 full weeks then test?

 

[JeepDiver]

It was an extract kit and my first 5 gallon brew as well. I will check it again during the middle of the week and look to bottle it this weekend. I have an American amber and a cascade IPA as well. Those both have gone 5 days. Do I do something different with those? Or wait 2 full weeks then test?

Beer benifits from time, so waiting 2 weeks won't hurt. The beer is probably done and you could bottle if you want, but it will probably taste better if you give it a bit more time. It's hard to be patient without a pipeline set up.

If you want to get it bottled to open up some fermenters go ahead and do it when it reads steady. Once you get some in bottles and aren't in as big of a hurry, you will realize that waiting usually makes better beer, but sometimes it's good to see for yourself what the difference can be.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Whoah! Doc! This is heavy.
-Marty McFly

 

[nickel23]

I agree with the wait. Patience is a great quality for me and my beer.

 

[wildcatman17]

My final gravity was 1.000 seems low compared to what others are saying .

 

[RM-MN]

My final gravity was 1.000 seems low compared to what others are saying .

The first thing I would check would be the hydrometer. If it reads 1.000 in water, then your hydrometer is OK. The next thing to check is the thermometer you used during the mash. If you mash low, you can get a very fermentable wort that will get you a very low FG. I've seen 1.002 in a beer that should have finished at 1.016 and it was due to a thermometer that was off by 4 degrees or more at mash temps.