Guidance/advice needed on first three batches

[GJOCONNELL]

All batches were extract kits from MoreBeer which is my local brew joint:

1. Pliny DIPA put in fermenter on 12/30/15 @ 68 F
Target OG 1.070
Measured OG 1.065
Took first reading today OG 1.037 with little to no signs of bubbling but strong Pliny smell upon opening.
Yeast White Labs WL001 (just warmed up the yeast on the counter for a couple hrs)

2. Blind Pig put in Frementer @ 68 F on 1/4/2016
Target OG 1.065
Measured OG 1.056
OG today 1.025
White Labs WL001 (Yeast Starter on stir plate @ 68 for 48 hrs)

3. Firestone DBA put in fermenter @ 68 F on 1/4/16
Target OG 1.05
Measured OG 1.048
OG today 1.025
White Labs British Ale (Yeast Starter on stir plate @ 68 for 24 hrs)

Not seeing any signs of visible bubbling anymore. All have good seals on fermenters (one glass carboy, one stainless steel chapman, and one Fastfrement conical) and all have correct smells for their respective profiles (the brews are some of my favs). All are way off in terms of ABV using OG - FG * 131 as all are hovering around 3% ABV.

Should I let them rest another week and check again? All have ferment wraps with a dual stage temp controller keeping them @ +/- 1 F of 68.

My gut tells me to keep waiting for another week and check the OG again. What say Homebrewtalk?

 

[dkeller12]

Wait another week or 2, that's what I would do. Those gravity readings are a little high and I wouldn't risk having bottle bombs.

 

[flars]

Fairly soon to start taking SG readings. Wait at least a full week, @dkeller12, before you look at it again.

Are you using a refractometer or hydrometer for SG?

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Fairly soon to start taking SG readings. Wait at least a full week, @dkeller12, before you look at it again.

Are you using a refractometer or hydrometer for SG?

refractometer.....I will wait another week and check again.

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Wait another week or 2, that's what I would do. Those gravity readings are a little high and I wouldn't risk having bottle bombs.

Roger.....everything is going into 5 gallon kegs....

 

[treacheroustexan]

Roger.....everything is going into 5 gallon kegs....

Then keg up and drink away... I would also wait at least another week and check though.

 

[Subdivisions]

A refractometer doesn't measure gravity accurately when alcohol is present. Use a hydrometer for your FG. If you don't have a hydrometer then there are calculators that will adjust for the alcohol content.

I'll bet you're beers are where you think they should be.

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Shocked the alc makes the refractive. Not accurate (spelling is bad on iPhone lol)

 

[GJOCONNELL]

A refractometer doesn't measure gravity accurately when alcohol is present. Use a hydrometer for your FG. If you don't have a hydrometer then there are calculators that will adjust for the alcohol content.

I'll bet you're beers are where you think they should be.

So I picked up a hydrometer and measured all the batches:

Pliny put down in fermenter on 12/30 OG 1.068 FG as of today 1.009 so est. abc 7.7% on target of 8%
Firestone DBA ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.048 FG today 1.009 so abc 5.1% target 5%
Blind Pig ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.056 FG today 1.008 ABV 6.3% on target of 6.5%

So the hydrometer did yield better results. So the Pliny says dry hops after primary from. for 5-7 so I should measure tomorrow to see if OG is the same and if so dry hop per schedule?

DBA dry hops added to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let this sit in the primary for another week before going to secondary? Once transferred then add dry hops?

Blind Pig dry hops to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let sit for another week before going to secondary then adding dry hops?

Should I wait two weeks after the dry hops are added before putting into keg for force carbonation?

When putting into keg do I need to add sugar? How long should I force carbonate? At what psi?

 

[BeardedBrews]

Those batches all look ready to dry hop to me.

Everyone has their own technique, but personally I skip secondary if total time in fermenters is under 30 days. I would toss the dry hops loose right into whatever you are fermenting in and wait 5 days before going to the keg.

I like the clarity that comes from cold crashing, so I do that next (still in the primary). Then I rack cold into the keg. 24 hours at 30psi then 48 hours at serving pressure to settle back down.

No sugar in the keg, the co2 tank does that work.

 

[RM-MN]

So I picked up a hydrometer and measured all the batches:

Pliny put down in fermenter on 12/30 OG 1.068 FG as of today 1.009 so est. abc 7.7% on target of 8%
Firestone DBA ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.048 FG today 1.009 so abc 5.1% target 5%
Blind Pig ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.056 FG today 1.008 ABV 6.3% on target of 6.5%

So the hydrometer did yield better results. So the Pliny says dry hops after primary from. for 5-7 so I should measure tomorrow to see if OG is the same and if so dry hop per schedule?

DBA dry hops added to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let this sit in the primary for another week before going to secondary? Once transferred then add dry hops?

Blind Pig dry hops to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let sit for another week before going to secondary then adding dry hops?

Should I wait two weeks after the dry hops are added before putting into keg for force carbonation?

When putting into keg do I need to add sugar? How long should I force carbonate? At what psi?

Since these were extract batches, unless you added too much water your OG has to be right on because, unlike all grain where you can have a variation in the brewhouse efficiency, your extract has a guaranteed amount of sugar in it. If you measure the water volume accurately, you can't miss.

You would typically only add sugar to carbonate bottled beer. When you keg, most people would just force carbonate. You can carbonate by adding the sugar but most don't bother.

Some people have reported a grassy taste if the dry hops are left too long. The beer will have absorbed as much flavor as it can within 3 to 5 days so leaving it for 7 should be more than plenty.

None of these beers need to be in secondary. Dry hop right in the primary fermenter. Being just a bit careful at kegging time will leave all the hop residue in with the yeast and other trub. That means you have one less chance to infect your beer and one less vessel to clean afterwards.

 

[Subdivisions]

So I picked up a hydrometer and measured all the batches:

Pliny put down in fermenter on 12/30 OG 1.068 FG as of today 1.009 so est. abc 7.7% on target of 8%
Firestone DBA ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.048 FG today 1.009 so abc 5.1% target 5%
Blind Pig ferm. on 1/4/16 OG 1.056 FG today 1.008 ABV 6.3% on target of 6.5%

So the hydrometer did yield better results. So the Pliny says dry hops after primary from. for 5-7 so I should measure tomorrow to see if OG is the same and if so dry hop per schedule?

DBA dry hops added to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let this sit in the primary for another week before going to secondary? Once transferred then add dry hops?

Blind Pig dry hops to secondary for 3-7 days but should I let sit for another week before going to secondary then adding dry hops?

Should I wait two weeks after the dry hops are added before putting into keg for force carbonation?

When putting into keg do I need to add sugar? How long should I force carbonate? At what psi?

Good to see that they finished out well. Dry hop for up to a week. Cold crash your fermenters for a few days if you can to drop the hops out of suspension. You can rack them to the keg after that. Use a screen over your siphon if you can't cold crash. Don't add sugar if you're going to force carbonate. Use this calculator to figure out your pressure.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbonation-calculator/

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Good to see that they finished out well. Dry hop for up to a week. Cold crash your fermenters for a few days if you can to drop the hops out of suspension. You can rack them to the keg after that. Use a screen over your siphon if you can't cold crash. Don't add sugar if you're going to force carbonate. Use this calculator to figure out your pressure.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbonation-calculator/

Thanks for the info. Trying to find a screen for the siphon but not finding anything. Got a link to an example of the siphon? Will pick one up from my local beer store tomorrow. I added the dry hops today will let it be for 7 days.

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Thanks for the info. Trying to find a screen for the siphon but not finding anything. Got a link to an example of the siphon? Will pick one up from my local beer store tomorrow. I added the dry hops today will let it be for 7 days.

Nevermind I found it....