how am i doing?

[Rico6115]

Just opened up and tested out the beer with the hydrometer and got a reading of 1.020. Is this a reasonable reading for this after a week. i believe it started out at 1.040...its my first brew i did take it but didnt write it down. and if i get teh same reading tomorrow, am i good to put it in the secondary for 2 weeks then bottle?

 

[mikes_brew]

you can transfer to secondary after 3 consistent days of readings.
as I was told, patience is the hardest part.
good luck!

 

[bradsul]

That is still high for a low OG of 1.040, I think you still have some fermenting to do. I would give the primary a swirl to rouse the yeast back into suspension and check the SG again in a few days. Also depending on the temperature you have the primary at you could try putting it somewhere a little warmer as well.

 

[malkore]

i echo what bradsul says. seems high, so I'd GENTLY swirl the bucket to rouse the yeast. I'd think you should get really close to 1.010, then rack to secondary.

 

[Rico6115]

i gave this a gentle swirl, probubley got a splash or 2...but its been about 2 days and it still seems very murky. the top 1/4 is pretty clear, but the lower half isnt. could i have ruined this batch? Also it only bubbled when i shook it, still dont see any activity. if i did ruin this, can i at least bottle the top quarter?

 

[bradsul]

Let it go a few more days and check the SG again, there's no need to rush it. What temperature do you have it at? Warming it slightly could help get the yeast moving again.

Also what was the recipe? Some extracts are less fermentable than others.

 

[Rico6115]

unhopped amber malt extract, light dried malt extract, melanoidin grain, hop pellets, and ale yeast.

 

[bradsul]

Is the extract Laaglander by chance? I understand it isn't very fermentable. Anyway give it a couple more days, give it another swirl in the morning as well.

 

[FSR402]

unhopped amber malt extract, light dried malt extract, melanoidin grain, hop pellets, and ale yeast.

What brand LME/DME was it? Was this a kit or did you or someone else make it up?
If it was a kit, what did it give for an OG and FG?
1.020 is a little high but don't give up on it just yet. My Irish stout got stuck there for two weeks and then it took off again when I got it a little warmer (moved it off the floor onto a shelf). It finished out at 1.012 after sitting for 4 weeks. By the way, this has turned out to be my best brew yet.
So just hang in there and give it time. I know it's not an easy thing to do, I have been there. But after you do a few brews it get's easier because you know that it will be just fine.

Hell I still have about 2 gallons of my strawberry hefe still sitting in the carboy that needs to be bottled. I'm drinking the other 5 gallons of that brew right now from my keg. I have just been busy brewing and don't really feel like bottling right now. No worries, it's not going anywhere.