In non-wheat beers I wait for the Krausen to fall out before taking gravity readings, usually starting at 14 days. Some will say that the best beer comes from sitting in the primary for a month, I'm usually not so patient. Young beer is still good beer if you aren't trying to win a competition with it. Instructions are often wrong, I got the most bizarre instructions with a German Marzen extract kit that I received for Christmas. 2 oz of specialty grains, 60 minute boil for mostly DME, a handful of hops added at 15 minutes left on the timer, no hops at 60 minutes. 2 week ferment and 2 week secondary on a lager, ferment at ale temps with lager yeast, no lagering stage. Sometimes you just have to throw the instructions in the trash and get recipes from people who actually brew.