Hydrometer question

[Moonshae]

There have been a number of posts here about not needing a second fermenter for many/most recipes. If you're leaving your brew in the primary fermenter for the whole time, what's the point of checking the SG?

 

[Parker36]

To make sure it is done fermenting. If there are still unfermented sugars and you bottle, thats how you get explosions.

 

[Moonshae]

Sure, but if you're waiting 3 weeks to bottle, what are the odds that there is anything left unfermented?

 

[Joker]

It isn't quite as important since you are not checking to see if fermentation is complete before transerring off the yeast.

Since most people leave the brew in the primary for 3-4 weeks checking FG isn't quite as important but still good to do.