Hydrometer reading
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thehaze
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You can calculate the alcohol in beer using this: https://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/
But 1.040 seems a bit high.
Please post your recipe, yeast, fermentation temp., mash temp., etc.
But 1.040 seems a bit high.
Please post your recipe, yeast, fermentation temp., mash temp., etc.
Tell us a bit more about your first batch. Was it a kit or your own recipe? Was it using extract or did you go with just grains? Posting the entire recipe and procedure will give us a better chance of explaining the reading you got.
flars
Well-Known Member
It is also possible you are reading the wrong scale on your hydrometer. Here is an online primer on using the hydrometer. Other good information in this free first edition on brewing. Palmer's new edition is a recommended purchase.
http://howtobrew.com/book/appendices/appendix-a/using-hydrometers
http://howtobrew.com/book/appendices/appendix-a/using-hydrometers
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rlmiller10
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How long did you ferment? that "final gravity" sample still has a lot of yeast in suspension so may not be done. I would be worried about bottle bombs if you have already bottled.
JONNYROTTEN
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What temp did you take readings at. liquid needs to be around 60 for accurate numbers. Both of your numbers seem WAY high...My guess would be you started around 1.070 and finished around 1.020 which would be normal and somehow your getting high numbers on both ends
Also you not at 90/40 your at 95/45. 1.095 would be rocket fuel..something is off
Also you not at 90/40 your at 95/45. 1.095 would be rocket fuel..something is off
7 kilogram of maris malt, 500 grams of biscuit malt, 500 grams of crystal malt.
the goal was 9% alcohol. I added 2 pack of yeast I think each bag was 12 grams. Mush temp was between 66 to 69 Celsius ( 150 Fahrenheit to 156) fermentation temp was 20 - 21 Celsius..
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The OG was like 75 i think, and the FG was 68 ( my hydrometer says 20c specific garvity 20c = 68f)
But i did just realized that i took FG after i added the botteling suger..
I'll bet it's still fermenting. How many days since it was brewed?
It fermented for 18 days
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I would let it ferment for another week or two before bottling. Seems maybe it's close to being done, but not quite done yet. If you bottle too early... KABOOM! Nobody likes bottle bombs. You'll need to add fresh priming sugar again when you do bottle.
ancientmariner52
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Haven't seen it mentioned, so I'll throw it in. There are hydrometers available with precision scales, for example 0.098 to 1.020. Spreading out the graduations makes small changes much easier to detect.
I already bottled.. I took FG after i added the suger could it have changed the reading?
Lefou
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Argh, don't tell me .... This is another NEIPA or high gravity experiment that definitely got bottled too early... 
Lefou
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Yes ... Adding priming sugar on top of unfinished wort will increase your gravity, compounding the risk of over-carbonation.
So what well happen to the beer? Some bottles may explode.. But rather then that?
ancientmariner52
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You're gonna have to tell us, Rury. Too many unknowns. Just assume bursting bottles and take precautions against leaking beer and flying glass. It'll be beer, just don't know what kind.
Lefou
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As a new brewer, I had the same problem. Not pitching enough yeast, fermenting cool, and not verifying fermentation was finished caused beginner's headaches.
Expect too sweet, sticky beers that may shatter bottles and foam over immediately after opening, leaving you with a hot, sweet alcohol finish.
Expect too sweet, sticky beers that may shatter bottles and foam over immediately after opening, leaving you with a hot, sweet alcohol finish.
What does the hydrometer read in distilled water? Or any water for that matter?
Have you ever checked your thermometer that you use to measure mash temp?
Priminig sugar would only raise it a couple of points. How much sugar did you add? If the gravity is really at 1.040, and you bottled, all I can say is look out!
Have you ever checked your thermometer that you use to measure mash temp?
Priminig sugar would only raise it a couple of points. How much sugar did you add? If the gravity is really at 1.040, and you bottled, all I can say is look out!
ancientmariner52
Well-Known Member
Wrap a towel around the bottle before you open it. Sneaky devils like to wait to the last second and blow up in your hand.
Mothman
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Rury, did you ever test your hydrometer in water yet, as suggested?
Even if you don't have easy access to distilled water, regular tap water should still measure close to 0, ruling out a bad hydrometer.
Even if you don't have easy access to distilled water, regular tap water should still measure close to 0, ruling out a bad hydrometer.
Yes, i did it yesterday and it's accurate.
charles
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First off put the bottled beer in a spare refrigerator to keep them from exploding. I have used to put priming sugar in the bottles but you wont get consistent carbonation. I end up priming the whole batch in the bucket. Typically if you see bubbles on the top of the tube fermentation its not finished.
ESBrewer
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BTW, have you got any estimates on how many volumes CO2 would be enough to blow up a standard 33cl / 50cl bottle at room temperature? I guess it depends on many things, but is it more like 4 vols or 14 vols? I know that some bottle conditioned beers (Belgians etc.) are bottled using sturdier bottles such as champagne bottles.
ancientmariner52
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A chance to blow things up and not get arrested? I'm on it! Now, how to connect an air line to a bottle while gripping only the rim?
Does anyone have numbers, in psi, for internal co2 pressure in bottles?
Does anyone have numbers, in psi, for internal co2 pressure in bottles?
It looks like the ferment was not finished. What type of yeast did you use?
From what I have read, "standard" beer bottles should be safe to about 3.5 volumes of CO2. If your beer finishes at 1.015 you have 30 gravity points left to ferment. Assuming you have a 5 gallon batch that is about 6 gravity points per gallon. Priming with 5 ounces of sugar (in 5 gallons) is about 3 gravity points per gallon and will result in about 2.5 volumes of CO2. The priming calculator on Brewer's Friend suggests you will end up with about 5.5 volumes of CO2 which is certainly in dangerous territory. You can try gently lifting the edge of each cap to vent the pressure every few days, or recap if you are not sure about the seal holding after venting them a few times.
From what I have read, "standard" beer bottles should be safe to about 3.5 volumes of CO2. If your beer finishes at 1.015 you have 30 gravity points left to ferment. Assuming you have a 5 gallon batch that is about 6 gravity points per gallon. Priming with 5 ounces of sugar (in 5 gallons) is about 3 gravity points per gallon and will result in about 2.5 volumes of CO2. The priming calculator on Brewer's Friend suggests you will end up with about 5.5 volumes of CO2 which is certainly in dangerous territory. You can try gently lifting the edge of each cap to vent the pressure every few days, or recap if you are not sure about the seal holding after venting them a few times.
Metalhead_brewer
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for what you said and based in your recipe you should have O.G. 1.090 and F.G. 1.023 and 8.9% ABV with 75% eficiency, and in your pictures show something like O.G. 1.095 and F.G. 1.045 but you said that you took the reading after priming so one thing that comes to my mind is that you used a whole lot of priming sugar, other thing to consider is the pitching temperature if it was too hot maybe you killed most of the yeast in the process so if you used a whole lot of sugar for priming those are bottle bombs getting ready to explode at any time, but if it was a yeast issue you'll end up with a pot hole filler swetty beer with around 6.3% ABV.
hammy1983
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forgive my ignorance as I am also new to home brewing. If your making beer with such a high SG, and there is no real negative for leaving a beer too long to ferment, what made you choose to bottle after 18 days?
What I did for my first batch (my GF was 1.005) I adding my priming sugar to my bottling pail first (250ml water with 190g of dextrose for 19L of IPA) then I whirl pooled it while siphoning but didnt stir it. I'm worried it didnt mix fully so I put all my bottles in rubber made containers. Since I dont have a spare fridge and its just above freezing here... I'll leave the container outside before opening.
What I did for my first batch (my GF was 1.005) I adding my priming sugar to my bottling pail first (250ml water with 190g of dextrose for 19L of IPA) then I whirl pooled it while siphoning but didnt stir it. I'm worried it didnt mix fully so I put all my bottles in rubber made containers. Since I dont have a spare fridge and its just above freezing here... I'll leave the container outside before opening.
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