Hydrometer readings after primary fermentation stage

[matt23]

So I added yeast on Friday (three days ago), by Saturday morning was a vigorous bubble, Sunday slowing down, and so far today (Monday), not a single bubble, completely stopped. Other batches I've done have slowed down for sure, but not completely stopped. I understand it's probably starting the conditioning phase and may take a day or so to get going again, I measured the SG and it was about 1.031, starting from about 1.055, believe it should be getting down to 1.014 upon completion.

Question being, shouldn't there be a few bubbles here and there, not stopped completely? I realize the bubbling isn't an exact measurement of progress or alcohol, and will continue doing readings every couple days or so, but what's happening with the yeast that it would completely stop? And have many of you done SG measurements right after the primary stage seems to be done, are these numbers about right or should they be lower?

Thanks.

 

[Morrey]

So I added yeast on Friday (three days ago), by Saturday morning was a vigorous bubble, Sunday slowing down, and so far today (Monday), not a single bubble, completely stopped. Other batches I've done have slowed down for sure, but not completely stopped. I understand it's probably starting the conditioning phase and may take a day or so to get going again, I measured the SG and it was about 1.031, starting from about 1.055, believe it should be getting down to 1.014 upon completion.

Question being, shouldn't there be a few bubbles here and there, not stopped completely? I realize the bubbling isn't an exact measurement of progress or alcohol, and will continue doing readings every couple days or so, but what's happening with the yeast that it would completely stop? And have many of you done SG measurements right after the primary stage seems to be done, are these numbers about right or should they be lower?

Thanks.

For us to better help you, tell us a about more about the beer;

What yeast you are using
What temp you are fermenting
Are you using an ATC or ambient
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer
What type of fermenter are you using ie when you did a reading did you reseal the lid well

And anything else you can add to help your HBT fellow members be able to help you

 

[matt23]

What yeast you are using -> SafeAle US-05
What temp you are fermenting -> ~76 F
Are you using an ATC or ambient -> ambient
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer -> refractometer
What type of fermenter are you using ie when you did a reading did you reseal the lid well -> The lid was sealed, have a small hole/tube for taking samples from.

And anything else you can add to help your HBT fellow members be able to help you

->I'm sure everything is fine, not extremely worried (at the moment), but trying to understand better what's happening. i.e. is it normal for the primary fermentation stage to get down to ~1.03, a little more than halfway or should most of the sugars be gone before getting into the conditioning stage and what would cause the bubbles to completely stop?

 

[Morrey]

What yeast you are using -> SafeAle US-05
What temp you are fermenting -> ~76 F
Are you using an ATC or ambient -> ambient
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer -> refractometer
What type of fermenter are you using ie when you did a reading did you reseal the lid well -> The lid was sealed, have a small hole/tube for taking samples from.

And anything else you can add to help your HBT fellow members be able to help you

->I'm sure everything is fine, not extremely worried (at the moment), but trying to understand better what's happening. i.e. is it normal for the primary fermentation stage to get down to ~1.03, a little more than halfway or should most of the sugars be gone before getting into the conditioning stage and what would cause the bubbles to completely stop?

Matt, your readings may be skewed somewhat by continuing the use of a refractometer when/after alcohol is created. I use a refractometer when adding wort into the fermenter, but afterwards when fermentation is occurring, I switch to a floating hydrometer. There is a conversion chart found online at Northern Brewer that can help you convert Brix to SG, although you may already be doing this. If not, that's a large part of your consternation.

At 76F your US-05 yeast was really rocking and rolling getting the job done. I note when I use S-05 at 67F where I set my ATC, I have super active fermentation for around 2 days, day 3 slows and is almost over shortly thereafter by day 4. However, I leave it in primary for 14 days giving the yeast time to clear up off flavors, flocculate and let the beer sort of "settle down". Based on your time frame, I'd bet your fermentation is probably done.

To ease your mind, try a sample with a floating hydrometer and see if this shows you a more realistic reading.

 

[matt23]

For the refractor, I'm using this Brix/SG combo, https://www.midwestsupplies.com/refractometer-atc-with-brix-sg-scale. I started using this as it seemed like the hydrometer always had too large of a margin of error. Using it with the last wheat beer I made showed a FG of 1.017, so it seems to work ok for beer in process or finished beer no problem. I tested the current batch again this morning, showed not much of a change, ~1.030.

You're probably right about most of the fermentation could actually be done, it was going ballistic all day on Saturday, after putting the yeast in on Friday afternoon, slowed down on Sunday, and nothing for yesterday and today. I've also read that another way of knowing if a beer is ready or not is how cloudy it is, meaning when it starts to really clear up is when most of the yeast is really done and dropping down into sediment, and if still very cloudy, it's still working and not done yet. So will be waiting a good week before doing anything beyond measuring, see what happens.

That said, is it even possible to have a "stuck" fermentation, where it goes through the primary phase and doesn't move onto the next, the conditioning phase or when the yeast is going through the more complex sugars? Or getting a stuck fermentation isn't really possible if temp. is stable, the yeast will do its thing and it just takes time, nothing to worry about.

 

[kh54s10]

What yeast you are using -> SafeAle US-05
What temp you are fermenting -> ~76 F
Are you using an ATC or ambient -> ambient
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer -> refractometer
What type of fermenter are you using ie when you did a reading did you reseal the lid well -> The lid was sealed, have a small hole/tube for taking samples from.

And anything else you can add to help your HBT fellow members be able to help you

->I'm sure everything is fine, not extremely worried (at the moment), but trying to understand better what's happening. i.e. is it normal for the primary fermentation stage to get down to ~1.03, a little more than halfway or should most of the sugars be gone before getting into the conditioning stage and what would cause the bubbles to completely stop?

Yeast is good.

Your fermentation temperature is too high. Too late for this one but ferment most ale yeasts in the mid sixties (wort temperature)

Your refractometer will not give you the correct reading with the presence of alcohol. You can use an online correction calculator, but even with that it is inaccurate. - Use the hydrometer!

Airlock bubbling only means that more co2 is being produced than the fermenter can hold. It is normal for this to stop at the end of fermentation.

Yeast don't go by a clock. Most fermentations will be done in 5-7 days, then it is good to let the yeast continue doing what yeast do for a few more days at least. I usually go 14 days. Longer when I procrastinate about getting it bottled or kegged.

I suggest that you do nothing with your beer in less than 10 days.

 

[matt23]

After doing some more research on refractometers, I realize my error with that they don't account for the alcohol addition. And in reality, using http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/, it seems my current gravity is actually 1.014, so good to go.

Thanks for all your help!