Hydrometer readings

[chefesito]

Most recipes list OG, FG, SRM, IBU and ABV
When should these measurements be taken. I just brewed my first Lager ( a Fosters clone) about a month ago. When I first brewed it, I let it go in the primary fermenter for about a week. I checked the OG then and it came in at about 1.04. Then I siphoned it into the secondary fermenter and let it ferment at about 50 degrees for two weeks. I checked the FG? before I added the sugar and bottled it, but the measurement I got was still around 1.04. I understand the reading will be a little lower when it is cold, but I'm not sure if I should have gone ahead and bottled it. I did taste it before I bottled it, and it actually didn't taste bad even at that point - it even had some carbonation, which I was really surprise at. It was very clear, and I'm hoping all is going well with it. It's only been a week in the bottle, but time to try it.

 

[duboman]

Most recipes list OG, FG, SRM, IBU and ABV
When should these measurements be taken. I just brewed my first Lager ( a Fosters clone) about a month ago. When I first brewed it, I let it go in the primary fermenter for about a week. I checked the OG then and it came in at about 1.04. Then I siphoned it into the secondary fermenter and let it ferment at about 50 degrees for two weeks. I checked the FG? before I added the sugar and bottled it, but the measurement I got was still around 1.04. I understand the reading will be a little lower when it is cold, but I'm not sure if I should have gone ahead and bottled it. I did taste it before I bottled it, and it actually didn't taste bad even at that point - it even had some carbonation, which I was really surprise at. It was very clear, and I'm hoping all is going well with it. It's only been a week in the bottle, but time to try it.

Something is amiss...
The OG is taken before you pitch the yeast. The FG is checked to verify the beer is done fermenting

Since you took OG after a week of fermenting it is not a valid reading

The second reading you took is quite high and I'm not sure it's done but you bottled it and that could be a concern as they may explode from continued fermentation in the bottle.

If you used a true lager yeast then your process is off as well. Usually you ferment in primary up until you are a few points off FG, then raise temp for a d-rest, then rack to secondary and lager at 45-50 degrees I believe for at least a month for the beer to finish.

I don't make lager so I too may be a little off on the process.....

Did you take your reading with a hydrometer or refractometer? Like I said, I have some concerns, where are your bottles now?

 

[chefesito]

Something is amiss...
The OG is taken before you pitch the yeast. The FG is checked to verify the beer is done fermenting

Since you took OG after a week of fermenting it is not a valid reading

The second reading you took is quite high and I'm not sure it's done but you bottled it and that could be a concern as they may explode from continued fermentation in the bottle.

If you used a true lager yeast then your process is off as well. Usually you ferment in primary up until you are a few points off FG, then raise temp for a d-rest, then rack to secondary and lager at 45-50 degrees I believe for at least a month for the beer to finish.

I don't make lager so I too may be a little off on the process.....

Did you take your reading with a hydrometer or refractometer? Like I said, I have some concerns, where are your bottles now?

I used a hydrometer. When I tasted the beer before I bottled it, there was definitely a decent alcohol content, so I was surprised the reading was so high. I have it at room temperature right now in my basement. Thanks for your response by the way. What temp should it be in the primary fermenter until it reaches close to FG. According to the recipe I got (this was a kit), it ferments in the primary for 12 hours, then 1 week at around 50 degrees, then rack into a the carboy and ferment 3 more weeks at 50 degrees. Then 3 weeks in the bottle at room temp. I'll have to go crack one open now - just to be sure they don't explode!

 

[chumpsteak]

You sure it was 1.04 and not 1.004? There's a big difference between the two and if it really was 1.04 then you either had a stuck fermentation or you didn't let it ferment long enough. Either way, you have a problem now if they are in the bottle at 1.04 unless somehow the yeast are all dead or the sugar is all gone. 1.004 is really low but a lot closer to what your FG probably should have been.

 

[chefesito]

You sure it was 1.04 and not 1.004? There's a big difference between the two and if it really was 1.04 then you either had a stuck fermentation or you didn't let it ferment long enough. Either way, you have a problem now if they are in the bottle at 1.04 unless somehow the yeast are all dead or the sugar is all gone. 1.004 is really low but a lot closer to what your FG probably should have been.

It was 1.04 because I checked it several times. I read that the hydrometer will read high when the beer is cold, but I think it was about 10% higher if I'm not mistaken. I'm not sure if I was using the hydrometer incorrectly or if there could be a problem with the hydrometer itself. This is the first time I used that particular hydrometer, but it's a pretty simple instrument and not difficult to use, so I doubt that is it.

 

[BansheeRider]

After the boil and the wort is cooled to pitching temps is when you take the hydrometer reading, this is your OG. The recipe should state the projected OG. Then you pitch the yeast. Ale yeast like temps between 60-75 degrees, the wort should be between those temps before adding the yeast. Depending on the brew the primary fermentation can be finished within 1 week. Most people leave it in primary for at least 2 weeks or more to allow the yeast to "clean up". This is when you take another hydrometer reading (FG). The recipe should state the projected FG. Take 3 readings 3 days in a row. If the gravity is consistent then you are ready to bottle. Most hydrometers come with a chart that is used to adjust readings depending on the beers temp.

Most beers will have an OG above 1.030. If your beer is now 1.040 then it should still be in your primary fermenter because that is too high. Never rack to secondary until you have reached FG. Secondary fermenting is not really "fermenting". It is meant to clear your beer, or add hops, fruits, oak, etc etc. My guess is that you may of had a stuck fermentation in the very beginning, which means you may have killed the yeast. What was the temp of the wort before pitching?

 

[stpug]

Let's figure this out.

What exactly is your recipe? What was your volume in your primary fermenter? Based on your ingredients and final volume we can guess what your OG should have been - educated guess, but still a guess.

Next, you state that your FG (final gravity) before going into bottles was 1.040 AND THAT IT WAS CARBONATED. The carbonation and temperature will affect your gravity reading; carbonation will make it higher than actual, and temperature will affect it both ways depending on the temp. You can still get a gravity reading. Open a bottle, pour it in a glass, stir it up really well, let it sit on your counter all night, stir it up in the morning, take a gravity reading, check the temperature, record the gravity and temp, let it sit out the rest of the day, take another gravity reading, check the temperature, record the gravity and temp. Granted you added a little priming sugar (I assume), you can estimate that the gravity readings you take are close to accurate (maybe .003 higher because of the priming sugar - this can actually be calculated based on volume and amount of priming sugar).

Last, we can take your estimated OG and your calculated FG to determine the attenuation of your brew to compare to the typical attenuation of the yeast strain you used to see how close you are to the correct FG. This should get you pretty close to reliable numbers to work with.

Unfortunately, if your batch is already bottled and your far from your FG then you might have to play the game of "open the cap, vent co2, close the cap" a time or two.

 

[chefesito]

Well it's been bottled for about 5 weeks now, and all seemed to have gone well. No explosions, and the beer is very good. It came out quite clear, tastes good and has a good head. I am pretty embarrassed to say, but I think the glass I used to check the FG may have been too short and the hydrometer could have touched the bottom. I really didn't even want to say, but I thought all you guys that took the time to try to help me out deserved to know.

 

[unionrdr]

I use the tube the hydrometer came in for testing. Works great.

 

[AColdOneInNH]

Well it's been bottled for about 5 weeks now, and all seemed to have gone well. No explosions, and the beer is very good. It came out quite clear, tastes good and has a good head. I am pretty embarrassed to say, but I think the glass I used to check the FG may have been too short and the hydrometer could have touched the bottom. I really didn't even want to say, but I thought all you guys that took the time to try to help me out deserved to know.

Thanks for following up and letting us all know how it came out. There's no shame (well, maybe just a little) in taking a bad measurement. It's awesome that you posted, though, so the rest of us who are pretty green can learn from your experience.

 

[chefesito]

I use the tube the hydrometer came in for testing. Works great.

I like that idea.

 

[unionrdr]

It also uses less beer to fill it than the larger test cylinders do.