Hydrometer

[Onetime]

My Caribou Slobber has been in the primary for 6 days now. When would i do my Hydrometer readings. Or are they necessary at this point? Additionally, what are good conversions for Star San to water ratio? 5 gals is waistful when u are try to sanitize small items? Thanks


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[150kwh]

I'm still a beginner too, but if it's a normal recipe I'd check the gravity the morning you're ready to transfer (or the night before), for example to secondary or to bottles. ... It's one data point to help you determine if it's ready to proceed, right?

About Star San, I usually divide a 5-gal batch up and save a bunch of it to use throughout a brew day. Having too much is nice for long items like stir spoons & big funnels. Nice to have some in a spray bottle--does it go bad? I wouldn't think so.. ... and I realize it won't do as much as a cleanser, but I tend to keep my extra 2-3 gal to store bottles for weeks in a paint bucket. A long soak in any water-based thing helps take off labels. Good luck!

 

[scottballz]

Hey Boss, I know your a beginner and probably anxious to to get your beer bottled. I've been there too. I usually leave everything in my primary, undisturbed, for 3 weeks. By then the fermentation is almost certainly done and that is when I do my FG hydrometer reading. The yeast will also go back and clean everything up for you as well.

As far as the star san goes, If you want to do small batches just divide. for example, if you want to make just 1 gallon, use .20 oz of star san to 1 gallon of water. It will usually last a pretty long time if you want to hold onto it. Just get yourself some PH strips and make sure it doesn't go above 3. If it does, dump it.

 

[LLBeanJ]

For 90% of my brews, the first and only FG check is at day 10, followed by kegging around day 12 to 14.

 

[flars]

I will typically leave my beers in the primary at least three weeks. This allows time for the yeast do their clean up work, excess yeast to flocculate out, and sediment to drop.
The result is clear beer and a compact yeast cake and trub. This is great for a clean siphon to the bottling bucket.
I take my first hydrometer reading a two weeks. Never happened, but this is the time you would want to know if the fermentation is stuck. Take another one three days later. If they are the same FG has been reached.
After that amount of time I bottle when I get around to it. There is no rush.

Make up and store Starsan solution in one gallon jugs. One-fifth ounce per gallon. Use the dispenser markings on the bottle.
As long as you don't put dirt in the solution, and pH remains 3.0 (or is it 3.2?) or below it is still effective. The Starsan solution being cloudy does not mean it went bad. This is just a reaction with minerals in the water.
Spray bottle and small buckets are hndy to have for sanitizing.