Is it wrong to not check gravities?

[ajstrider]

I am new to this stuff, I have two good extract batches under my belt so far.

I don't check any of my gravities. I move it from the primary to secondary (haven't tried just a primary yet) when fermentation subsides and leave it in there for three to four weeks until I don't see any more off gassing.

I see a lot of people talking about how they check their gravities all the time and didn't hit their final mark and stuff. Is it really that important? It doesn't seem like I can change it and I don't really care to know how much ABV it is, I am going to drink it no matter what.

So should I be getting a hydrometer and taking samples of my beer?

 

[masskrug]

I use a refractometer to make sure I get the beer where I want in the beginning. I don't check final. After 3 weeks it better be ready to bottle. Terrible practice? Probably, but I haven't had any problems in two years.

 

[Yooper]

No. If it works for you, it's fine. The fact that you haven't had any bottle bombs yet shows it works. Of course, if that does happen in the future, you may want to rethink not checking FG at bottling for the next batch.

I've never had a bottle bomb, not ever, in 20+ years of winemaking or brewing, but I always check FG at botting. A couple of times only have I found a batch that wasn't done by the time I wanted to bottle but I'm sure glad I found out before I bottled that the batch was stuck and not finished!

 

[dkevinb]

Hydrometer samples are good for two things: Checking your process and seeing when your beer is done fermenting. If you're doing extract batches your process is pretty much fixed. If you're waiting at least 2-3 weeks before packaging then your beer is done. In your case I don't think it's necessary.

I like to use one because I'm a nerd and I like writing down numbers. I'm also just starting to do all grain brewing and it's very, very helpful to know your pre-boil gravity, post-boil gravity, and final gravity. It's about the only way to know if you're on the right track.

 

[kh54s10]

It is fine until you get an incomplete fermentation then bottle. When the bottles start exploding you will wish you had taken a final gravity reading.

I have a refractometer so it is easy to take an OG reading. I keg so final gravity is not so important. The keg will not explode. But I usually take one just to make sure the beer is fermented to near the predicted level.

 

[YeastMode]

I basically do the same thing you do, except I do check my FG. My reasoning is basically that once fermentation is going, my involvement is likely to end with a negative result. Could I have a stalled fermentation? Maybe, but I have confidence in my process and temp control the fermentation, so I think I am safe and have not had a stuck fermentation yet. As a general rule, I don't touch the beer for 2 weeks. Depending on the style, then I decide whether I should check or not.

I cant think of any reason why you don't check the FG. While you may not care about ABV, the mouthfeel/dryness of a beer can be effected. Plus, it allows you to keep more complete notes and use them for guidelines in the future, especially with attenuation, etc.

 

[Singletrack]

I don't like to use a hydrometer, so I bought a refractometer. I don't think it is very accurate, but I can live with that because it is so much easier. When I start trying to hone in on a perfect recipe, I will use a hydrometer.

I give my beer lots of time to finish fermenting and skip all the FG checking to confirm it's done. (I really couldn't do that if I wanted to, because I'm away from my brewery all week. I only have weekends to do anything with it.) If you go this route, in addition to lots of time, I suggest you leave it in the primary for about 3 weeks. I only secondary to dry hop, and only after 3 weeks in primary.

Also, suggest you raise the temp at the end of ferm to help attenuation.

Finally, go ahead and have some bottle bombs. Live a little. (Can't believe Yooper has not experienced this!)

 

[ajstrider]

So what is the easiest way to check these final gravities?

Just get one of these little baster style samplers and take samples every two or three days and see if they match?

 

[TallahasseeBrew]

Either a turkey baster or something similar or a "wine thief" https://www.midwestsupplies.com/fer...ource=google&gclid=CNaGvfTxgsECFcRcMgoduGIAeQ

I check it after about 2 weeks of fermenting, if it's within a couple points of beersmith or the instruction sheet, I keg, or transfer and dry hop, whatever it needs. It's really not difficult and not really gonna mess with your beer, so long as you sanitize the thief and sample tube. Plus you get a sample to taste to see if the beer is any good.

 

[Natdavis777]

I check when I transfer to a secondary or keg, but I never pull samples to actively check if fermentation is completed. I try and practice good aeration and yeast pitching, so I know after two weeks I should be at my expected FG


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[Cyclman]

When I was doing extract, I rarely checked gravities. I pitched healthy amounts of yeast and injected O2, so always had good fermentations (when I did check them, they were always at the low end of the FG estimate).

All grain, it is more important, or your beer can be different than expected and you wouldn't know why.

Homebrewfinds has refractometers regularly at excellent prices, you can use an online calculator to adjust for alcohol in the FG, pretty easy, just takes a few drops.

 

[heckler73]

I always check SG to see if I made wort. Out of 36 extract and 14 allgrain batches, I've had one AG that was 0.010 low (a 3.3% very light watery wheat ale), because I screwed up the recipe and was a lb short on base malt. At least this way I know not to ever duplicate that recipe again!

I used to check FG after a week, twice over two days to see if it was stable at 1.010. After a while, I realized that 14 days in primary always results in a finished 1.010 ale. (I don't brew anything over a 1.065SG).

Now I still always check SG, rarely check FG after two weeks primary when racking, but do always check FG after another week or two secondary.

 

[YeastMode]

So what is the easiest way to check these final gravities?

Just get one of these little baster style samplers and take samples every two or three days and see if they match?

I bought about 7 feet of a thin vinyl tube, I think it's around 3/16. I sanitize in some star san, sanitize the lid of my bucket and slip the tube in where the airlock goes. Then I siphon to my cylinder and take the reading with the hydrometer. The entire process takes about 2 minutes and you don't even take the lid off the bucket.