Newbie Question-Gravity & Fermentation

[christopherforrester]

Hello, all. Have been reading for the past few months. But, just now joining. Finally worked up the courage to make the leap and brew and I have a couple of quick questions.

Brewed last Thursday. Went well. Airlock activity within 12 hours. My SG was 1.070 for the hop head double IPA I am brewing and the target was 1.070 to 1.074. So, I felt good out of the gate.

Last night, I noticed that there was very little activity in the airlock. Maybe once every 30 seconds. Gravity on the sample (which I kept separate in a bottle with a paper towel stuffed in it) was sitting at about 1.030 (roughly). So, my FG (according to the recipe) is supposed to be 1.016-1.018. Today, there is absolutely no activity in the airlock that I can tell.

It's my understanding that when that happens, or when it slows to one time a minute or so, primary fermentation is finished. I guess my questions are:

Will the gravity continue to drop if I rack to secondary for dry hopping?
At what point should my gravity reading match the target FG, when primary fermentation is done or at the end of secondary fermentation?

Should I leave the wort alone until say Thursday and see if the gravity continues to drop?

...and finally (sorry...), is it possible that the gravity inside the fermenter is different than that of the sample that I kept separate? I kept a sample separate in a beer bottle with a paper towel stuffed in the top so I could take gravity readings without opening the primary fermenter. I had seen this recommended. Both containers were kept in the same location, same environment.

I know that's a lot. Sorry. I'm just a little confused. Any help would be appreciated...

 

[wfowlks]

I would definitely leave it alone for a while. The higher gravity beers can take a while longer. I remember that I had a Tripel that had a 1.068 start, and I left it in the primary for 3 weeks. Just because airlock activity is not noticeable does not mean that the yeast are done.

As for the separate vessel. It could be different, if there weren't enough yeast in there to do the fermentation, etc, additionally it may not have been aerated well enough and there are many other things.

I would leave it in the primary for at least another week or so.

The secondary will help bring the gravity lower, but why rush the primary, there are more yeast there.

And on a side note, welcome

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Please stop looking at your airlock. It cannot tell you anything about your fermentation. I know it is hard not to relate airlock activity to fermentation activity, since it is a visible/audible indication of what is going on in the bucket, but it is not accurate at all. The slightest air leak in the seal of the bucket, or grommet, or airlock itself can cause NO BUBBLES AT ALL, even during active fermentation.

You mentioned in your post that you have a hydrometer. Try to relax, and give the beer time to finish. You also mentioned that you have a target FG of 1.018 or so... Give it another week and use the HYDROMETER to determine when the beer is done. Try not to get sucked into thinking the airlock can tell you about fermentation.

Just remember, the airlock is a tool designed to prevent over-pressurizing the fermentation bucket. The Hydrometer is a tool designed to measure the fermentation activity of beer (and wine, and such). These tools are not interchangeable.

 

[JDFlow]

After a week I transferred my first brew to secondary. It was at 1.02 when I transferred it. Two weeks and no airlock activity later it was at 1.005, I bottled that day.

 

[homebrewdad]

Bubbles are a gague, but they are far from a tell all. The ONLY way to know for sure if you beer is done is via hydrometer. Take a reading on one day, skip a day, take another reading. If the readings are steady, active fermentation is done.

Note that some yeasts take a long time to get those last few points of gravity gone. Bubbles mean diddly squat.

Go leave the beer alone for another week, then take a reading. Rushing things is going to give you inferior beer (or bottle bombs).

 

[duboman]

Last night, I noticed that there was very little activity in the airlock. Maybe once every 30 seconds. Gravity on the sample (which I kept separate in a bottle with a paper towel stuffed in it) was sitting at about 1.030 (roughly). So, my FG (according to the recipe) is supposed to be 1.016-1.018. Today, there is absolutely no activity in the airlock that I can tell

As stated, activity means nothing other than active fermentation has slowed down and at 1.030 with an expected 016-8, fermentation is NOT DONE

Will the gravity continue to drop if I rack to secondary for dry hopping?
At what point should my gravity reading match the target FG, when primary fermentation is done or at the end of secondary fermentation?

Leave the beer in the primary for another week and yes the gravity will continue to drop. Fermentation will be done when it is done, there is no set number of days for this to occur, the yeast know what they are doing so let them. DO NOT MOVE THE BEER TO THE SECONDARY UNTIL FERMENTATION IS DONE

is it possible that the gravity inside the fermenter is different than that of the sample that I kept separate? I kept a sample separate in a beer bottle with a paper towel stuffed in the top so I could take gravity readings without opening the primary fermenter

As the beer in the primary continues to ferment the gravity will change but your previously taken sample will not change the same way so just toss it as it is useless at this point, next time take a drink of the sample and then toss it

 

[christopherforrester]

Got it. I mean, I did not know what the deal was. That's why I asked and did not act. I guess what I'm really worried about is that there wasn't enough yeast used to complete the process. This being my first time, I'm being very cautious. I'm eager to learn. I want to do things the right way and not screw something up. I will wait a few days and take another gravity reading.

Just for chutes and giggles, if I check it in another 3, 5 days, or 1 week...or beyond...and it's still 1.030 (i.e., the gravity still hasn't dropped), what then?

 

[duboman]

The worst case is stuck fermentation and then you give the primary a swirl to get the yeast back up, raise the temp a bit as well and if all else fails pitch some additional yeast but we are not going to worry about any of that right now

 

[christopherforrester]

Cool... Thanks so much for the help...

 

[FATC1TY]

The best part is taking a hydro sample and drinking it. Do that next time so I can identify any chances in the process should something happen.

I keep a log of my brew day, temps and the like, any issues or changes, and then leave my recipe in there with it to go back to if it was good/bad. With that, I also put down dates of samples I take, and a note of the taste. It helps to learn, I've found.

Your beer just needs times. I've got a Imperial IPA half bottled and half being dry hopped right now going to be bottled maybe tomorrow or in a few days at worst. It's done at 8.4% ABV, and will need some time to mellow and come into it's own.

 

[Special Hops]

I sample for gravity readings in a separate vessel will not be the same as in the main vessel.

 

[duboman]

I sample for gravity readings in a separate vessel will not be the same as in the main vessel.

At the time of the actual sample, yes it will be the same but if you keep the sample for a few days while the primary is still fermenting your next sample would be different than the first, thus there is no reason to save the first one.

 

[Jay1]

I think the hardest lesson I learned was to leave it alone. I always wanted to pulled it off the yeast as soon as I thought FG was at it's lowest. As soon as I started forgetting about my beer that was fermenting and just leaving it for at least 3 weeks, 2 if I'm in a rush, my beer started turning out better. Now, I might poke my head in to make sure the air-lock didn't launch itself but that's it.

This is really the hardest part about brewing for me.

 

[christopherforrester]

I guess, ultimately, what I was really worried about is when to move to a secondary since this is a dry-hopped beer. If it weren't for that, I would have no questions. Leave it in the primary for 3 weeks and ignore it.

The recipe I have calls for a week in the primary and 2 weeks in the secondary. That's why I was worried. Not worried anymore. I feel better...

Do you all just skip the secondary in most cases if there is no dry hop or additional additives needed? Just curious... That's the vibe I was getting...

 

[homebrewdad]

Do you all just skip the secondary in most cases if there is no dry hop or additional additives needed? Just curious... That's the vibe I was getting...

Lots of people do. Some still secondary.

All of the cool kids do primary only fermentations unless they add fruit, wood, etc.

I have done it both ways, and found that I get WAY less trub in my bottling bucket if I secondary... I will secondary all of my beers from now on. Note that I do 3 week primaries + X week secondary.

Your mileage may vary.