Question about Gravity Readings

[Wduncan1983]

I'm in the process of brewing a pliny clone and have a question about my gravity readings.

The original gravity was 1.068 and it's been 8 days in the primary. I took another reading and it was at 1.031. The final gravity is supposed to be 1.011.


The yeast strain is WL001 - California Ale Yeast

I used a yeast starter and pitched more than enough yeast. The fermentation was vigorous for about 5-6 days and has since subsided to a minimal state.

Are these gravity readings on target?

 

[Wduncan1983]

I used a brix refractometer. This recipe obviously has a lot of hops. Would that increase the brix readings?

 

[Jupapabear]

You need to use a hydrometer for FG. Alcohol in the solution will give you a bad reading. There are conversion charts online if you search Google. I would still say though that a hydrometer is the best way for test the gravity after fermentation has taken place.

 

[Yooper]

I used a brix refractometer. This recipe obviously has a lot of hops. Would that increase the brix readings?

As was stated by Jupapabear, the refractometer readings are incorrect once fermentation begins.

The hops don't impact the reading, but alcohol does. Refractometers read the refraction of light in a sucrose solution, and alcohol skews the refraction, so that makes the reading useless.

There are calculators out there to help correct with this, but most aren't accurate. Some are close-ish, but none have been accurate for me.

Use a hydrometer and see where you're at- you're probably done.

 

[Wduncan1983]

Thanks fellas! That did it. It came right on target at 1.011

 

[Jupapabear]

Glad to help.