Question about SG

[jayhuff]

My first batch of beer has been in a carboy for 8 days now and I followed a simple ale recipe that I found online. When I started this batch, I did not have a hydrometer and I also steeped double the amount of crushed grains ( I posted a thread called "what will happen?).

Here is my question: Is this normal and what should I expect? Now for the information

Day 4 SG reading: 1.021
Day 8 SG reading: 1.024

Since this recipe was basic for people who wanted to try without getting all the stuff, FG wasn't given or any technical information. Basically mix this wait 7-10 days, bottle 7-10 days- wham-o.

Does it seem like my brew is ontrack? BTW- i didn't return the sample I pulled both times and drank them. They tasted good to me (expect that they were flat), but after reading through this forum, I have become a bit nervous about too high of a sg and bottle blowing up.

My thought is to wait till Wednesday and take another reading and then again on Saturday (which will be the 2 week point).

Sorry about the long post and I appreciate the input.

-Jay

 

[Jaybird]

well its going the wrong way. I think maybe on the day 8 you had a bit to much Co2 in the test. I would test again and mix the test sample a bit before you test. also make sure its @ 60 deg
JJ

 

[TheFlatline]

I'm going to say your hydrometer was stuck or you were reading it incorrectly. Get it floating in the center of the sample (beer thief to the rescue!) and don't read the meniscus level. When I drop my hydrometer into the beer thief I spin it as I drop it. That way it doesn't stick, and when it comes back up, I can turn the thief one or two times, and have a good reading.

 

[jayhuff]

well one reason the higher reading this time is that I added water for the first reading. I didn't draw enough beer out in the thief and was nervous to put it back in. so the lower sg makes sense for the first reading, which makes it pretty much invalid.

so that also helped to relieve my fears that something was wrong by remembering that small (but important) bit of information. I will take another reading on wednesday and see where it is heading now that I know how much to draw out to actually float the hydrometer.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[jayhuff]

Last night was the 11th day that my first batch has been in the primary, so I racked to a secondary and took another hydrometer reading and all seems to be going well. The reading dropped a full .01 since Sunday.

It is now at .014. I am getting closer! The taste is not as sweet as it was the first few times that I pulled for a reading, and I am asumming that is what is suppose to be happening. Taste good and I can't wait to taste it carbonated and chilled!

 

[FEARDIZ]

wait 2 weeks in secondary, prime and bottle wait 3 more weeks