So..Forgot OG Reading

[Rookie10]

I started my first batch last Saturday, everything went really well and enjoyed every moment but forgot a OG reading! today would be day 9 and I started taking readings on Sat. consistent 1.010 each time. Was going to send into secondary to clean up and Dry Hop. thoughts....

I'm guessing the answers will be something like..

Don't put in secondary
leave it alone for another 1-1/2 weeks
etc.

But is first batch so looking for advise.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Haha I did the same thing Saturday. What I did was worse though. I made the mistake of having a few of a previous homebrew while brewing the next. When it came time to take the OG measurement I did it, but forgot to write it down. Damned if I can remember what it was either. I'm not dry hopping, so that isn't a concern, but my estimates of abv and calorie content are likely to be somewhat off.

In your case, I still wouldn't bother with a secondary just because it's common wisdom around here that it's not necessary. If you're getting stable readings you are probably good to transfer and dry hop, or just dry hop in the primary for another week or so.

 

[Yooper]

If it was an extract batch, the OG will be what the directions on the kit said, assuming you used all the ingredients and had the same volume the kit used.

If it's at 1.010, it's done. You can dryhop as is, and then package if you'd like. I dryhop for about 5 days, and then package.

 

[Rookie10]

That was a pretty quick fermentation? no? Theoretically I can dry hop if my reading is good tonight (3rd reading) and bottle 5 days from then?
seems quick?

 

[marjen]

Each yeast is different, so depends on what you used and what type of beer you are brewing. I often use WY1318 which is done in like 4-5 days. I just drank a beer yesterday that I brewed the previous Saturday, added dry hop on Tuesday and kegged this Saturday morning and it was fantastic, so times will vary.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

That was a pretty quick fermentation? no? Theoretically I can dry hop if my reading is good tonight (3rd reading) and bottle 5 days from then?
seems quick?

9 days isn't quick to be finished. Most yeast are done around 5 days. Also you can dry hop before you hit FG..most don't but some swear by it...its really up to you...and yes you can dry hop in the primary and forget the secondary.
If your using a bucket the Home Depot 5 gallon paint strainer bags for like $2 work great to keep the hops out of yeast cake

Don't forget to save the yeast cake for your next batch...FREE YEAST..who doesn't love that

 

[Yooper]

I've personally seen some yeast strains ferment a beer out in less than 24 hours, but usually it's 3-5 days.

 

[NSMikeD]

just to clarify, fermentation, as noted, can happen quickly so 9 days should be fine. The secondary is for conditioning as the yeast cleans up the beer and removes off flavors, but a secondary carboy is not necessary for most beers. This will happen primary after the fermentation is done and in the bottles while they carbonate, which is why beer may be carbonated in a week, but will often taste better of left to rest a second week or longer.

 

[seatazzz]

I've personally seen some yeast strains ferment a beer out in less than 24 hours, but usually it's 3-5 days.

I had one of those this weekend...Pliny Clone that I used my own yeast on, almost blew the lid off the bucket because the blowoff got clogged. Sounded like a 13-year-old farting in a pool while it was going! Going to check it tonight, if it's dropped down enough going to start the dry hop and get to it.

 

[RM-MN]

I started my first batch last Saturday, everything went really well and enjoyed every moment but forgot a OG reading! today would be day 9 and I started taking readings on Sat. consistent 1.010 each time. Was going to send into secondary to clean up and Dry Hop. thoughts....

I'm guessing the answers will be something like..

Don't put in secondary
leave it alone for another 1-1/2 weeks
etc.

But is first batch so looking for advise.

You seem to have caught on to what we will say, mostly. With the 2 hydrometer readings the same and 9 days I'll agree with Yooper, your beer is done. Dry hop it right in the fermenter for 4 to 7 days and bottle that up. Give it a week (short time but it's a first batch) and chill a bottle overnight for sampling. Just one bottle though!!! If it tastes good you can chill another couple but don't drink them all too early, they are likely to improve for a few more days and be pretty good through a couple months before the hop aroma starts to fade away.

 

[eadavis80]

If you only have 1 primary, I'd rack and dry hop in there so you can start the next batch ASAP!

 

[Rookie10]

I dry hopped late yesterday will let it go until the weekend. Thoughts on a cold crash before bottling?Also if you do recommend a cold crash after i bottle do i condition at room temp? will the temperature fluctuations change flavor or produce any funky tones?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I've only done a couple batches since I got back into brewing, but I read a ton here before I started and tried to incorporate the elements that seemed to be consistent.

My routine (both NEIPAs) was to get my starter going about 3 days before brew, cold crashing it for 24 hours before I begin brewing. I pull it out of the fridge the day I'm brewing to get to room temp.

I brew, chill, and pitch. Ferment at 65 (WY1318 for both batches) and it's been 80% done in 72 hours, which is when I do my first dry hop. After 3 more days the fermentation appears done and, by measurement, has been done. I drop the second round of dry hops when I take that reading. I bump the temp up to 70, let the yeast clean up and the dry hops sit for 5 days, do a 48 hour cold crash to 38 degrees and and keg.

This routine has been like clockwork. I think having the starter and ferm temp control makes it pretty consistent. I could cut down the times a bit, but it works out to a 2 week cycle so I'm doing the time consuming parts (brewing, kegging/cleanup) on weekends.

This is a far cry from when I brewed in the 90's with extract and dumping dry yeast directly into the wort. That was always at least 3 weeks of fermentation, then bottling and another 3 weeks of bottle conditioning. Now I'm drinking beer in 17 days and that's conservative. It could be less.

 

[estricklin]

It's no big deal, I personally have had at least 100 gallons of undocumented ale out there.

As already said. give it a bit longer but the actual fermenration is over. Eventually taking OG will become a habit.

Congrats and welcome to the forum.

 

[kh54s10]

My current practice for an average beer is to ferment for 2 weeks in primary only. If I dry hop, that is in the primary for 5 or so days then I package if the beer is clear, if not I let is sit a little longer.

I do not cold crash. Some day I may try that. The one time I used Gelatin in the keg I didn't see much difference. I have to try that again also.