Took a hydrometer reading and YUMMY!

[KimmiC]

My brew has been in the plastic bucket since last Friday. The airlock wasn't bubbling by Sunday. So today I decided to take a peek I lifted up the lid. There must have been Krausen but it wasn't on top yet there was a good mess of foam around the inside rim. I sanitized a turkey baster and took a gravity reading......I am close I am supposed to be between 1.014 - 1.015 and right now it is at 1.016. I drank the sample, tasted good! Tastes like the Loose Cannon I drink, without the carbonation. It also smelled like beer and the sample had a nice deep amber / brown color and not too cloudy. So I think I am doing good so far. I resanitized the lid and put it back on. Should I take another reading tomorrow or wait some more?

 

[NTexBrewer]

I would wait a few days. Usually you want to have the same reading over a 3 day period so if you took the reading today wait until Friday or Saturday. If the gravity is lower then wait another 3 days. If the gravity measures 1.016 on Friday or Saturday then that may be its final gravity.

Have you checked your hydrometer with RO or Distilled water for accuracy. It is always a good idea to do this to make sure you are getting a correct reading.
Also, don't forget to temperature correct your reading.

 

[Math0]

When you use your hydrometer, dont forget to give it a good twist before reading just so the bubbles go up and doesnt affect your reading!

 

[KimmiC]

Yep, checked it with distilled water first before I took the first gravity reading last Friday right before I closed the lid. I can take another one on Friday but am leaving for a trip and won't be back until Monday. It can wait for a 3rd reading until Monday, right?

 

[NTexBrewer]

Yes, it will be fine to wait until Monday. Sometimes going away is a good thing. I have done that a couple times. Brewed a beer and went away for a vacation. Decreases the stress a little of wondering if things are going well, should I do this, should I do that, etc. etc.

You will find many people that leave their beers in Primary for two weeks or more without any problems.

It is always better to wait a few extra days or until the weekend to bottle your beer then to rush and make mistakes thinking you have to bottle since the fermentation is complete.

Or you can always rack to a carboy and let it sit for a few weeks to bottle when you have time.

 

[KimmiC]

Might rack to a carboy when I return if gravity is still the same because then I need the bucket to make another batch. This is addicting