When do you take your first hydrometer reading during fermentation?

[jdlantian]

I usually wait a week or ten days to take my first sample when brewing a wide variety of styles and yeasts. I've heard of people saying their ipas are done in 3 or 4 days and I'm wondering who checks that early? Is that because they have ideal temperature controlled setups? Then I have reputable home brewers who don't bother until 3 weeks, when it's time to keg based on routine.

I usually follow the advice of having a consistent gravity reading for 3 days before I rack the beer. Or life gets in the way and it sits a while.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Two weeks. I don't think any less than that would allow the yeast to finish the job. Unless you're tracking the progress of fermentation for teh sciences, whats the point of measuring beer that couldn't be ready to keg or bottle? If it's at or lower than expected FG I go ahead and bottle. I usually ramp up the temp for a few days to help it finish out toward the end of the two weeks, then prime judiciously. No bottle bombs so far.

 

[brhenrio]

Depends on how you can get your sample. If you are using a sample valve and there is good co2 pressure i grab a sample whenever i feel like it. If using a thief i wait at least two weeks before i even think of checking.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I haven't taken a hydrometer reading in... wow, can't remember! I know I should. I'm a total data nerd. But I just got to the point that I brew, I trust the yeast to do what it does, and I enjoy the beer.

 

[jdlantian]

Depends on how you can get your sample. If you are using a sample valve and there is good co2 pressure i grab a sample whenever i feel like it. If using a thief i wait at least two weeks before i even think of checking.

I typically use buckets (but also use carboys if I'm brewing a lot) with a thief and part of my fear of taking several samples is oxidation. Is that your concern with waiting two weeks before checking and not a concern with a sample valve (like on a conical or spiedel?)?

 

[jdlantian]

I haven't taken a hydrometer reading in... wow, can't remember! I know I should. I'm a total data nerd. But I just got to the point that I brew, I trust the yeast to do what it does, and I enjoy the beer.

 

[brew_darrymore]

I use a Tilt hydrometer, which allows me to track the stage of fermentation and most of my ales (OG 1.048-1.054) are at FG in 3-5 days, but I let them sit on the yeast for at least another week. I also ramp up the temperature to allow yeast to clean up.

I take first (and last) reading with a real hydrometer at the time of kegging (2 - 3 weeks after brewing).

 

[thehaze]

It depends on the beer. If it's a high gravity beer, I don't take any readings before 14 days have passed. If it is a lower ABV beer and especially a hoppy one, then much sooner than 14 days, as I usually bottle at 14 days.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Sam's my spirit animal [emoji16][emoji482]

 

[beerlover77]

I only check at kegging time (@ about 2.5 weeks) and this is to determine the ABV. I also ferment in glass carboys so visual signs of fermentation are a factor here.

 

[jdlantian]

It depends on the beer. If it's a high gravity beer, I don't take any readings before 14 days have passed. If it is a lower ABV beer and especially a hoppy one, then much sooner than 14 days, as I usually bottle at 14 days.

I have a similar approach on bigger beers, although here I am today, looking at split batch of Tripel after 8 days. High gravity 1.060+ for you or do you have a different threshold?

 

[jdlantian]

I use a Tilt hydrometer, which allows me to track the stage of fermentation and most of my ales (OG 1.048-1.054) are at FG in 3-5 days, but I let them sit on the yeast for at least another week. I also ramp up the temperature to allow yeast to clean up.

I take first (and last) reading with a real hydrometer at the time of kegging (2 - 3 weeks after brewing).

The Tilt looks fancy, and amazing, hadn't heard of that. After many batches, I just started doing temperature control in the basement. Lagers get the chest freezer and belgians get the furnace room (change from 62 to 68 ambient). That's how I "ramp up," what do you do?

 

[mongoose33]

I'll take a hydrometer reading when I rack to keg, which usually is 2-3 weeks after pitching the yeast. It's done by then, and I'm only taking a hydrometer reading to be able to calculate ABV.

 

[beermanpete]

Unless I rack to a secondary I only take a reading at bottling time.

 

[DonGavlar]

I take my first reading after 3 weeks when I am packaging. Taking it to determine alcohol percentage rather than checking if its done. Would be pretty surprised to find it still not finished up after 3 weeks.

 

[PADave]

I take my first and only hydrometer reading as I am bottling or kegging.

 

[Pintabone]

Since using a brew bucket I take one within the first four days. The last two beers I’ve brewed have hit FG within 2-4 days of pitching a starter. That’s with 1272 and 1968. Typically let it sit for around 2 weeks before cold crashing but I like tracking the progress and using a refractometer makes it very easy.

 

[brew_darrymore]

Lagers get the chest freezer and belgians get the furnace room (change from 62 to 68 ambient). That's how I "ramp up," what do you do?

I usually ramp up the temperature on day 5-7 simply by leaving the carboy at room temperature, 68F in the winter, 74F in the summer, covered with a black t-shirt to protect it from daylight.

 

[Azura]

After numerous OG readings that have verified my process is very reliable, I no longer take OG readings. My FG reading happens in the 8-21 day range depending on the flocculation characteristic of the yeast. 95% of the time, the reading is +/- 0.002 of where it was predicted to finish by reliably tuned software. The beer is kegged without worries or consequences 100% of the time.

 

[JDXX1971]

I really got to quit messing with them, that's all I got to say.Checked the two in the fermentation chamber between day 4-7 just cause I wanted to see, I told myself not to, but I did anyway. I like the idea of sample valves, I am getting ready to switch over to fermenting in sanke kegs, I should add sample valve ports and spunding valves so I can satisfy my curiosity.

 

[RM-MN]

I haven't taken a hydrometer reading in... wow, can't remember! I know I should. I'm a total data nerd. But I just got to the point that I brew, I trust the yeast to do what it does, and I enjoy the beer.

I'm about to that point too.....except last fall I was ready to bottle a batch and took a hydrometer reading to find the gravity way too high from a stuck fermentation. A week later it had dropped to where it should be. That would have been a real disaster with lots of bottle bombs had I bottled it just trusting it to be done.

Go back to taking a reading on every batch before you have Gotcha!

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I have the luxury of kegging so if I tasted it and it was under attenuated I'd just warm it up and let it ferment out in the keg!

 

[Morrey]

One factor that can drive you to check SG early is for those dry hopping during active fermentation. Biotransformation hopping is typically done with around 20% (or there about) of fermentation remaining.

New England Juicy IPAs get part of the haze from this dry hop addition during fermentation. Some yeast finishes quickly so you’ll be dry hopping at day 2 or 3. In summary, your beer style and brewing goals influence when or if you need to be checking.

 

[Miraculix]

I mostly don't... I'll give it at least two or three weeks anyway and don't brew high alc stuff, so it's done anyway.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I generally take my FG reading just prior to bottling, and prior to adding priming sugar.

 

[RM-MN]

I generally take my FG reading just prior to bottling, and prior to adding priming sugar.

Same here and if the FG reading is at or below the expected I bottle. I have had one stuck fermentation where my reading was quite a bit above the expected. I was lucky and my beer restarted and finished where it should have a week later. I was really glad I took that sample.

 

[Vale71]

Daily. I like graphs and I don't own a Tilt so I have to do that the old fashioned way, with frequent samples and a spreadsheet...