When should I take hydrometer readings/bottle?

[jmuman703]

Hey everyone!

I have my first batch of beer in primary right now. It is a Bavarian wheat beer and it's been in there for about 13 days now. My question is when should I start taking hydrometer readings? It burps every 2min and 45 seconds. Is it ready to be checked with a hydrometer?

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

 

[Yooper]

Hey everyone!

I have my first batch of beer in primary right now. It is a Bavarian wheat beer and it's been in there for about 13 days now. My question is when should I start taking hydrometer readings? It burps every 2min and 45 seconds. Is it ready to be checked with a hydrometer?

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

Yes, you can check it today and then again in at least three days. If it's the same, it can be bottled.

I like to wait until the beer is fairly clear, without suspended stuff in it (in other words, no chunks!) before bottling so there is less crud in the bottles in the end. That's usually at about 2 weeks or so, but sometimes I've packaged at 3 weeks.

 

[jmuman703]

Thanks! I just took a reading and I am right around where I should be! Plus I had a little taste and it seemed pretty spot on to me! Thanks for the advice!

Starting gravity- 1.055
First reading- 1.020

My math puts that at about 5% alcohol (7-2=5)

 

[Yooper]

Thanks! I just took a reading and I am right around where I should be! Plus I had a little taste and it seemed pretty spot on to me! Thanks for the advice!

Starting gravity- 1.055
First reading- 1.020

My math puts that at about 5% alcohol (7-2=5)

Well, the math is more like (OG-FG) X 131. So, (1.055-1.020) x 131 = 4.58% ABV.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

I like that you have burps timed down to the second.

 

[jmuman703]

Haha well I like to be precise! Thanks for the correction on the formula. I want to make sure I get the alcohol content close so I can make sure people know what they are gettin in to!