Pilsener ready to bottle?

[eharris8310]

I know there may or may not be an easy answer but I have to at least ask. First let me admit that I am still confused about reading the hydrometer and thought I didn't need it, I know better now. I took a reading right before pitching yeast at 78* on 3/20/11 and got 1.066. I adjusted to 1.068 for temperature and recorded result. I have had kind of a messed up fermentation because of temperature fluctuations but thought it was all good now. Transferred to bottling bucket and took hydrometer reading of 1.036 at 60*. That seems really high and target gravity for this beer is 1.010-1.014.

Can I/should I bottle? There are a lot of variables I have not discussed but feel I am getting long winded. Any help would be appreciated and remember to be gentle, this is only my second brew.

 

[LVBen]

Don't bottle it! 1.036 is way too high to bottle!

Are you using ale yeast or lager yeast?

 

[MBasile]

A few things I feel should be pointed out:
•78* is on the high side to pitch yeast at.
•I only know one yeast strain that I'd feel comfortable assuming is done fermenting after three days, and it isn't a lager yeast.
•While you can "correct" for temperature in regards to the hydrometer reading, the corrected value will not be as accurate as a reading at (or much closer to) the correct temperature.
•Beer should not be transferred to the bottling bucket before confirming (through multiple stable hydrometer readings over 3-4 days) fermentation is complete.
•Priming sugar is typically added to the bottling bucket before putting in the beer, if you did this and THEN took a hydrometer reading you are getting the newly added priming sugar in your reading.

From what I recall in terms of lagers and lagering (I didn't start lagers until I had kegs) you should lager the entire batch in the carboy and THEN bottle. At bottling add sugar and more yeast for best results. Therefore, I'd suggest putting the whole batch back into the fermenter and proceeding from there.

 

[eharris8310]

I know I messed up. Now I am trying to figure out how, or if, to proceed. Beer is in the bottling bucket and has been primed. This was a lager yeast.

MBasile, I pitched yeast on February 20, 2011 (wrong date in first post). It has been in the fridge for a while. If my hydrometer reading today was right after transferring into bottling bucket with priming sugar, how messed up am I? I can cover with lid and put the airlock on it to continue fermenting but figure that will make it worse.

 

[MBasile]

I know I messed up. Now I am trying to figure out how, or if, to proceed. Beer is in the bottling bucket and has been primed. This was a lager yeast.

MBasile, I pitched yeast on February 20, 2011 (wrong date in first post). It has been in the fridge for a while. If my hydrometer reading today was right after transferring into bottling bucket with priming sugar, how messed up am I? I can cover with lid and put the airlock on it to continue fermenting but figure that will make it worse.

By "fridge" do you mean a standard food fridge? Or a temperature controlled fermentation fridge?

Without knowing the yeast strain, recipe, and fermentation temps its hard to asses whether or not it "should" be done fermenting. I'd throw it back in the fridge and let the yeast eat up the priming sugar. Then, when you think it might be done check the gravity 3 times a day apart. If the gravity is stable then it is done fermenting.