Yet another "S.G. readings *can't* be right" thread. (1.038 to 1.008 in four days?)

[woozy]

Cream ale. O.G 1.038. Four days later, S.G. is 1.008. No effin' way? Effin' way?

Recipe was improv so didn't specify any target gravities.

[2 gallon -- steeping grain: 6 3/4 oz (3 parts Honey Malt to one part biscuit malt) DME: rice extact 7 3/8 oz, Pilsen 1 lb, Light 4 3/8 oz) ]

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.... Hmm, just remembered that I made a math error and under did the DME by 3 oz. which in a 2 gallon batch is 10% So it *is* low gravity[1]. (that low???) So I guess this isn't *that* shocking. Guess, I just want my hand held. .... again...

[1] In 5 gallon the idea was that this should be 4.8 lbs DME ~= 6 lbs LME * 2/5 = 1.92 lbs. But in actuality was 1 lb 11 3/4 oz = 1.74 lbs and as the Sea Captain on the Simpsons says "Yargh, I don't know what I'm doin''"

 

[lumpher]

Effin' way

 

[MalFet]

No way? Yes way. Dude, yes way.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Way Session...good name!

 

[woozy]

'cool. Yeah, the more I thought about it the more plausible it seemed.

It's only my third batch and only my second where I've measured gravity and I still don't trust my hydrometer reading skills. My previous batches all seemed to have much higher F.G. targets and I kind of doubted after 4 days the fermentation was done (although now I think it is) that all in all ... I didn't trust myself.

I guess this simply is going to be a very low gravity and a low alcohol beer, isn't it? (3.9% ABV?)

 

[Yooper]

Cream ale. O.G 1.038. Four days later, S.G. is 1.008. No effin' way? Effin' way?

Yes. Of course. A 1.038 OG beer should be done in 24-48 hours if done correctly. Why wouldn't it be?

 

[BrewKnurd]

I had a 1.100 ris hit fg in 3 days. So yeah, way.

 

[woozy]

Why wouldn't it be?

'Cause I'm a newbie. Cause the whole thing seems like magic and I can't really believe water is turning into beer. Cause I don't know what I'm doing. Cause even though it turns out that I really do know what I'm doing I have chilling terror in my spine that I actually don't.

Take your pick.

 

[wailingguitar]

I would be surprised if it weren't done in that amount of time, you're golden

 

[Yooper]

'Cause I'm a newbie. Cause the whole thing seems like magic and I can't really believe water is turning into beer. Cause I don't know what I'm doing. Cause even though it turns out that I really do know what I'm doing I have chilling terror in my spine that I actually don't.

Take your pick.

Well, water will never turn into beer.

But maltose (the sugars in malt) + yeast certainly will.

Fermentation is very simple when it comes right down to it. It is a quick, simple, natural process. The only thing we have to worry about is fresh ingredients and temperature control, in order to have a better tasting product. That's really about it.

I've had beers ferment out overnight, and others take 5-7 days. The lower alcohol beers (OG 1.055 or less) will be quicker, usually. But the length of time doesn't matter, and it will be beer when it's done.

 

[woozy]

Thanks all. I guess what I'm trying to do is develop my sense of intuition and ability to predict and evaluate.

An analogy should be learning to guess how much dogs, deers, cows and elephants weigh when you only learned about animals a month an a half ago and first heard of gravity 2 weeks ago. ("Well, an elephant is bigger than a cow and cow is bigger than a person and I think people weigh 100 lbs. was it? So an elephant is 400 lbs? 600 lbs.?")

 

[Pappers_]

An analogy should be learning to guess how much dogs, deers, cows and elephants weigh when you only learned about animals a month an a half ago and first heard of gravity 2 weeks ago. ("Well, an elephant is bigger than a cow and cow is bigger than a person and I think people weigh 100 lbs. was it? So an elephant is 400 lbs? 600 lbs.?")

 

[RuffRider]

Thanks all. I guess what I'm trying to do is develop my sense of intuition and ability to predict and evaluate.

An analogy should be learning to guess how much dogs, deers, cows and elephants weigh when you only learned about animals a month an a half ago and first heard of gravity 2 weeks ago. ("Well, an elephant is bigger than a cow and cow is bigger than a person and I think people weigh 100 lbs. was it? So an elephant is 400 lbs? 600 lbs.?")

You lost me when you brought cows an elephants into a beer discussion.

Trust your hydrometer reading skills, grasshopper (there's an animal for you, )! AND, relax, don't worry, have a home brew (RDWHAHB).

 

[woozy]

You lost me when you brought cows an elephants into a beer discussion.

But I never specified the elephants' colors!

Basically as a novice, I haven't developed my sense of what is normal, what is not and what to predict and what to be surprised by. I figured my readings were reasonable but I wanted to see the reactions of people who *have* developed their guesstimate senses.

AND, relax, don't worry, have a home brew (RDWHAHB).

I *can't*! Not till Monday when my first batch has *finally* completed its three week bottling stage.

(Actually I have had several test bottles already... and they've all been, "Aww, man! It's a week and a half early and these all taste like I opened them ten days too soon! What a disapointment!)