Oh you specific gravity readings.... why...

[VikingGoldfish]

So this is my second brew attempt. My first was a belgian ale which turned out bad. Tasted like sugar with some alcohol in it and a green tint when held to the light. Also i could not get the fg to get to what it should be. It was off by a good .02 points and couldn't get it to change after 2 weeks and added nutrients. So on my west coast IPA I am doing now I was told if I wanted a higher abv to add more DME. I added one extra pound and I was told it should get close to 7% abv. Only problem is afer 7 days the sp went from 1.066 to 1.022 and the fg is supposed to be around 1.014 and with the extra DME I was told it would be around 1.008. Now I am not a scientist but that not quite close enough right.. Today I told to add more Nutrients to try and restart fermentation and wait another week. So I mentioned this to one of my friends who brews and he says your primary fermentation should be no longer than 7 days and needs to be taken out of the primary or it will go bad. I am so confused. Forums say leave it in primary for weeks and some I have seen said a week. So how do I get my fg to be what it should be in the strange time frame I have read. Help please I don't really wanna have another wasted brew.

 

[motobrewer]

what yeast are you using, and what is your yeast handling and pitching procedure?

 

[TheHopfather]

I've never brewed with extract but I've seen lots of threads on here with people complaining that they are having trouble getting their FG down below 1.020 when using it. You could try pitching more yeast (when you brew, not now). You could try switching up the yeast your using. I've also heard of people adding amylase to the beer to knock it down a few more points.

 

[Biscuits]

So this is my second brew attempt. My first was a belgian ale which turned out bad. Tasted like sugar with some alcohol in it and a green tint when held to the light. Also i could not get the fg to get to what it should be. It was off by a good .02 points and couldn't get it to change after 2 weeks and added nutrients. So on my west coast IPA I am doing now I was told if I wanted a higher abv to add more DME. I added one extra pound and I was told it should get close to 7% abv. Only problem is afer 7 days the sp went from 1.066 to 1.022 and the fg is supposed to be around 1.014 and with the extra DME I was told it would be around 1.008. Now I am not a scientist but that not quite close enough right.. Today I told to add more Nutrients to try and restart fermentation and wait another week. So I mentioned this to one of my friends who brews and he says your primary fermentation should be no longer than 7 days and needs to be taken out of the primary or it will go bad. I am so confused. Forums say leave it in primary for weeks and some I have seen said a week. So how do I get my fg to be what it should be in the strange time frame I have read. Help please I don't really wanna have another wasted brew.

It seems like you're just getting bad advice all the way around. I cannot speak on what the effect of DME has on your brew because I have never used it...but I can comment on what your buddy told you is complete nonsense. It is common practice to leave wort/beer in primary for 10-14 days, minimum. I can assure you, you can leave it in for much longer than that without it going bad for any other reason than poor sanitation, which means it was doomed from the beginning.

Honestly, for your first few brews, I wouldn't be so concerned with specific gravity. Focus on getting your method honed and then worry about gravity. Adding nutrients and all this jazz, to me, is just too much. Let the beer be what the beer will be, and work to improve it without taking extra, unnecessary steps.

Like the cliche goes, Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Homebrew.

 

[Rhumbline]

Are you correcting your SG readings for temp?

What temps are you fermenting at?

What yeast?

Was your first brew a kit, Extract?

A good way to reduce the number of variables is to brew an extract kit with store bought water. Follow the instructions to the letter. If you don't get good results then you know you need to look into the process and procedures your are using.

EDIT: I just saw the 7 day thing. It is true that primary fermentation is typically done in 7 days but there is an additional phase, secondary fermentation which can require anywhere from a week to a few months. A lot of folks don't use a secondary, I do, but the thing to note is primary fermentation is typically complete in 7 days, secondary can add two weeks, and I usually bottle carb for three weeks.

More importantly, you want to measure SG on consecutive days to determine if fermentation is complete.

 

[ACbrewer]

OP - most yeast will give you a 75% reduction in Gravity on the malt. if you start with a 1.066, you should expect to finish with at 1.016 ( 16 is about 25% of 66). You should not expect to get to a 1.008 This gets a little fuzzy if you use sugar (table, corn, honey, maple syrup, etc) instead of malt. They generally are 100% fermentable, not 75%.

So the question comes down to Yeast type (they are from 65% to 85% depending on type) and temperature that you fermented at.

Also post the recipe.

 

[Shooter]

So I mentioned this to one of my friends who brews and he says your primary fermentation should be no longer than 7 days and needs to be taken out of the primary or it will go bad.

Sorry to be blunt, but your friend is wrong. Leaving it in primary a few weeks longer is not likely to hurt anything and is more likely to let the yeast do some cleaning up.

 

[VikingGoldfish]

Ok wow lots of responses lets hope I can answer them right lol. I used a BSG west coast ipa kit. It was dry yeast which I was told just sprinkle on after you put it in the primary. I did not use the yeast that was in the kit i rebought the same type fresh from the cooler so i wouldn't have old yeast. Pitching? thats the first I have heard this term out side of baseball or camping. I followed the instructions and recheck everything before I did it thanks to OCD. The fermenting temp was at 62f 65f- Around day 4 I was told to shake the container to mix it up to get oxygen moving around or something.. No idea what that does. Today was day 7 so I took my sg reading and decided to hold off putting it in my carboy for secondary and wait another week or so since I was told to add more nutrients in it.

 

[BrotherBock]

my friends who brews and he says your primary fermentation should be no longer than 7 days and needs to be taken out of the primary or it will go bad.

Your friend is very wrong and whoever told you that additional DME results in a lower FG is also very wrong.

Extra DME wouldn't bring you from 1.014 to 1.008. If anything it would bring you higher than 1.014 because your starting gravity is higher. Assuming an average attenuation of 75% 1.066 would bring to about 1.016. However, you are using extract which is known for being less fermentable. You could replace a small portion of DME with cane sugar next time to boost the SG without also boosting the FG.

Also, give it some more time. 7 days is often long enough, but not always. But don't be surprised if it drops a few more points over the course of the next week. Put your fermenter in a warmer place to help wake that yeast up and have them chew through those last few gravity points. Then give your carboy a light rousing to get some of that yeast back in suspension.

 

[theseeker4]

Ok wow lots of responses lets hope I can answer them right lol. I used a BSG west coast ipa kit. It was dry yeast which I was told just sprinkle on after you put it in the primary. I did not use the yeast that was in the kit i rebought the same type fresh from the cooler so i wouldn't have old yeast. Pitching? thats the first I have heard this term out side of baseball or camping. I followed the instructions and recheck everything before I did it thanks to OCD. The fermenting temp was at 62f 65f- Around day 4 I was told to shake the container to mix it up to get oxygen moving around or something.. No idea what that does. Today was day 7 so I took my sg reading and decided to hold off putting it in my carboy for secondary and wait another week or so since I was told to add more nutrients in it.

I suggest buying and reading the book How To Brew by John Palmer. It is also available for free online (an older version).

Re-hydrating the yeast is a better choice, in warm (around 90F or so) water, not wort. Pitching the yeast dry can cause up to half the available yeast to die due to the shock of being thrown into a high-sugar environment, so it is better to re-hydrate. It won't ruin your beer if you don't re-hydrate, but it is better for yeast health.

After aerating the wort and pitching the yeast (fancy way to say putting the yeast in the wort), you should leave it alone, don't go shaking it or anything else, for about 3 weeks. Leave it in the primary that long, and forget about using a secondary, they are not necessary and probably cause more harm than good for a new brewer.

Stop adding things to the beer after you start fermenting. Malt, whether extract or from all grain brewing, has plenty of nutrients for the yeast. Adding more is not going to do anything but risk infection and oxidation. The best thing you can possibly do for your beer after you pitch the yeast, is leave it alone. Don't test it, don't shake it, don't open it, etc. until at least 2-3 weeks have passed. Monitor the temperature, and other than that, leave it be.

Read the book. Seriously, you are getting some bad advice, so you should scrap what these people have told you and read John Palmer's book and pretend you never heard described to you how to brew beer. (talking about the people who suggest shaking your beer after 4 days, and that you have to move it out of the primary within a week, not the advice in this thread above).

Welcome, and good luck!

 

[VikingGoldfish]

Your friend is very wrong.

Also, extra DME wouldn't bring you from 1.014 to 1.008. If anything it would bring you higher than 1.014 because your starting gravity is higher. Assuming an average attenuation of 75% 1.066 would bring to about 1.016. However, you are using extract which is known for less fermentable.

Isn't 1.008 a higher sg rating though? and the 1.014 was supposed to be without the extra I put in. Sorry I am just confused and not sure how to read the numbers here. Also I did not know that about the extract I was told that it was great for fermenting so I got it.

 

[VikingGoldfish]

Re-hydrating the yeast is a better choice, in warm (around 90F or so) water, not wort. Pitching the yeast dry can cause up to half the available yeast to die due to the shock of being thrown into a high-sugar environment, so it is better to re-hydrate. It won't ruin your beer if you don't re-hydrate, but it is better for yeast health.


So would getting the wet yeast be better or is that a whole new ball game?

 

[chudsonvt]

Around day 4 I was told to shake the container to mix it up to get oxygen moving around or something.. No idea what that does.

This is actually bad. You want to "shake" when you pitch the yeast to aerate. Fermentation is an anaerobic process. However, respiration is more efficient, resulting in faster yeast growth. So you aerate to help the yeast get going. Then, when the dissolved oxygen is used up, the yeast switches to fermentation and makes alcohol. You do not want to re'aerate at day 4 as this will not be good for fermentation and will oxidize your beer, resulting in a stale, cardboard flavor.

 

[BrotherBock]

Isn't 1.008 a higher sg rating though? and the 1.014 was supposed to be without the extra I put in. Sorry I am just confused and not sure how to read the numbers here. Also I did not know that about the extract I was told that it was great for fermenting so I got it.

It's a lower reading. Let's assume a SG of 1.066. A 1.008 reading as opposed to a 1.014 reading would indicate m0re sugar was eaten and you, as a result, have a higher abv.

But maltose (which is what extract is) is about 75% fermentable (relative to mash temp and yeast strain). So as you have a higher SG you can expect a higher FG. Assuming you get the average 75% attenuation, your FG will rise in proportion to your SG.

Exceptions exist (like using simple sugars or all-grain vs extract) but that's at level that isn't important to you right now.

gravity of 1.000=water. Anything above that indicates a particular level of sugar. As it ferments it goes back down (getting you closer to the 1.000 reading).

 

[chudsonvt]

So would getting the wet yeast be better or is that a whole new ball game?

Not better, just different... Some liquid yeasts require a starter to be made (a good reading topic to add to the list). However, I use Wyeast Labs liquid yeast. Unless you are doing high gravity beers, you don't need a starter for these, when doing 5 gallons or less. Take out of the fridge, break the nutrient pack that is inside (that is why people call them smack packs!) and let is sit at room temp for at least a good 3 hours, shaking it periodically. I sanitize the corner of the package before pitching as well as the scissors I use, to play it safe.

 

[Rhumbline]

After fermentation begins you want to avoid disturbing the beer. The exception to this is if fermentation gets "stuck" which is common with some yeasts.

What happens is the yeast will bring the SG down partway and then stall, making you think that fermentation has finished. In this instance you want to gently swirl the fermenter, not agitating it enough to add oxygen but just enough to get the yeast suspended and active.

Some yeasts are famous for stalling, US-05 isn't one of them. I think you may have pulled the trigger too soon. And I agree that your buddy gave you bad info.

Happy Brewing!

 

[TechyDork]

Isn't 1.008 a higher sg rating though? and the 1.014 was supposed to be without the extra I put in. Sorry I am just confused and not sure how to read the numbers here. Also I did not know that about the extract I was told that it was great for fermenting so I got it.

SG = Specific Gravity (Measuremeant of the amount of sugar in the wort)
OG = Original Specific Gravity (The measurement taken before pitching the yeast)
FG = Final Specific Gravity (The measurement taken when the yeast have finished fermenting)

1.008 is a lower SG than 1.014, but would yield a higher ABV% in the beer, due to the yeast turning more of the sugar into alcohol and thus the lower SG reading.

Think of it this way... most yeast strains will only convert roughly 65-75% of the available sugar in the wort depending on strain when using all DME/LME. (This is just a guideline, there are things that can cause the yeast to convert more or less of the sugar.) Adding more DME/LME to a recipe will raise your OG. A higher OG may lead to a higher FG due to the yeast only achieving the 75% conversion of the sugars.

A good way to boost the ABV of a recipe without altering the FG is to add simple sugar, corn sugar/dextrose which is the same used for bottling, to the recipe. Simple sugars are generally more fermentable by the yeast and thus lead to a lower FG.

Re-hydrating the yeast is a better choice, in warm (around 90F or so) water, not wort. Pitching the yeast dry can cause up to half the available yeast to die due to the shock of being thrown into a high-sugar environment, so it is better to re-hydrate. It won't ruin your beer if you don't re-hydrate, but it is better for yeast health.


So would getting the wet yeast be better or is that a whole new ball game?

Dry yeast is great to use. Just re-hydrate it in a cup or so of warm water and pitch it in. Liquid yeast is great to use as well, and can come in many more varieties than the dry. Some will recommend you use a yeast starter when pitching liquid yeast, but that is something you can look into for future brews. You can make perfectly good beer pitching only 1 vial of healthy yeast.

For your first few brews I would recommend, as others in this thread have, that you focus more on the process and getting that down. Once you have a couple batches under your belt you will start to figure out how to improve your process and add new steps, such as starters.

 

[jrcrilly]

US-05 is good, safe choice, especially for a beginner. That is why it is so frequently included in kits. It ferments efficiently if given half a chance. One thing beginners tend to miss is aeration prior to pitching. The yeast can't multiply to the levels needed for fermentation if there is insufficient oxygen in the wort. Prior to pitching the yeast (liquid or dry) you need to get some oxygen in there. Vigorous shaking for a minute or two costs nothing. Even vigorous stirring can help. Yeast hydration is also a help, as it reduces the amount of reproduction required to reach the required population.

 

[VikingGoldfish]

This has all been helpful! So I should be ok for now right? Just let it sit longer?

 

[TechyDork]

This has all been helpful! So I should be ok for now right? Just let it sit longer?

Yep, just give it 2-3 weeks in the primary. Then pull a sample and check the gravity. Give it another day or two then check again. If they are the same bottle or keg it

 

[Biscuits]

This has all been helpful! So I should be ok for now right? Just let it sit longer?

Yes.


*EDITED: I misread OP.

 

[theseeker4]

Yes.

I think this thread got a little out of hand with information. Not that any of the info was bad, just maybe overwhelming for a new brewer. Most, if not everything in this thread, is good information to know, but at this stage in your brewing it might be too much to process. For time being, think macro, not micro....follow the directions on the kits you buy and don't stress the numbers yet. No matter what, you will end up with beer..and probably some good beer at that. Focus on getting your brewing procedure down and developing it before you start analyzing your numbers and worrying that you're .02 points off of your Target Gravity...as you grow a brewer, in my opinion, you're not gonna give a damn about .02 points. Especially considering that, as you may have learned from this thread, there are so many variables that can skew your readings...especially when using a hydrometer. I am willing to bet had you not done anything and let this beer sit for a while longer you would have been right on the numbers, give or take .02 points, which was probably only inaccurate because of the temperature at which you took the reading, or because you read the hydrometer wrong.

Bottom line...macro not micro, Prestige Worldwide.

Someone misplaced a decimal point. The OP mentioned being off by .02, which IS a huge deal and IS something that every brewer should pay attention to. That is the difference between 1.010 and 1.030. If the OP had said he/she was off by .002, absolutely, that difference is trivial, but be careful with the decimal points, as a new brewer could read what you wrote above, and say "well the FG should have been 1.016, but I read on HBT that being as high as 1.036 isn't a big deal, so I am going to bottle."

 

[Biscuits]

Someone misplaced a decimal point. The OP mentioned being off by .02, which IS a huge deal and IS something that every brewer should pay attention to. That is the difference between 1.010 and 1.030. If the OP had said he/she was off by .002, absolutely, that difference is trivial, but be careful with the decimal points, as a new brewer could read what you wrote above, and say "well the FG should have been 1.016, but I read on HBT that being as high as 1.036 isn't a big deal, so I am going to bottle."

Oops, yeah, in my head I saw .002. You're right...I will edit my post.

 

[ACbrewer]

Someone misplaced a decimal point. The OP mentioned being off by .02, which IS a huge deal and IS something that every brewer should pay attention to. That is the difference between 1.010 and 1.030. If the OP had said he/she was off by .002, absolutely, that difference is trivial, but be careful with the decimal points, as a new brewer could read what you wrote above, and say "well the FG should have been 1.016, but I read on HBT that being as high as 1.036 isn't a big deal, so I am going to bottle."

OP said FIRST beer was .02 off, not the one he is asking for help here.

This beer he gave us specific numbers (og 1.066, fg 1.022 expected 1.014) which makes it .008 off.

Agreed .008 is still way off and should qualify as 'stuck'. I'd personally expect a 1.016 so ok .006 off, still a little high by most accounts. Bottling gravity change I think is like .002 or .003 (I'm pulling from memory, not math so I may be off) point is a miss gravity by like .002 or .001 is a 'ok I'll bottle' a missed gravity of .005 or greater is a "wtf, can this be adjusted".

Anyhow. given it is DME, I've never had a problem getting to the expect FG if I let it sit about 2 or 3 weeks. a gentle agitation (swirling?) what doesn't introduce more O2 will often get the last few points if they aren't gotten already.

 

[theseeker4]

OP said FIRST beer was .02 off, not the one he is asking for help here.

This beer he gave us specific numbers (og 1.066, fg 1.022 expected 1.014) which makes it .008 off.

Agreed .008 is still way off and should qualify as 'stuck'. I'd personally expect a 1.016 so ok .006 off, still a little high by most accounts. Bottling gravity change I think is like .002 or .003 (I'm pulling from memory, not math so I may be off) point is a miss gravity by like .002 or .001 is a 'ok I'll bottle' a missed gravity of .005 or greater is a "wtf, can this be adjusted".

Anyhow. given it is DME, I've never had a problem getting to the expect FG if I let it sit about 2 or 3 weeks. a gentle agitation (swirling?) what doesn't introduce more O2 will often get the last few points if they aren't gotten already.

I was responding to another user who read .02 as .002. See above.

 

[kh54s10]

There is so much bad advice going in this it is mind boggling.. Though most of it from others, not re-pliers.

My thoughts:
It is an extract kit. They often stall at or near 1.020.
If I read correctly, more extract was added. That will raise the expected final gravity.
It was advised to shake the fermenter at 4 days.... Bad advise! If you must, just gently swirl the fermenter to stir up some trub and yeast from the bottom.
7 days was suggested, then take it off the yeast. Again bad advise. If fermentation is done this is ok but unnecessary.
It was also suggested to do a secondary. And that secondary fermentation takes 2-3 weeks. No further fermentation occurs, only some settling of suspended particles. A secondary is also unnecessary but not bad.
Someone said 2-3 more weeks. It won't hurt but also unnecessary. 7-10 days until fermentation is finished then a day or two to allow the yeast to clean up.
As far as final gravity goes it is far more important that it is actually FINAL. If bottled and further fermentation occurs you could end up with bottle bombs. The fermentation that continues adds co2 pressure in excess of what the bottle can handle and they explode.


Do not get too wrapped up in your gravity measurements compared to the predicted levels. They are, after all, only predictions. If the beer tastes good getting the exact gravity is of little importance. There are many things that will effect the Final Gravity.

Leave the beer alone for a few more days to a week or so then take another gravity reading. Let us know what it is then and we can give more accurate advice on what needs to be done or not to be done.

 

[VikingGoldfish]

Sorry guys it was supposed to be a .01 it was a quick guess I knew it was close to what it was. I didn't realize I put the .02. I was worried because my first brew the fg was off and the beer was extremely sugary. But I am just letting it sit for a while longer than I shall see what it has become. Thank you again everyone.