Correct ABV & Hydrometer Reading?

[R-J-M]

Morning guys,

I put my first ever brew (Wilko's Real Ale) into the FV on Sunday 14th Aug and read the SG as 1.052.

Checked it today and the hydrometer reads 1.016. Which according to the ABV Calculator, makes the wort 4.73% already.

So, is this about right? could it still change? how many more times should I measure this before bottling?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Thodd]

Hi R-J-M,
This looks about right to me - with the warm weather we've been having its not uncommon for fermentation to go crazy for the first few days.
Whilst the hydrometer reading may appear to level out I would give at least 2 weeks in the fermenter, the yeast will carry on fermenting (even though you can't see anything) clearing the beer up and making it taste much better as an end product.

 

[R-J-M]

so you would say to leave it in the FV for 2 weeks & then bottle for a further 3 - 4? even though the instructions in the kit say just 7 days, then transfer to the second plastic cube container they provide?

 

[chewie]

Morning guys,

I put my first ever brew (Wilko's Real Ale) into the FV on Sunday 14th Aug and read the SG as 1.052.

Checked it today and the hydrometer reads 1.016. Which according to the ABV Calculator, makes the wort 4.73% already.

So, is this about right? could it still change? how many more times should I measure this before bottling?

Thanks in advance!

The ballpark rule is 2+2+2, thats two weeks to ferment (check the gravity on the last 3 days of the second week). Two weeks to condition ( priming, whether in a keg/bottle/barrel). Two weeks in a fridge at a lowish temp as this speeds up the clearing process.

Letting the beer age thru those 3 steps will give you a better product, once you have emptied your primary fermenter you can get your second batch on.

 

[Leon103]

Yeah let ferment for 2 weeks. The kits always say leave for 7 days.

 

[R-J-M]

I like that rule Chewie, thanks for the help, I will stick to that and see how it turns out.

It is only a wilko's own brand real ale starter kit, �£20 for all the gear, including 20 pints of ale. I'm not expecting an amazing drink at the end, more just of a practice before a buy a decent 40 pint kit.

 

[chewie]

If the kit they supply with it is sized for 20 pints then a 40 pint fermenting vessel maybe needed, wilko's doesn't exist in NI so I've no experience with anything they sell.

 

[R-J-M]

Im going to go today and buy a 25L fermentation bucket, which will serve as my bottling bucket this time. Then when I do my next 40 pint batch, I will ferment it in the new 25L vessel and use the smaller 20 pint vessel as my bottling bucket (I will need to syphon my wort into that, fill 20 bottles, then fill the vessel again to do the other 20).

 

[chewie]

Im going to go today and buy a 25L fermentation bucket, which will serve as my bottling bucket this time. Then when I do my next 40 pint batch, I will ferment it in the new 25L vessel and use the smaller 20 pint vessel as my bottling bucket (I will need to syphon my wort into that, fill 20 bottles, then fill the vessel again to do the other 20).

I would look to get a 30l or 33l bucket rather than a 25l, if you get an explosive fermentation a 25l bucket will not contain it.

 

[terrym]

Morning guys,

I put my first ever brew (Wilko's Real Ale) into the FV on Sunday 14th Aug and read the SG as 1.052.

Checked it today and the hydrometer reads 1.016. Which according to the ABV Calculator, makes the wort 4.73% already.

So, is this about right? could it still change? how many more times should I measure this before bottling?

Thanks in advance!

Advice by others to leave it for two weeks is the best you will get.
So put the lid on and forget all about until the two weeks are up.
Then take an SG reading and you will probably find it has gone down even more compared to current, and then the following day take another reading. If they are the same, as is likely, you can go ahead and bottle. If they aren't the same leave it another day or two and then repeat until they are the same. This ensures the primary has finished and you will not get it continuing in the bottles, which you don't want.
Then its two weeks to carbonate in the bottles when the yeast works on the priming sugar, and then another two weeks in the coldest place you have to finish the majority of the conditioning process, and the yeast should clear. If the yeast doesn't clear in this time you should leave it until it has.
You can then try one!

 

[R-J-M]

its all starting to make sense in my head now, cheers all.

I just need to fight my impatient side and wait!

 

[Godsdog]

Morning guys,

I put my first ever brew (Wilko's Real Ale) into the FV on Sunday 14th Aug and read the SG as 1.052.

Checked it today and the hydrometer reads 1.016. Which according to the ABV Calculator, makes the wort 4.73% already.

So, is this about right? could it still change? how many more times should I measure this before bottling?

Thanks in advance!

1016 after only 3 days is still too high,I find wilkos after around a week drop to 1010 ish and stabalise

 

[R-J-M]

Im going to check the gravity again on Saturday, then again on Sunday, which would be 7 days.

If Sunday's reading is the same as Saturday's then its going in the bottles!

 

[terrym]

Im going to check the gravity again on Saturday, then again on Sunday, which would be 7 days.

If Sunday's reading is the same as Saturday's then its going in the bottles!

There are four people, including me, who, in response to your request for some guidance, have all suggested with good reason that you leave it in the FV for two weeks, and now you tell us that you are not going to do that but you are going for seven days instead.
You clearly know something that a lot of people on here don't, even if it's your first brew. It would be good to share your reasoning with us all.

 

[R-J-M]

Sorry I didn't mean it like that, I'm obviously taking in everyone's advice, I'm just going on the most recent post from godsdog. That a kit from wilkinsons drops and then stays the same after a week.

So I'm going to check gravity once it's been a week and see its stopped, if not then leave it longer.

I honestly didn't mean to ignore anyone or come across as I suddenly know better, it's just that I've taken in so much information and advice recently that I don't know what to think lol

 

[Dutto]

...........

I just need to fight my impatient side and wait!

Go ask your partner "Does coming first always mean I win?" ... :whistle:

... and then apply the answer to brewing where patience is also beneficial. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[BeerisGOD]

I would look to get a 30l or 33l bucket rather than a 25l, if you get an explosive fermentation a 25l bucket will not contain it.

this is becoming a lurking idea that just won't go away for the occasional high krausen batches. I hate seeing yeast not being utilized