help. my beer test readings

[happyhoppytaff]

hi guys.

my youngs kit has been in the FB for 6 days. the kit says 4-8 days. i just took a sample to test with my hydrometer. the reading was way below the 'bottle beer' line, the 1.00 line. it was just above 20
eg
1.00
-
-
10
-
- about here
20

i read it as 19. (or is it 1.19?)

point is, shouldnt it be much closer to 1.00 by now.

also, when i opened the ferm bin - first time i have- there was a foam and a thick blobby scum on top, what looks like the yeast. is this ok?

ive tasted my sample
pauses to taste again

it is a little sweet-pause-a little sharp, not too sharp at all, just a hint- pause, sip- it tastes like beer, it is very cloudy, it is a bit tangy, not too bad though.

so is this all normal. the blobby scum, the day 6 reading, the sweet/tangy flavour.

my FB is in a cool room, not cold. should i test again tomorrow or leave it for a few days?

hope you experienced lot can help. this is my first brew and i am on unknown territory

thanks

taff

 

[Moley]

Firstly, it sounds like your hydrometer reading is 1.019

Secondly, kit instructions are frequently optimistic and fermentation will take as long as it takes. As the room is “cool but not cold” it's quite normal for things to slow down.

The head of foam and everything else you describe sounds perfectly normal, just give it a few more days.

 

[happyhoppytaff]

thanks moley.

1.019. check.

i am relieved to here the head sounds normal to you. i though i had done something wrong. i am happy to leave it as long as. i'll test again in 2 days and see where it's at.

thanks again.

 

[craigite]

My hydrometer has 5 marks between the 10 and the 20. So one mark from the 20 would be 1.080.
However, when I test my hydrometer at 20° (the temp my hydrometer is calibrated to) in water I read 1.002. That means when I read one mark before the 20 it is 1.018-1.002 so 1.016.

The easiest idea is to take hydrometer readings until two readings 24hrs apart are the same.

 

[Hawks]

I don't bother testing until at least 10 days, usually aiming to keg / bottle at around 14 days