Newbie with advanced questions

[orlando]

With room temperature water the hydrometer is reading 1.004 not 1.000 as mentioned.
So my previous reading of 1.014 is realy 1.010 correct ?
If so when it reaches 1.002 this should be the FG as then the true reading would be 1.006 ?
But why two readings at 1.014 ?

Sorry for all the questions but learning all the way, and Calibrating a hydrometer is another new bit of advice.

Your correct that the "true" reading is 1.010 so only 4 points off what the kit manufacturer recommends as the FG but this is an on average guide from what I have heard about kits so don't worry too much about it not being there yet. The fact you have had two readings in a row suggests and I stress suggests, that it is near if not at the end. 3 in a row would be pretty convincing that it has so check again tomorrow. Be careful and sanitise everything thoroughly, although the alcohol is now working in your favour in combatting infection you don't want to spoil it now.

 

[orlando]

Is it a modern hydrometer? Some older ones were calibrated for lower temperatures. Today most are calibrated at 20c

 

[ipbr21054]

It reads specific gravity 20 degrees c.
I will get another reading tomorrow & sunday.
Is it then ok to continue with the below method.

Assume sat & sun readings tell me its finished,transfer to secondary bin for 2 days so a little more yeast can fall to the bottom.
After that mix 3oz priming sugar with warm water & place in original bin,transfer the brew ontop,mix & bottle straight away.
I ask becuase if its say finished as we speak by leaving it another 2 days for the readings then 2 days in secondary before i bottle will anything happen,lack of yeast or just no need ?

Odd as it might sound i am not in a hurry to drink it but i have another kit ready to start as soon as its in the bottles,but on the otherhand i dont want to rush this trough just to get it going.

 

[orlando]

I would just go straight to a bottling bucket with priming solution in it, give it a stir (with a sanitised stirrer) and rack into bottle, an extra couple of days in secondary after all this time won't make much difference. If you want more yeast to drop out in 2 days the only quick way of achieving this is to crash cool down to 5c or less. Don't worry about the yeast it will drop out with enough time in bottle.

 

[ipbr21054]

Ok
I take the advice onboard & if all ok sunday i will go straight from this bin into the other bin & bottle.
I will then forget the 2 days in the seconday.

Is 3oz ok for this brew ?
No mention of this on the kit not that i would of believed it.
Please advise.

 

[orlando]

Depends on the style of beer (looked like a bitter?) and of course what level of carbonation you like. For 23 lires I would go for 80-90g dissolved into 250ml of water and boiled for 5 minutes, don't know in oz's. That would give you around 1.8 to 2 volumes of CO2.

 

[ipbr21054]

Yes it is a bitter.
Lets say in between at 85g that would make it 2.98oz
Now another newbie question,
That would give you 1.8 to 2 volumes of CO2 ?
Does this refer to how fizzy the end product would be and if so on a scale of 1/10 what would it be or dont it work like that.
Another learning curve for me.

 

[orlando]

Beers in the US are typically carbonated to 2.5 volumes, to us that is a lot. Cask conditioned beers are said to be perfect at 1.1 volumes (Pat O'Neill. CAMRA's Technical Advisory Group). So for a bottled beer you tend to have it a little more than a cask conditioned beer, I think it improves the aroma in a bottled beer to have a little more fizz so yes it does refer to the fizz, your suggestion is fine, try it if you like it stick to it if not try something else. The great thing about brewing your own beer is you can decide how it turns out so you can have it how you like it. :

 

[ipbr21054]

Whilst the Mrs was out i decided to continue with the next step.

The above bottle tree is a 80 bottle type but it actually has 88 spigots on.
I have only used it for 40 bottles so i have 3 spare sections.
Very easy to put together & very rigid in construction.

 

[ipbr21054]

Hi,
I took another reading today as advised.
Todays reading was 1.012
As mentioned in a previous post ref calibration 4 points out,this then makes the brews correct reading 1.008
I will continue to take another tomorrow.

As the advised FG is 1.006 and tomorrow lets say the reading is 1.006 do i need to take more readings "3 stable readings in a row" or is it ok to say its finished ?

 

[pittsy]

it may well be finished but yes you need a stable reading for 2 to 3 days to insure finished , plus its best to leave it a few days more after fermentation is done so yeast can help clean up brew and it will help remove popcorn like flavour from brew too .

 

[orlando]

Hope she's not expecting a bath to ease her aches & pains when she gets back

 

[ipbr21054]

Up early this morning so i took another reading.
1.012 true reading 1.008
This was the same as yesterday so i will take another reading tomorrow and see.
In a previous post it was mentioned that these kits do get down to the FG of 1.006 but these are only suggested figures & may not allways get to that figure..
Lets see what happens tomorrow & i might then even leave it one more day after that :wha:

 

[orlando]

Are the bottles still in "soak" as you should bottle asap after the reading tomorrow.

 

[ipbr21054]

They are out of soak,lids are just sat in place not fully shut.
Then i have a tea towel over them.
If the reading tomorrow is the same as today should i go for it ?
Only as somebody said they do go down to 1.006
Do i wait or bottle them up ?

 

[orlando]

Bottle.

 

[ipbr21054]

And if the reading drops to 1.010 true reading 1.006 then wait for 3 readings of this.

 

[orlando]

It's low enough so bottle at your convenience.

 

[ipbr21054]

Ok either way i will bottle tomorrow.
I will post a photo before i bottle to show the foam left on the top.
I will also advise a reading to complete this fermentation & for others who are reading this post.

 

[ipbr21054]

Hello
Todays reading was 1.012 true reading 1.008
I will bottle in a few hours time.
Here is the foam that is left on the top of the brew.