My first post....help please!

[DMBmelch]

Ok, so I was brought into the wonderful world of brewing by my big bro, and I am on my first batch. So I've got a few questions.

I am brewing an American Amber Ale from extract. The expected SG was 1.056 and I was around 1.060. I checked it out tonight to measure the gravity, (and to take a little tast of course!) The expected final gravity is about 1.016, but after about 5 days, I am already at 1.012. Is that bad?

My other question is, should I consider moving this to a secondary fermentation after a week, or should I bottle after a week, or should I leave it in primary for two weeks, and bottle for the third week?????

Any help would be appreciated! :D

[fretlessman71]

You're going to have slight variances in your target FG from batch to batch; this will lessen as your brewing prowess improves. So it's a little lower; you're going to have a higher alcohol content and a little less malt flavor. Not the end of the world. Also, are you measuring SG while it's at the right temperature? Not sure how things would change, but I think hydrometers are designed to function at about 60°F. Too far away from that might yield inaccurate readings. No matter; it will still be able to tell you when it's done by the fact that it doesn't change over a 2 day period. Which brings me to...

Secondary is never a bad idea; it all depends on whether or not you're willing to wait a bit more. When your beer is done fermenting (or very close to it, as it sounds yours is), you can rack to 2ndary to get it off the yeast cake and give it an extra week. Or you can simply bottle it and let it age a little more. It's really up to you - and as long as you keep everything SANITARY, you ought to be just fine, and you'll end up with tasty beer in a few weeks. Best of luck, and welcome to the boards!

[wild]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Also, are you measuring SG while it's at the right temperature? Not sure how things would change, but I think hydrometers are designed to function at about 60°F. Too far away from that might yield inaccurate readings. No matter; it will still be able to tell you when it's done by the fact that it doesn't change over a 2 day period.
That's right. DMBmelch, you can find more info here on Hydrometer Temperature Corrections (http://brewery.org/brewery/library/HydromCorr0992.html).

Good luck,
Wild

[DMBmelch]

Thanks for the input! I meausured at about 66-67 degrees, so it may be a little off. I'll check it again soon at 60 to see what I get.

Since I just got myself a new glass carboy, I might rack it to secondary to age it a little longer and so I can see it! Damn plastic buckets! :D

Thanks doods!

[HogieWan]

Secondary always help drop more solids out of the beer, making it clearer and tastier.

[HarkJohnny]

Gentleman, may i introduce you to my little brother. he's got the bug!

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
Gentleman, may i introduce you to my little brother. he's got the bug!

That bugs bites HARD, too

[fretlessman71]

Any brother of Hark's is a brother of ours. :) Again, welcome!

[YamahaXS]

Welcome and .004 gravity points is only important if you're OCD and have run out of Zanax.

[SoxyinMO]

DMB, welcome! Have fun!

Wild, thanks for the link...math was never my strong suit :rolleyes:

[Beefsteak]

Originally posted by DMBmelch
Ok, so I was brought into the wonderful world of brewing by my big bro, and I am on my first batch. So I've got a few questions.

I am brewing an American Amber Ale from extract. The expected SG was 1.056 and I was around 1.060. I checked it out tonight to measure the gravity, (and to take a little tast of course!) The expected final gravity is about 1.016, but after about 5 days, I am already at 1.012. Is that bad?

My other question is, should I consider moving this to a secondary fermentation after a week, or should I bottle after a week, or should I leave it in primary for two weeks, and bottle for the third week?????

Any help would be appreciated!

DMB = Dave Matthews Band, or your initials?

btw, I stole your sig. quote and am using it on another message board. :D

[wild]

Originally posted by SoxyinMO
Wild, thanks for the link...math was never my strong suit :rolleyes:

My pleasure Soxy

Wild

[DMBmelch]

Yea, DMB is for Dave Matthews Band....I'm a DMB nut! Nothing better than a live DMB show and a great beer.

And feel free to use the quote. It's Homer's quote, not mine! :D

[Beefsteak]

Originally posted by DMBmelch
Yea, DMB is for Dave Matthews Band....I'm a DMB nut! Nothing better than a live DMB show and a great beer.

And feel free to use the quote. It's Homer's quote, not mine! :D

I'm a DMB nut as well, do you post on and DMB boards?

[DMBmelch]

I used to be in the warehouse and posted a lot, but just didn't renew this year. Every once in a great while I pop in on ants, or nancies, but not very often.

Hit me up if you need any shows/videos!
melchers@mac.com

[Beefsteak]

Originally posted by DMBmelch
I used to be in the warehouse and posted a lot, but just didn't renew this year. Every once in a great while I pop in on ants, or nancies, but not very often.

Hit me up if you need any shows/videos!
melchers@mac.com
I post on Ants (definitely a lot more than I should). I had a warehouse membership, but didn't renew a while back because I had missed the last few DMB shows due to various reasons so it didn't seem worth it anymore.

Thanks for the shows offer, but I've got a ton and have stopped accumulating them for the time being.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by YamahaXS
Welcome and .004 gravity points is only important if you're OCD and have run out of Zanax.

When you've got a few batches under your belt, you'll turn around and find out the when it comes to the brewing you've turned into an OCD....it part of the poison from that %*$! brewing bug bite...oh wait, it not really poison, is it?