A question of specific gravity

Beardy · Nov 27, 2010

I'm currently brewing a Woodforde Nelsons Revenge, which as you may recall I pitched a little warm.

Now, the brew is still fermenting, though maybe a bit slowly, and I have today tested it with my new fangled hydrometer for the first time. It's currently about 1018 is, so it's not there yet. The question is, though, where is there? The distructions on the box say when it is below 1014 its ready to bottle/barrel and the distructions that came with the hydrometer say it should be between 996 and 1004. I'm confused

:wha: which should I believe?

Mark1964 · Nov 27, 2010

You should follow the instructions from your kit

Wez · Nov 27, 2010

Go with about a 70% - 75% drop on your OG (Orignial Gravity) as a rough guide.

i.e. if the OG was 1.050 70% of that would be dropping 35 gravity points 1.050 - 1.035 = 1.015

This is known as attenuation, different yeasts have slightly different attenuations, S04 for example can be expected to give you a 73% attenuation, so when using that yeast as long as you know your OG you can calculate what your Final Gravity (FG) should be.

This is a very simplified explanation and there are other factors which can affect what your FG will be such as higher/lower mash temps when All Grain brewing.

Hope that helps :thumb:

Moley · Nov 27, 2010

As it's a beer, follow the instructions on your kit, 1.014 is a fairly typical finishing gravity.

Your hydrometer seems to be indicating bottling gravities for wines, 0.995 = medium-dry, 1.000 = medium, 1.005 = medium-sweet.

evanvine · Nov 27, 2010

I think 1014 for beer is a little high, but Moley is spot on with the wine gravity!

craigite · Nov 27, 2010

why not take hydrometer readings a few times. Then when you get two readings a day apart that are the same and that are below what the destructions say, that will be it done. :thumb:

Being that you only just got your hydrometer you might not have taken a original gravity reading, if you have then Wez's numbers will confirm if you are there.
:drink:

Wez · Nov 27, 2010

Certainly dont aim for the same FG from every beer, 2 mins reading and working out will give you the end target.

It's misleading to assume that all beers should be done at 1.014

A question of specific gravity

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