1st timer to brewing

I had two or three and bought two on an impulse. I only utilize that many once a year but I like it. I brew three or four that take a while before they're ready to drink and one or two that are relatively fast (one month). It helps for not staring at fermenters a couple of times per day.

 

Well 2 weeks today and it sitting at 1.016. Gonna leave it a bit longer to see if it drops

 

Bottling at 1.016 is a bit high so being slightly cautious at bottling time is a wise thing to do. I suggest you give it until Sunday and if it hasnt moved its OK to go ahead. However you might consider using one PET bottle to check to see how carbonation has proceeded which will give an indication as to whether the yeast has decided after all to consume those last sugars from the primary as well as the priming sugar.

 

Thanks for advice, not sure what u mean though as first time. I have Pet bottles. R u saying to do one. What should it look like or reaction

 

The idea is that if you use one or more PET (plastic) bottles as opposed to all glass, you will be able to feel how the carbonation is progressing by squeezing the bottles. If you prime at the rate of say half a tsp sugar per 500ml beer the PET bottles will have a little 'give' in them at the end of the carbing period when checked at room temperature. If the PET bottles are rock hard there is a possibility that the beer is overcarbonated. Clearly you cant check glass bottles this way. Any PET bottle will do so long as its held a fizzy drink. And if its clear PET keep it out of the light particularly sunlight since this can cause off flavours (its called skunking for some reason)

 

Couple of points
1. I use half a heaped tsp of brewing sugar but for me 2 or 3 weeks is not enough to get good carbonation.
2. A sample bottle of PET is a great idea which I will now use. I'll only move the glass bottles to the garage when the PET carbonation feels ok.
3. The sweetness is linked to the priming not FG so the PET is an ideal solution.
4. This forum is great, I've learnt more in a month that in 10 years on my own.

 

PS
Use a 500 ml PET pressure bottle so it's like for like.

 

I also needed patience

 

Thanks everyone, the knowledge and experience from other people on here is envaluable. So checked again today since last checking on Friday. That's 17 days in total. Hydrometer still saying its at 1.016. Should i wait to this Friday and see then. That will be 3 weeks. If its the same should I go ahead and bottle

 

If it reads the same over the course of 3 days you're fine. If the gravity is a lot higher than expected then your yeast may have stalled. There are ways to make it move again. You can stir a little, very carefully so you don't get o2 in there, to make the yeast go into suspension again. You can turn up the heat.

 

Thanks, will leave to Friday and if 1.016 I'll just bottle.

 

Good news.

I checked my pink grapefruit IPA earlier with a view to bottling it tomorrow as it will be 2 weeks in the FV then.

There is still a good layer of krausen on top with the odd bubble still coming up. The gravity has dropped to 1004 which seems really low but I took a sample in the test jar and it smells great. There are also no off or odd tastes and if anything it's still a little bitter. It's also not as hoppy as I expected so I'm toying with the idea of leaving it in the FV for another few days or even a week before bottling.

At least the high temperatures during the early fermentation didn't seem to do it any harm but I am puzzled by the really low gravity.