Completing my first brew and wanted here what a typical FG reading should be for the Block Party Amber Ale. It has been exactly two weeks in the fermenter and has an FG of 1.014 measured today and yesterday. I want to be patient before bottling and just want to make sure that I don’t bottle too soon. Any thoughts?
Dave
First off, welcome Dave. This is a great place to learn and share knowledge.
Old school was take to gravity readings three days in a row and if it does not change, it’s probably done.
Give us more info and the brewers here can kick it around. Fermentation temps and yeast type/preparation, like a starter help. Good work already taking gravity readings on your first batch BTW.
Yes, welcome!
HDMark has the usual bases covered we’d want to ask you.
The next question would be, what are you going to brew next? Let’s have some fun!
Sneezles
Thanks for the insights. Today will be my third reading for FG. This is the ingredients and dry yeast from the recipe kit (Block Party). I followed the directions exactly as in the video course. I keep the fermenter in a dark cooler area at about 68 degrees F. The bubbling in the airlock was quite active in the first week, but has been quiet the last week. I take a lot of notes and watched the video course a number of time, being a stickler for doing things by the book (ha).
I tasted my sample yesterday and it had a decent taste and looked clear, though the day before the sample appeared a bit darker. So. Based on your input, maybe after a similar FG reading, would it be good to bottle it tomorrow or later tonight?
Hi Sneezles… any suggestions for a second brew? I may do another one on the spring… after I drink or give away my first round. Ha
Well Dave, a blonde Ale is a great summer brew.
Sure sounds like you have the fermenter in a good temp for Ale. I wonder if a warm up at the end of the fermentation would bring the FG down a few notches?
Will you be bottling?
Sneezles
A warm up at the end of the fermentation… I’ll have to try this. Yes, I’ll be doing the bottling. I have all my bottles and supplies ready to go.
Dave
That is a good way to start out. Down the road when you have a few batches under your belt will be the time when you might start to experiment with things.
For a middle of the road starting gravity a 1.01x is about what to expect. We shoot for about 1.010 but with extract I find that tough to do. Big beers, meaning high alcohol and high original gravity are more difficult to get down low and 1.020 isn’t unusual for me.
Your friends will all ask what the alcohol content is so armed with your OG (original gravity) and FG (final) Google ABV calculator and you will have an answer. Here is a good one https://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/
Hi Dave and welcome to the forum. Please feel free to browse away and go down the rabbit hole of brewing! Tons of great info on this site.
@hd4mark and @sneezles61 have covered quite a bit with your questions. 1.014 out of that extract kit is what I would expect. Taking samples for readings can waste quite a bit of final product. To limit that you can give it a couple weeks after the beginning of fermentation and take a reading. If it’s 1.010 to 1.018 you’re likely done. Some advice:
Give the beer time. Despite there being no airlock activity the yeast is cleaning up the byproducts after their big party. Allow it to work. Additionally, yeast has come A LONG way since many of us have started so the risk of autolysis is significantly lower. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of yeast to bottle condition, assuming that’s what you’re doing as it’s common for most new Homebrewers.
As mentioned, get your process down. Brew, brew, brew. Heck, even the same beer. Doing this will assist others in helping with questions as we can identify if it’s a process issue, fermentation issue, ingredient issue. This will also help it become ‘muscle memory’ and not miss steps. Then, you can experiment, as you’ll have a better understanding of what to expect.
Again, welcome and please do not hesitate to ask any questions!
Thanks everyone for your input and help. I completed my bottling session last night and ended up with 45.5 bottles. I’m not sure if my 1/2 bottle is going to be any good, but I went for it as an education.
The tubing is really hard to get on the spigot as well as the wand. Took a bit of work. Any tricks on getting this on a bit more easily?
Regards,
Dave
Soaking the ends in hot water softens and acts as lube to slip it on.
Another trick to do, pour one bottle in a plastic bottle.
You can than monitor the carbonation process by squeezing the plastic bottle a bit … when it has carbonation, the bottle becomes firm…
Now we’ll wait a couple weeks to see how you feel about yer first brew!
Sneezles
This was an excellent 5 gallon kit, and one of the first five I ever brewed 10-15 years ago when I was still learning. I’d give it a try if you like brown ales. 
Rad
Thanks for the tip on the tubing. I’ll try that next time.
Thanks for the tip on the Caribou Slobber. I see it also comes as a 1 gallon kit too. Love that.
Just finished the first bottle of my first brew (Amber Ale). Tastes great, good head on the brew and fizz on the open. Thanks everyone here for all your help. Looking at my next one using a smaller batch.
Welcome to the madness!
