FG= 1.002

[Cappy]

I racked my IPA into a carboy for some secondary fermentation and took the gravity reading of 1.002. This really isn't my FG since it's still in secondary. I'm making this from a Brewer's Best kit and my OG was 1.040, just a bit lower than the 1.050 recommended. My primary fermentation was for 10 days.

Is the gravity of 1.002 too low, and if it is can I do anything about it?

Thanks in advance,

Eric

[jawiphone]

sounds like you might have an infection if your fg is that low

[Legman]

I'd say that is you final gravity. It probably has fully fermented since it's been in the primary for 10 days.
Your FG does seem a bit low, but I don't know if I would fret over an infection just yet. I would say you're just going to have a very dry beer.
It's also hard to say without seeing your recipe.

[jawiphone]

90% attenuation what yeast and how much did you pitch. I still think an infection.

[SocietyDweller]

It can be a bad Hydrometer too. I had a friend who had a beer that finished at 0.97.... and it was not infected. Solution was to change the hyrometer and FG change to 1.06. Still drier then expected but lot more accurate.

[Legman]

That was kinda my second thought on that.
Maybe not so much a bad hydrometer, but it may not be calibrated.
Also he may have not taken into consideration the temperature corrections from the reading as well.

[Cappy]

Well I checked my hydrometer and it was a bit off. I was reading .003 to low so now my corrected reading would be 1.005. And... when I checked the gravity of my IPA the temperature was at 74 degrees so my FG might be a bit higher still. Is there a correction chart somewhere?

And finally I noticed that my hydrometer was cracked so I'm off to the supply shop for a new one!

Eric

[Legman]

Here's ya a temperature correction chart.
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixA.html

Check the calibration of your new hydrometer. It may be off a little and the reading may need correction from that as well.

[Cappy]

Thanks for the info guys. This isn't a easy as I thought!

[jawbox]

So what's the new official FG.

[bfabre]

This isn't a easy as I thought!

Cappy,
Your learning as am I. Take it slow.....
A cracked hydrometer is easy, at least it is not an infection. I had to toss a batch once and it kinda takes the wind out of your sails.
Drink up, smile and keep brewing

[Cappy]

Oops... the new, official, temperature corrected FG is: 1.004. Still pretty low. so on the advice of my son, who doesn't know anything either, we decided to re-ferment this IPA. We added some priming sugar and yeast and left it in the carboy.

I'll let you know how this saga turns out.

Eric

[slothrob]

Just a warning, adding sugar and allowing the yeast to ferment it out will further decrease the final gravity by increasing the alcohol (since alcohol has a gravity less than 1.0) without increasing the unfermentables.

[Cappy]

Well, like I said: We don't know anything. I'll let you know how it tastes ia a week or so.

Eric

[Cappy]

My first brewing attempt has been tasted. Not too bad, but... it has a good bitter flavor but it's very thin tasting, almost like water, with no body. And it's got a slippery or slimy feeling on the tongue that gets worse the closer to the bottom of the bottle you get. It has a beautiful amber color but it's translucent and not at all clear. I bottled this in 22oz bottles and pour it into a glass to drink.

At least I didn't have to throw it out!

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.