Final Gravity fluctuation

[Pistola]

Hi,

Please help with this doubt I have.

OG 1.043: 18/11/2018
SG 1.010: 24/11/2018
SG 1.010: 26/11/2018

Bottled today (28/11/2018) without taking a reading, I know dumb but I figured I had the two steady days and it had been a further 2 days since last reading.

With the last little bit left in the fermenter I took a FG reading a few times and it came up between 1.006-1.008.

Kit instructions say "Final Gravity can be high 1.010-1.012".

1/ Is my hydrometer busted?

2/ Should I be worried?

Thx in advance

 

[altone]

Hi,

Please help with this doubt I have.

OG 1.043: 18/11/2018
SG 1.010: 24/11/2018
SG 1.010: 26/11/2018

Bottled today (28/11/2018) without taking a reading, I know dumb but I figured I had the two steady days and it had been a further 2 days since last reading.

With the last little bit left in the fermenter I took a FG reading a few times and it came up between 1.006-1.008.

Kit instructions say "Final Gravity can be high 1.010-1.012".

1/ Is my hydrometer busted?

2/ Should I be worried?

Thx in advance

Was the last little bit full of gunk? If so you can get a different reading.
Regardless my answer to both questions would be - No

 

[Pistola]

Thanks for your reply.

There wasn't a lot of gunk. I made sure to tilt the fermenter slowly. I also let it sit for about an hour or two before coming back and taking another reading and that's where I observed the fluctuation between 1006-1008.

 

[peteru]

Hydro readings are temperature sensitive, but to go from 1.010 to 1.008 you'd need to have about a -20C difference between the samples.

A more likely answer is that you didn't de-gas your samples correctly. Every time you take a hydro reading you must get the CO2 out of the beer. I do this by pouring between two measuring cylinders repeatedly.

 

[Pistola]

Hydro readings are temperature sensitive, but to go from 1.010 to 1.008 you'd need to have about a -20C difference between the samples.

A more likely answer is that you didn't de-gas your samples correctly. Every time you take a hydro reading you must get the CO2 out of the beer. I do this by pouring between two measuring cylinders repeatedly.

I think that might be it. The first two reading after fermentation had a full head on them, and while I waited for it to settle it was still present. Next time I'll do as you have suggested. Thanks!

 

[Rocker1986]

-20 is a bit over the top. It would only need to be about 8-10 degrees difference between them to go 2 points lower. A reading at say 28/29 degrees would be about 2 points lower than one taken at 20. But I'd agree it's probably due to a lack of degassing.