How Long In The Fermenter?

[Suds_Moustache]

I put down my first brew in a while on Australia Day (Coopers Pale Ale K&K - Dextrose, yeast from the kit) and I have to go away to a conference tomorrow until Thursday.
My original gravity reading was 1.042 and the current one is 1.006
Temp has been at around 26-28 degrees (I have no way of keeping it cooler long term) so I presume fermentation would have happened pretty quickly.
However I have only just done a reading today, so I don't know for sure that it's stable.
There is still the occasional bubble in the airlock although they are few and far between.
My question is: will the beer be ruined leaving it too long after it's ready to bottle in the fermenter? Will it last another 5 days or so without incident? Or should I just go ahead and bottle it?

 

[Suds_Moustache]

Actually make that 1.004 after settling for a bit.
(had jumped up to 1.012 before I realised the Hydrometer was covered in bubbles!)

 

[DrewCarey82]

Thats fine bottle it.

Once it hits its FG you dont want to leave it in the fermentor for any longer 2 days in heat like this otherwise it will fark the beer. In colder temps u can get away with it, but not with current temps.

 

[Jakechan]

Another week wont hurt it at all. Ive got one now that has been sitting there since the 19th.
Your major problem is the temperature, not the time.
Cheers,
Jake

Edit: I see my reckoning is at complete odds with Drew's! In this case I shall defer to Drew due to my lack of experience, however I have had no problem doing like I said myself.

 

[Steve]

I'd be bottling it now for sure. It done - so why wait?
Cheers
Steve

 

[ford-ute]

Id say that it would be fine to bootle with that SG (1.004) its not going to ferment out any more i personally leave my brews in a fermentor 5 days then rack to another fermentor for another 8 days because i work away (6 days home and 8 days at work) and you would be surprised how much more yeast fall out of it in that last 8 days i dont use any finning and i hardly get any sedament in my bottles so thats 14 days in the fermentors and i dont have temp control just room temp but i find leaving it on the first yeast bed the dead yeast flavours the beer which is why i rack it off to another fermentor and it can be anything some people go and buy 25l plactic jerry cans that are for water from bunnings and put it in them

 

[Suds_Moustache]

So generally a FG of around 1.006 or lower is ok?
Trying to remember back to my previous brewing days.
I always used to go by the airlock, but I have read a lot of anti-airlock sentiment on here and it makes sense to trust a hydrometer reading over what could potentially be a leaky seal etc.

Is there a rule of thumb when calculating when to bottle?

 

[ford-ute]

yes that is quite low water has an SG of 1.000 most pale beers have a FG of 1.006 its very normal and if you read the little info that comes with the pale ale beer kit if i remember it says that the Fg should be 1.006

the rule for bottleing is when you get the same SG reading 2 days in a row its right to bottle

 

[Goofinder]

Is there a rule of thumb when calculating when to bottle?

2 identical gravity readings, 24 hours apart. Assuming the SG isn't unusually high.

The FG will depend on what goes into the fermenter, but you'll be fine with a kit + kilo at 1.006. Bottle away!