Brewing without a working hydrometer

Olliebrews

Hello, I'm a new brewer starting with a St Peters Golden Ale set.

I made the brew about lunchtime yesterday, however, when I put in the hydrometer it sat with part of the bulb above the water line. i.e no reading possible. It also didn't sit upright. I tested again in the evening but no joy.

So I don't have and SG and doubt I will get an FG. Its in a spare room with thermostat set to 20deg, so should begin fermenting nicely.

Would you recommend I just leave it to the longer end of the instructions (i.e 6 days+) and assume its ready for the next stage? or is there a tip or trick i'm missing?

Thanks.

BUDFORCE

I don't even bother to use mine anymore. If its at a constant 20c leave it 2 weeks and it should be done. Just check it before you bottle it, liquid should not have any foam, a layer of sedimend at the bottom, and should smell and taste Luke beer, although will be flat.

Those St peters ale kits go really fast, I tend to leave the more premium kits 3 weeks.

HBO_Staff

It's hard to tell but that looks like it is a spirit meter in the picture rather than a hydrometer, it would be worth checking to see if you have the right thing. If this is an order from us at HBO please email us your order details and we will sort this out for you, if not though then the only way to check the gravity reading is with a hydrometer, as Budforce says if not using one just make sure you leave it long enough and any bubbles have stopped rising through the liquid, brewing at around 20 degrees C like you are is a good temperature