Gravity hasn't changed in a few days but shy of two weeks in primary

First (IPA) batch here, so not exactly sure what I’m doing.  The feremented wort Looks like it’s been at 1.037 for a few days now (with a refractometer). Maybe it dropped to 1.036 (started at 1.065)… can’t tell exactly, kinda hazy. It’s not been the full two weeks in primary though. Are the kit directions regarding two weeks in primary a moot point now due to the unchanged gravity reading?

The directions say to move it to a secondary for a couple more weeks. This will just be my corny keg. I don’t have a fridge to cold crash in so it’s going to have to sit on the basement floor (72F) for a few weeks before I can finish what’s in my kegerator. From what I’ve read, the beer won’t care. Is that accurate?  I could pull the half barrel out and “store” it for later if not.  I’ve been told this doesn’t really affect anything but have never let a keg warm to room temp before so it would be an educational experience.

I’ll probably try filling the keg with starsan solution and then pumping it out with c02. I’ve only got a couple small (2 and 5 pound or something) tanks.  I found a conversion chart that told me 5 gallons of co2 weighed 42 pounds but that doesn’t sound right. Anyone know how much gas it takes to purge a corny keg?

Not quite sure how to dry hop in the keg without introducing oxygen so hopefully the amount will be negligible (pressurize and vent after removing lid). Should I take the hop sock back out after a few days or am I risking dreaded grassy flavors?

I know it’s a lot for one post but nobody I know homebrews and it’s not exactly prime time to get involved with a LHBC :confused: so thanks in advance. Really appreciate the info you guys/gals have passed on.

Running those numbers through a refractometer conversion spreadsheet it looks like you are sitting at ~1.016 for your final gravity.

Once there is alcohol in the beer you can’t read the numbers directly.  You have to convert them to allow for the alcohol.  There are a number of spreadsheets and web sites on the web that do the math for you, just google  refractometer conversion.

I’d say it’s done.

Paul

Agreed.  There is no real need to do a “secondary.” 
If you have a keg and want to put the beer into it, then go for it, but there’s no reason to let it sit for two weeks.  If you’re waiting for more room in your serving fridge, then leave the beer in the primary until you have space.
It doesn’t take much CO2 to push the sanitizer out of a keg.
There are entire current threads about dry hopping.  You may want to read what those people have to say about it.

5 gal. of liquid CO2 does weigh 42.310 lb.

Source: http://www.airproducts.com/Products/Gases/gas-facts/conversion-formulas/weight-and-volume-equivalents/carbon-dioxide.aspx

5 gal. of CO2 gas weighs about 0.667 lbs.

As far as the time to dry hop, that’s part of the process open for experimentation. When removing, I purge not once but several times. You are correct that minimizing O2 in the beer is the objective.

Speaking of reducing O2, I’d recommend skipping the secondary. Another transfer just increases the O2 it absorbs. You beer is ready, just transfer to keg, leave it on your basement floor and put it in your kegerator when ready.

Kegged a batch yesterday and weighed the co2 tank before and after. For me, it took 8oz of CO2 to purge the corny keg. The regulator on this tank starts venting off (at least audibly) around 25 PSI so only used around 10 PSI to purge but not sure if it was leaking during that time. If that amount sounds excessive, that may be why.

I use ~2-3 PSI to purge.

Hrm… will it use less CO2 at a lower pressure? I was wondering about that and thought it should just all be about volume, and pressure just lets you get there faster but I could be all wet.