Beginner--Need a good abv measurer

I didn't forget anything. If you're going to do a secondary (even though they are usually not necessary), and you want to make sure attenuation is done, bubbles don't tell you. Neither does time.

The mistaken idea that bubbles are a good quantitative indicator are the reason we have different 'oh shit' threads right now on page one of this forum about fermentations that are going 'too long' because there are still bubbles, and fermentations where something 'must be wrong' because the bubbles stopped after a couple days.

 

A lot of home brew shops write recipes with old info from the beggining of home brew days, 7 days primary, secondary fermenters, all that jazz. Homebrew has come a long way since Charlie P's first edition. Leave it alone for a couple more weeks, then bottle. Keep the temp stable where it is (dont let it get cold, the yeast will stop working), then bottle. I have learned quite a bit from these forums, one important one is this, listen to Vikeman, he knows his stuff, and if he is asking a question, watch the thread, you're gonna learn something.

 

All of this is true.