Coopers Ginger Beer - Have I mucked it up?

[suitsyousir]

Followed the instructions to the letter, and used 1kg of granulated sugar, making it to just under 20 litres, it started at 1022 on the hydrometer and seems to have stopped (after 6 days) at about 1008. This brings it to about 2%. It was supposed to be about 3.5%, which would be fine, but just under 2% seems a little bit of a waste, I might as well have just made the non alcoholic version.

Any thoughts please?

[surfer69]

I started one yesterday and it registered at 1024. Will let you know where it ends up, Hopefully stronger than 2% !

[suitsyousir]

I sterilised my spoon and gave it a gentle stir. Its dropped slightly to 1002 which by my reckoning makes it 2.7%, which is a bit of an improvement. Its not ideal but I will take that, as a session summer drink!

[surfer69]

Kegged mine today, only got to 1004. Brewed at a constant 20 degrees, So 2.5% ish but taste great...

[suitsyousir]

Cool, cheers all. I bottled mine yesterday, its about the 2.5% mark now. I brewed 20 litres and using my rough maths, I worked out that a carbonation drop = approx half a teaspoon, I used 25 teaspoons of sugar to batch prime (half a teaspoon per 500ml, instructions said one tablet per 375ml bottle, and I was using 330ml bud bottles). Hopefully I don't have a batch of bottle bombs ready to go!!