Bob

Recipes 

Oy, vey. Is there some sort of machine that goes "Bing!" every couple of days, and spawns yet another iteration of this topic?

Use a hydrometer or don't. You don't need one, regardless of whether you're brewing AG or extract. Repeatability, monitoring of fermentation, etc. - those things just aren't important to some people. You have to decide if you're a person who likes controlling things, or if you prefer to just throw things together and let the fallout drift randomly.

Me, I like to throw things together - but then I take detailed notes of how much of what I threw in the pot. Frankly, I can't abide the science vs. art debate; brewing is at its core a combination of art and science, heavily weighted toward the latter. You want art, go make wine, where you people respect you for throwing ingredients into a pot and praying it comes out drinkable.

Do what you like; brew the beer you like. Make informed choices. Just realize that some people get cranky when you come crying about something that could have been avoided had you chosen differently. It's one thing to choose not to use a level; it's another to cry if the house falls down because you've chosen to not use a level.

Bluntly, if you choose not to use a hydrometer, you abdicate the right to complain and/or worry when a ferment doesn't go according to plan.

Cheers,

Bob

__________________
http://www.reconstructinghistory.com

carnevoodoo

Recipes 

I've said the same thing! You can't complain about bottle bombs either.

flyangler18

Recipes 

Well, we're in the realm of flagellating a deceased equine, aren't we?

Frankly, I'm just stupefied by the stubborn resistance of so many to use an instrument priced at less than $10 that has been proven time and time again to be invaluable to understanding the language of fermentation. <shrug>

If I need to diagnose and troubleshoot a persnickety fermentation, that little float is worth its weight in gold and beer.

illnastyimpreza

Recipes 

I have not yet had any problems with any of my brews....untill I do I will probably not bother with using one again (untill I go AG)

__________________
Primary 1: Ironmaster Brown Ale
Primary 2: Ironmater IPA
primary 3: empty
primary 4:empty
Kegerator: empty
bottled: Apfelwein,

gone:Coopers Brew Master Pilsner,Real Ale,stout, Brew Master Wheat, homemade Cider recipe, Ironmater American light x 3
Primary stirrer and yeast pitcher: my Girlfriend :)

shecky

Recipes 

I have nothing to add other than I'm stoked that this thread contains the words abdicate, flagellate and persnickety. (Extra points to fly angler for using two of those.)

boo boo

Recipes 

My feelings also.
I use a refractometer until I need to measure my wort with alcohol in it.
Repeatability as much as I can do it requires tools and fairly prescise measurement. Don't matter if it is beer, wine or cake.

__________________
How do you BBQ an elephant....first you get your elephant....

Kauai_Kahuna

Recipes 

NO! NO! NO! NO!
Ten characters yet?

flyangler18

Recipes 

Glad that Bob and I could help, Ed!

Given enough batches, you will encounter a ferment that will make you scratch your head. Without actually knowing how to use the hydrometer and understand what it is telling you, you're doing the equivalent of reading tea leaves.

Your call.

fratermus

Recipes 

Bottling a stuck batch, and having it come back to life in the bottles should be convincing.

__________________
Adequate Mousetrap brewhouse

Batch history | yeast slants | Suspending yeast

GilaMinumBeer

Recipes 

I can tell you you should use one all day long but I won't. I too loath my hydro but, I am just too lazy to mess with it. Instead I prefer to let taste be my guide. I am still learning this.

Lately, I have been using a racking cane as a thief to pull a small ~1Ounce sample from the column. After the yeast have been at work for some time I'll snag a sample to taste how it is going. Is it too sweet, dry, hot, etc.....

And I let this tell me how to proceed. With my Ales I have nearly perfected this and all my beers are perfect to my palate. It's the lagers I am struggling with these days. Hard to taste behind the butter and such. I had never realised how odd some lagers taste before the yeast has had some time to clean up.Now a days, I am trying to learn how best to guage when to D-rest without having to use the hydro.