Official Broken Hydrometer Count

2 in 2010
1 in 2011 so far.
Many were broken earlier but I can't count that far back.

148 and counting

1- yesterday, berfore mash even started
count 149

3 so far in the 2 + years I have been brewing...

count 152

One yesterday, one about 9 months ago

154

+1 = 155

two

I have broken 1 and the Kids 2.

Now i use a Polycarbonate Plastic Hydrometer, we had an extra one at my Lab at work.

But they are high dollar. I would not send $68 dollars on it myself.

I think you all need to stop drinking while brewing ...I've had the same one I got when I started over 7 years ago. Of course, now that I said that I will kill it next brew day.

2 in 2009, 1 TODAY...argh! And Bensiff, I broke the one today before I even started the mash

163 (counting the ones from ktm250 and dmcoates above)

Does anyone use a Polycarbonate Plastic Hydrometer also. That thing does not want to brake and trust me i have tried

Unless I am taking a gravity reading my hydrometer stays ina nice padded case or is in a sanitizer filled bucket. If there is one thing I treat with care it is the hydrometer.

I just broke my first one on Friday. I had my hydrometer in the plastic tube while I was talking to my wife when the little plastic end with the foam popped off and I watched it (in slow motion) fall to the floor and break I went to get a new one right away but taped one of the ends of the tube to hopefully avoid this in the future.

Eric

SWMBO broke mine a couple weeks ago. I finished sanitizing the carboy, came outside and she had a broom in her hand.

Add me to the list. SWMBO was washing up and dropped it into the sink. Oh well, just ordered a refractometer.

What happened to the count?


P.S. mr means, don't worry, it will happen to you

arturo7 said:

What happened to the count?

Click to expand...

166.

I can understand people not reading posts... even skimming through the OP. But how do people seem to totally ignore the TITLE of the thread, the very words that not only compelled them to open it, but that they also had to click on to do it?

Too much homebrew, methinks.

2 but the second one is the one that annoys me. I ordered it from Austin Brew Supply and when I took it out of the box my order came in it fell out of the bubble wrapped tube onto my floor and exploded... Note to ABS, it turns out that when you bubble wrap the tube you should also tape the ends on!

168

JefeTheVol said:

I figured at because so many of brewers are completely clumsy that we should be keeping a count of how many hydrometers the average message board breaks over a one year period. If you're like me, I broke mine the first time I used it. Checking account balance: minus $14.95. Ill start. Just search for this thread if, and when, you break one because I think it will be interesting to see how many we actually go through.

Hydrometer Count: 1

Click to expand...

emjay said:

166.

I can understand people not reading posts... even skimming through the OP. But how do people seem to totally ignore the TITLE of the thread, the very words that not only compelled them to open it, but that they also had to click on to do it?

Too much homebrew, methinks.

Click to expand...

OP was in 2009.

Seriously though, I looked through the first page of replies and no one else did it so I didn't.

171.

First one got stepped on (long story), second one fell out of it's tube when the tube top decided not to stay in, and a friend broke the third one.

Screw it, I'm buying a refractometer.

1 so far,dropped it in box of bottles when i was about to check my beer

I broke the first one I got, the first time I used it. Near the bulb on the end it was cracked, and started slowly filling with beer.

As of last weekend, I'm at 2. Time to get a refractometer.

i think i am at 8 or so.

broke one 2 weeks ago, went to do my gravity testing on my blue moon clone drop hydrometer on floor cut my foot now i have bandages all over the bottom

+2 hydrometers to the count

thread failure

I've had two drops and this last weekend I was doing a Pliny the Elder clone and thought to myself "what the hell is wrong with this final gravity..." Here the damn paper scale in the tube somehow fell out and slid down onto the weight... So that would be three but, I would love to somehow get the paper to rise back up and save another one...

If you include people who added in their bulk broken hydrometers we are at 182.

Mine isn't broken because I don't need it to tell me that what I am testing is BEER!!!

Want me to break it? I don't give a crap.

MrMeans said:

If you include people who added in their bulk broken hydrometers we are at 182.

Click to expand...

By my count, we were at 188. Plus my first broken hydrometer last night: took my OG, washed the hydrometer and the cylinder, left the hydrometer sitting on top of the dish towel, walked away for 30 seconds then absent-mindedly grabbed the dish towel, flinging hydrometer onto the tile floor, where it obligingly shattered into many many pieces.

189.

we can take your count, more offerings to the gods.

Broke one last night when it rolled off the counter. That makes the count 190.

190

Fell through the bottom of the test jar.

191

fell out of the test jar when it tipped and landed on the concrete floor..

+1

192

When I was kegging my latest batch, I had just washed the hydrometer and it was in the drying rack. I knocked into when I was getting ready to wash something else and sheared the top off.

+1

193

Broke if going from cold to hot water......rookie

+1
194

Dropped one a couple weeks ago

+1

195

dropped mine into the plastic tube it came in and it pushed the stopper out the other end of the tube crashing onto the concrete +1

196

My second hydrometer slipped through my fingers two weeks ago when I was tipping it out of my thief. It hit the sink and got a hairline, which I taped up. Today, when I went to grab it, the crack turned in to the top 1/2 cm of the thing being lopped off.

So this puts me at two in less than 5 months. Wowee.

197

I broke my third one about six months ago, and I never replaced it.

I'm probably weird in the brewing community, but I don't really feel the need to check anymore. I've brewed often enough and understand my equipment and process to the point where I know what I'm going to get 'close enough' for me.

Brewing is more art than science to me, and as long as I follow my process, I know I'm hitting the important numbers.

I suppose that if I ever change a component in my system (mashtun, burner or boil kettle), I'll start taking readings again until I dial that component in, but for now, I'm happy that the pale ale I make today will be the same as the one I made a year ago.

Rolled off the counter...

199