Did any one else buy some Brew Balls @ GABF?

I did. $20 for the set. Impulse buy but sounds pretty cool

http://www.brewballstore.com/

those look really interesting, i had never heard of them before. I guess its a convenience thing for those that don't like siphoning off to use their hydrometer.

Question here, If you have a blow off tube...What prevents a ball getting stuck at the neck of the carboy?

Just a thought....

Kinda cool, but a little pricey...For $10 more you can buy a refractometer which is a lot more useful. If these were 9.99 or less it would be more tempting,

like I said it was an impulse buy. I think a good refractometer is $60 and a is not an item that is high on my list of things to have at the moment. I do not like that it does not go past 1.055. Still a neat lil novelty.

winstonofbeer said:

Question here, If you have a blow off tube...What prevents a ball getting stuck at the neck of the carboy?

Just a thought....

Click to expand...

well I would use a 1/2" or is it 3/8" tubing and the base of a 3 piece airlock. It was my makeshift blow off tube. A few drops of Fermcap can also prevent an explosive fermentation.

winstonofbeer said:

Question here, If you have a blow off tube...What prevents a ball getting stuck at the neck of the carboy?

Just a thought....

Click to expand...

I dont think that the balls are going to rise with the krausen, but I could be wrong. I would be inclined to say that the krausen is not strong enough to support the weight of the ball.

zman said:

like I said it was an impulse buy. I think a good refractometer is $60 and a is not an item that is high on my list of things to have at the moment. I do not like that it does not go past 1.055. Still a neat lil novelty.

Click to expand...

I think an excellent refractometer can be had for half of that. Don't sweat it. I am always willing to give something a try if it's not too expensive.

I have tree to four fermenters going at the same time . So 80$ for four sets I'll stick with the refractometer and hydrometer.


Edit: didn't want to sound like an ass they look like an interesting concept . But they don't fit into my brewing.

In theory they sound like a neat idea, but with the krausen activity and the much dried gunk is left on the carboy walls after it settles I'd never see the balls.

They're interesting, thats for sure. A little cheaper and I might have sprung for some...

let us know how they go. i might be tempted

I think I am going to use them for a Mead or a Barley wine. I would not buy multiple sets of them...way to $$$, and you can never go wrong with a trusty hydrometer but I think they will be fun to see in action

I saw those also and was very impressed by how clever/simple they were (although I was slightly distracted by the amazing fudge/caramel booth next door). I'm curious to see how they work. Was there the option to buy sets of the red or green ones only? I don't really need to know when it is half done, just when it is completely (or nearly done).

That tiny colored dot gonna ever be covered up by the krausen?

And that website is ridiculous: "[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Every time you open the airlock during fermentation to extract a sample you are at high risk of contaminating your brew!"

Give me a break.
[/FONT][/FONT]

PseudoChef said:

That tiny colored dot gonna ever be covered up by the krausen?

Click to expand...

The colors don't really matter as long as you know the number in there and you only have one set.

PseudoChef said:

And that website is ridiculous: "[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Every time you open the airlock during fermentation to extract a sample you are at high risk of contaminating your brew!"

Give me a break.
[/FONT][/FONT]

Click to expand...

Ya, although true, it is pretty alarmist.

Parker36 said:

I saw those also and was very impressed by how clever/simple they were (although I was slightly distracted by the amazing fudge/caramel booth next door). I'm curious to see how they work. Was there the option to buy sets of the red or green ones only? I don't really need to know when it is half done, just when it is completely (or nearly done).

Click to expand...

yea, i am thinking about emailing the guy, seeing if i can get a set of them that are just a few of the more common Finishing Gravities so that i could just drop the 1.012 (or 1.010 or 1.020, etc) ball into the wort if that is my expected FG. i don't need to know when the beer hits 1.035, but it would be nice to have something simple just to let me know when FG has been hit.

These have an appeal for lagering or people who use a secondary fermenter. It would be easier to now when to sample for racking/d-rest, etc.

I don't think it fits with me as I use a refractometer and only need a drop from a sterilizes wire to sample. Cool idea none the less.

Parker36 said:

I saw those also and was very impressed by how clever/simple they were (although I was slightly distracted by the amazing fudge/caramel booth next door). I'm curious to see how they work. Was there the option to buy sets of the red or green ones only? I don't really need to know when it is half done, just when it is completely (or nearly done).

Click to expand...

I was also thinking that I could just use one for the anticipated FG of a batch. Once I get moved and get a batch going I will use them and report back

Parker36 said:

The colors don't really matter as long as you know the number in there and you only have one set.

Click to expand...

How do the colors not matter? There's no numbers on the balls themselves. Once they're covered up by krausen, you're not going to know which is which.

Parker36 said:

Ya, although true, it is pretty alarmist.

Click to expand...

That statement isn't even close to true.

PseudoChef said:

How do the colors not matter? There's no numbers on the balls themselves. Once they're covered up by krausen, you're not going to know which is which.

Click to expand...

because each ball drops at a certain SG. if you put all 5 balls in, and only 3 are left, you know that the 3 that are floating are the 1.020, 1.010 and 1.005 balls. there is no way for the 1.055 ball to be floating and the 1.020 ball to be sunk. if three balls are up, then you are somewhere between 1.035 and 1.020

PseudoChef said:

How do the colors not matter? There's no numbers on the balls themselves. Once they're covered up by krausen, you're not going to know which is which.



That statement isn't even close to true.

Click to expand...

You do not really need to use them all unless you want to. I can just drop the 1.010 one in there and when it sinks I know I am close to my FG

Gotcha. Still pretty silly - I'm just in the pitch and forget mentality, I guess.

For those only wanting a specific set of balls, or a bunch of the same balls, they offer this info on the website:

"Need a custom set of balls? Contact us at let us know what specific densities you need and we will let you know if we can meet your request. [email protected]"

nutty_gnome said:

For those only wanting a specific set of balls, or a bunch of the same balls, they offer this info on the website:

"Need a custom set of balls? Contact us at let us know what specific densities you need and we will let you know if we can meet your request. [email protected]"

Click to expand...

yea, that's what i am saying. i am going to contact him and see what the price would be for a set of one each: 1.010, 1.013, 1.015, 1.018, 1.020. That should be good enough for me to have a set for most of my final gravities (or close to them).

nutty_gnome said:

For those only wanting a specific set of balls, or a bunch of the same balls, they offer this info on the website:

"Need a custom set of balls? Contact us at let us know what specific densities you need and we will let you know if we can meet your request. [email protected]"

Click to expand...

This would be nice. Just get a 1005,1010,1015. Really all you need to be close enough. I think I'd be happy with say a 1015 and a 1010
But I don't get too worked up about my gravities as long as they're close.

Parker36 said:

I saw those also and was very impressed by how clever/simple they were (although I was slightly distracted by the amazing fudge/caramel booth next door). I'm curious to see how they work. Was there the option to buy sets of the red or green ones only? I don't really need to know when it is half done, just when it is completely (or nearly done).

Click to expand...

Every time I went to look over at the brew balls I just couldn't get past the fudge/carmel booth. Man there was some really good stuff there

The Brewer with the most toys wins Been looking for something for Christmas for the Crew my shopping is done and it anti October yet


Dominus Vobiscum


Swagman

Hey man, did yer balls drop yet?


Thank you brewballs, for adding this to the list of conversations homebrewers have that can be quite awkward to overhear.

Interesting... I had a similar idea, but to encapsulate the balls in a tube (similar to an antifreeze hydrometer). If they could be made with a small magnet, a Hall effect sensor could be used to measure the SG electrically. Hook it to an Arduino or BCS-460...

Reminds me of the Galileo thermometers of my early brewing days. Really tough to read in the mash tun.

Did anybody buy a set and want to part with it?