Brewballs!

Anyone ever used these? They seem pretty handy but for $20 I'd like to hear some opinions of people who have actually used them. I'm sure some of you have before. I really want to know about their accuracy. Anyone see any potential problems with these guys in the primary?

Brewballs


Color and Density:
Black - 1.055
Yellow - 1.035
Red - 1.020
Green - 1.010
White - 1.005

why would you use a $20 ball to ballpark your gravity when you can use a $5 hydrometer to measure it exactly?

There's a few threads on these, see the similar threads box below. They were given as swag at nhc last year, so several folks used and discussed them last year.

They are great if you do your primary in a carboy or BB. They work especially well for bigger beers so you can track the fermentation without having to draw samples off. Every time you hit a milestone as far as gravity goes a ball drops.

i.e. your 1.060 beer after 2.5-3 weeks still has the red green and white balls floating... then you know it has not gone below 1.020 yet. If you are expecting 1.014 you would want to wait until the ball drops, so give it another week and see if the ball drops before you pull a sample.

How can you see them through the kreusen? Just wait until it dissipates enough?

All good questions, that's why I was hoping some of you guys had used them before. I'm not entirely sure they are worth $20 at this point but I make big beers a few times a year and I see them coming in handy for that. Perhaps a stocking stuffer from you-know-who this winter.

I've got some on order. I'll let you know how it works. (or doesn't).

I think this would work great in something like apfelwein that doesn't have a kreusen. I'm not used to adding primary ingredients to a carboy so I always forgot to measure the OG.

I know this is an old thread.

I use the brew balls after the krusen settles and then only throw in my 1.020 and lower "balls." that way the krusten doesn't stick and I can see them.