Hydrometer Poll

While brewing today I broke my hydrometer. I've brewed several batches before without it's use, but I still like to know the gravity and calculate the ABV. So do I replace it, or say screw it and continue without it?

I voted got to have it. Basicly just for my sanity. :cross: I want to know about my beer. Did I hit my OG? If I didn't, now is the time to adjust. My last batch, a wee heavy was 1.069 just before I pitched. That didn't meet the style requirement of 1.073. So I boiled up an adjustment using DME and cooled it down and added it to the carboy. Tested again, 1.074. Now it was ready to pitch my starter.

This also allows me to calculate ABV at racking to secondary and at bottling.

You forgot the option for "I gotta have two".

They are nice for the OG, gets you off on the right foot, after that aren't you kind of at the mercy of the beer fairies? It's still nice to know if you hit your target, but I bet there'd be a lot less beer related stress if you didn't know and didn't care.

ScottT said:

I voted got to have it. Basicly just for my sanity. :cross: I want to know about my beer. Did I hit my OG? If I didn't, now is the time to adjust. My last batch, a wee heavy was 1.069 just before I pitched. That didn't meet the style requirement of 1.073. So I boiled up an adjustment using DME and cooled it down and added it to the carboy. Tested again, 1.074. Now it was ready to pitch my starter.

This also allows me to calculate ABV at racking to secondary and at bottling.

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I've actually gotten into the habit of checking my gravity pre-boil. Using the starting volume vs. your projected post-boil volume you can know exactly what your pre-boil SG should be to hit your target. I'm never significantly above. If I'm within a point or two I don't worry about it. If I'm several (or more) points low I add LME using a formula from BYO to shore it up. You can actually use most any fermentable if you know the potential gravity points of it. This way you only wind up doing one boil per session.

I rarely ever check gravity, and on those occasions that I DO check it, it's not for calculating ABV.... it's to make sure the fermentation is done in the secondary and I can go ahead with bottling. I've only checked starting gravity a total of 3 times ever.

I think I use my hydrometer on 5% of my batches.

-walker

I put down for the "nice but not needed" category. I like knowing where the brew is at for OG and if it's in the right neighborhood for FG, but I'd be okay without it.

If you can spare the cash, pick one up. If not, don't worry about it for the time being.

I've used a hydrometer since the gitgo. I like to know how well a batch is doing as it progresses. It is also handy in detecting a stuck ferment.

I started brewing without one, but the more I brew, the more I like to know what's going on with the gravity. Especially now since I built my mash/lauter tun, I'm curious about my efficiency. Except that now mine is broken

I have one, and I like to think that I will use it, but I ussually don't. You know how it goes, projectiles are flying around, beer is getting swallowed, etc.

I use it, not only for OG and FG, but every time I rack and take test samples.

I like to know how close I am to the target beer I am brewing. But, hey, I'm crazy that way.

gibfried said:

You know how it goes, projectiles are flying around, beer is getting swallowed, etc.

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Sounds like brew day is fun at your house. I have kin in Bella Vista...did you say you fish too?

homebrewer_99 said:

I use it, not only for OG and FG, but every time I rack and take test samples.

I like to know how close I am to the target beer I am brewing. But, hey, I'm crazy that way.

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Me, too, especially when I'm cloning a recipe. In terms of cloning a recipe and hitting the gravities (which is important, IMO) I suppose it's significantly more important for the AG'ers since efficiency varies system to system, brewer to brewer.

I always take an OG reading but after that I'm with Waldo. . There is not much a guy can do after the OG reading . Tampering with the beer fairies isn't advisable . IMHO. I always make sure the yeasties are comfy and let'um do their thing.

I think it's a good way to check things are happening and going in the right direction. Next best think to bubble watching.

I have two...back up just in case I decide to get a little careless. I like taking readings to see how close I am. Can I do without it...yeah, do I want to...lol, no.

I have one - used it on my first batch and decided that the sight readings were so inexact, and the information that it gave me was not all that important to me, that I put it away and never used it again. So I voted the third choice, but I would not have been quite so dogmatic about it.

Guess I'm in the category of "like to know whats going on" but I agree that it is sometimes hard to read. But maybe its because my eyes are OLD and BAD!! Still, I wish that someone could come up with a digital thing I could just stick in the beer and push a button and have a number. Oh well........
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Tim

I use it to see if I'm "in the ballpark" with my brew. And it also become my taste sample afterwards. I've broken so many that I think it would be a glorious day if they ever come out with an SS version.

Wild