Who doesnt use a hydrometer?

I invested in a refractometer years ago and could not live without it now. I check my preboil gravity, adjust boil time, add DME whatever it takes to hit my target OG. I have to admit though I don't use a hydrometer for all my FG's. For my routine, brewed many times low to middle gravity beers I don't. For anything new or high gravity I do.

GT

I never use mine either, but I keg (no bottle bombs). I am not smart for doing it either, my batches are not consistant.

Thanks for this thread, I am not happy with my brewing (almost seven years). I am ordering a refractometer right now.

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

No. I use a refractometer

I find that taking detailed notes makes me pay better attention to my brewing and I get better results.

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couldn't agree more. bought my refractometer 6 months ago. brewing for just over 2 years.

started with a hydrometer, now only use a refractometer.

I do. That being said, I do All Grain and have my system down perfectly in Beersmith. For me, its not about hitting the targeted OG/FG of a recipe I'm brewing since I'll tweak it a little for my system in the program. I have it set up so that if I'm hitting my preboil and post boil gravities I know I'll get a consistent beer. When it comes to post fermentation, I'm not religious unless its cider. I let my beer sit for at least 3 weeks, so I really just check the FG before kegging to make sure things went according to plan (which they usually do since I make starters).

For sweeter ciders, I start checking gravity 2 weeks in. When it gets to the taste I want, I'll rack to a keg and stick it in the kegerator to prevent further fermentation.

Great responses guys. Keep them comming!

Come'on guys! A thread like this should've broken down into a flame war by now! You're lettin' me down!

If you don't use a hydrometer you're a sinner, and potentially gay.

If you use a hydrometer you're anal retentive, and definitely gay.


If you use a refractometer you're a nerd and probably get turned on by Japanese anime of fish having sex with porcupines.

weirdboy said:

If you don't use a hydrometer you're a sinner, and potentially gay.

If you use a hydrometer you're anal retentive, and definitely gay.


If you use a refractometer you're a nerd and probably get turned on by Japanese anime of fish having sex with porcupines.

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OK weird, you calling me a sinning, nerdy, potential gay, with quills stuck to my crotch?

What is the difference between sheep possy, and human possy.......

NOT A DANG THING!

ChshreCat said:

It's really not a good plan to put your hydrometer right into your fermenter. Besides, if you do that, you miss out on the excuse to drink your sample!

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I usually take an OG and then a FG. But I do not check it day after day to "make sure" fermentation has finished. I let it sit for a minimum of 9 days primary... depending on the beer. I don't get all geeky about it .If it is around what I think it should be, I bottle or xfer to secondary.

I always like to taste the beer in its stages.
Wort
Pre bottling
Finished product (4+ weeks in the bottle)

Except for that green barely carbonated beer stage. I hate that.

I don't use a hydrometer much, but I use it without fail when checking FG at the end of fermentation. As mentioned in a previous post, this isn't a completely predictable process, and the only way to be sure that fermentation has finished where you want is to check the specific gravity.....and it's not like it takes more than a few minutes to do it. Better than bottle bombs.

When I make beer, I'm aiming for specific statistics. If I don't measure them, I won't know if I hit my targets. Sure, I can tell if I like the end result or not, but it's a lot easier to make adjustments to the next iteration of the recipe with good data for the previous iteration.