6 broken Hydrometers = 1 Refractor

[EdWort]

I broke my last Hydrometer last week. Never again!

I picked up the $59 ATC Refractor from Morebeer.com and I must say, why didn't I think about this tool many years and hydrometers ago.

A couple drops of wort and bingo, instant reading. Beersmith does the conversion for me from Brix to Gravity.

I figure it will pay for itself in less than 10 months.

 

[Beer Weevel]

Man Ed, you must be a hard customer at least on hydrometers!!!!!

 

[EdWort]

Man Ed, you must be a hard customer at least on hydrometers!!!!!

Yeah, and from what I've read here, I'm not alone.

Not any more though. I can sanitize a teaspoon and take a reading any time now. Life was good before, but now it is better.

 

[Brewiz]

I've been using one for about a year and man do they make life easier but you still need a Hydro for the final gravity.

 

[EdWort]

I've been using one for about a year and man do they make life easier but you still need a Hydro for the final gravity.

Really? You just busted my bubble. Why do you still need one for the final?

 

[Dude]

I've been using one for about a year and man do they make life easier but you still need a Hydro for the final gravity.

No you don't....promash has a calculator to figure it for post fermentation.

 

[anojones]

The alcohol in fermented beer effects the results of a refractometer, however, someone has done some elaborate math to estimate the final gravity using a refractometer- here's an online calculator:
http://www.onebeer.net/refractometer.shtml
I took a hydrometer reading and a refractometer reading on a batch I bottled today and after the calculation it was right on- no more hydrometer for me.

 

[Big Al]

Damn, I've broken 2 already so I think I'll pick one up. those things are just way too fragile.

 

[Brewiz]

No you don't....promash has a calculator to figure it for post fermentation.

Really, where??

 

[Dude]

Really, where??

Utilities--Refractometer.

It has a couple different ones...one of them you can get a reading during fermentation, one at teh end of fermentation--but it does require a hydrometer.

I've tested the one that you can use with a refracto only, and it is pretty much spot on, even at the end of fermentation.

 

[Brewiz]

Utilities--Refractometer.

It has a couple different ones...one of them you can get a reading during fermentation, one at teh end of fermentation--but it does require a hydrometer.

I've tested the one that you can use with a refracto only, and it is pretty much spot on, even at the end of fermentation.

I found it, that's cool. I never looked because I was told you could'nt use one after fermentation..

Thanks

 

[MA_Brewer]

I was under the same impression as Brewiz, but now I am intrigued.
When you pull a sample (a teaspoon is the amount you need?) is there a 'best practices' for that? What I am getting at, I guess, is wether you need to stir up the wort/beer to get a good sample? Does the 'heavier' wort settle to the bottom, leaving a more watery wort at the top of the fermenter? Never mattered with my hydrometer because I never took sample readings, only when transferring.

 

[dmbezy]

If you look on ebay you can find refractometers for about half the price you see at morebeer, northern, etc. I picked one up for $32 shipped and it is working out perfectly!

 

[lustreking]

When you pull a sample (a teaspoon is the amount you need?)

A *DROP* is the amount you need. I usually just sanitize a thermometer and stick it in. What stays stuck to it is enough for a reading.

-S

 

[Orfy]

Well I'm pleased to here that you can do FG readings as well. I may well buy one.
The only thing olding me back is that I like to taste my sample and will still probbly use the turkey baster to sample so may as well put the hydrometer in at the same time.

 

[Brewiz]

Well I'm pleased to here that you can do FG readings as well. I may well buy one.
The only thing olding me back is that I like to taste my sample and will still probbly use the turkey baster to sample so may as well put the hydrometer in at the same time.

Of course, you've got to have a drink of it, just to make sure it's OK....

 

[Shockerengr]

just note, that in order to get a final gravity with a refractometer, you have to know the starting gravity in order to do the calculation.


on the other hand, if you have both a hydrometer, and a refractometer, you can calculate the OG of the beer, even after fermentation is finished

 

[Orfy]

So how does that work.

Are you saying if you only have an FG you can work out an OG?

 

[Shockerengr]

I do it through promash, so i don't have the formula's now...

if you have a refractometer, you can directly measure the gravity of wort prior to fermenation (during sparge, pre and post boil) -- rule of thumb is to multiple the brix reading by 4 to get the specific gravity.


Once fermentation is started though, you can't directly measure the specific gravity with a refractometer due to the effect of alcohol. But if you recording the starting gravity, you can plug your new measurement, and the starting gravity into either promash or excel (with the formulas entered) and you can calculate the specific gravity

Also, if you have a hydrometer and a refractometer, you can take a measurement with both, and then calculate the original gravity and %ABV. this will even work on commercial beers that you don't otherwise have any information for.

 

[Bruscar]

My issue is breaking the dumn hydrometers (3 in 6 months). Having a way to calculate FG seals the deal for me.

 

[mcgeebc]

Argh! I read this post yesterday morning and still managed to break a hydrometer last night!

That was my second hydrometer, and I'm only on my second brew.

I need an indestructable hydrometer.

 

[MA_Brewer]

Good lord - what do you people do to your hydrometers? I've had the same one for 7 years.

I'm still thinking about the refractometer though...

 

[kornkob]

MA-- I was going to post the same thing. I still have my grandfather's hydrometer (although it is no longer accurate--- the paper slip inside with the increments has slipped out of place after all these decades).

None the less, looks like a great toy.

 

[Bobby_M]

I keep my hydro in a piece of 1/2"ID hose and keep that in the test tube. How about being more careful with this delicate tool? Do you drink beer out of plastic cups too?

 

[kornkob]

*steps away from Bobby and puts on flame retardant suit*



Damn, man! I think you just tottally ripped on about half the guys in this place.


For the record-- I'm not with this guy.

 

[efreem01]

I'm on my 4th brew, and already broke two hydrometers. The first, i dropped a poof. Went up like candy glass. The 2nd one, i had sitting in the thief tube, and stuck the thermometer in as well. It hit into the top of the hydrometer and burst the little bubble at the top. I still use that hydro, it doesn't seem to have affected the readings.

 

[EmptyH]

Thanks guys I don't feel so bad now, I broke my hydrometer after my first brew and I felt like a total n00b, now I see its almost a rite of passage . I still have yet to replace it. I figure once I start getting into partial mashes I will need to get one so I can measure my efficiency but for now I really don't need it.

 

[Bobby_M]

You do know of course that I will now break my hydro on the next batch. I'm just saying, it's a thin tube of glass so I tend to treat it as such. I think the problem is, by the time one takes an OG, you're pretty lubed up on homebrew. Too bad the delicate operations don't occur a little earlier in the brew day.