Help: hydrometer stuck in carboy

[SupersonicMike]

I just brewed my first batch using a carboy (Better Bottle with blowoff tube) as primary, and I did a very stupid thing. For some reason I thought I should measure the original gravity after adding all the water to the wort, and so I dropped my sanitized hydrometer into the carboy. After getting a reading I realized that I can't fish it out.

So should I transfer it to a fermenting bucket, or just let the hydrometer chill out in the carboy until I bottle? (I currently only do primary fermentation).

 

[bobbrewedit]

Welp, I would leave it, or go buy some long tweezers (not very expensive) and pull it out. Either way, no biggie brother.

 

[olz431]

If you have a section of 1/4" hose, you could sanitize it and lower it onto the hydrometer while sucking on it. But if you only have one batch going and dont need your hydrometer, I dont see a reason to pull it out. Heck, taking readings now is a piece of cake!

 

[BoxMan]

I dunno. Wouldn't it be cool to actually watch your gravity drop like that?

 

[fishfoolz]

I would not think that the hydrometer would be able to stand up straight if you wanted to take a measurement would it?

 

[SupersonicMike]

If you have a section of 1/4" hose, you could sanitize it and lower it onto the hydrometer while sucking on it. But if you only have one batch going and dont need your hydrometer, I dont see a reason to pull it out. Heck, taking readings now is a piece of cake!

I was thinking of taking credit for an unpowered beta version of the BeerBug As long as it doesn't hurt the batch I'm fine with leaving it in.

 

[tampa911]

Ok here is what you do...

Go to a marine supply store, and buy 20 or 30 pounds of stainless steel nuts. Thread the nuts onto a piece of fishing line and soak the whole thing in sanitizer. Then you slowly feed the chain into the carboy and when the liquid rises grab that pesky hydrometer. Pull your nuts back out of the carboy and you are in business.

alternatively if you are past your primary fermentation (you should be able to check this with a hydrometer) you can just sanitize the nuts and drop them in the carboy, the decreased headspace would probably be a good thing at that point.

 

[olz431]

^LOL make sure those nuts are food grade!

 

[eric19312]

Let it ride. When you rack into bottling bucket add water to the carboy till the hydrometer floats out.

 

[bobbrewedit]

Ok here is what you do...

Go to a marine supply store, and buy 20 or 30 pounds of stainless steel nuts. Thread the nuts onto a piece of fishing line and soak the whole thing in sanitizer. Then you slowly feed the chain into the carboy and when the liquid rises grab that pesky hydrometer. Pull your nuts back out of the carboy and you are in business.

alternatively if you are past your primary fermentation (you should be able to check this with a hydrometer) you can just sanitize the nuts and drop them in the carboy, the decreased headspace would probably be a good thing at that point.

Dude. You can't be dunking nuts in the fermenter...per SWMBO they are impossible to sanitize.

 

[cluckk]

Ok here is what you do...

Go to a marine supply store, and buy 20 or 30 pounds of stainless steel nuts. Thread the nuts onto a piece of fishing line and soak the whole thing in sanitizer. Then you slowly feed the chain into the carboy and when the liquid rises grab that pesky hydrometer. Pull your nuts back out of the carboy and you are in business.

alternatively if you are past your primary fermentation (you should be able to check this with a hydrometer) you can just sanitize the nuts and drop them in the carboy, the decreased headspace would probably be a good thing at that point.

I really think you should keep your nuts out of the carboy.
"So what kind of beer did you make?"
"Sack Ale."
"It takes kind of musty."
"I sure hope that's chill haze!"

 

[cluckk]

Dude. You can't be dunking nuts in the fermenter...per SWMBO they are impossible to sanitize.

Perhaps it would be easier if I could get the wrinkles out.

 

[Torkermax]

Glass magnets work well! Ask your local hardware store clerk. Then the next time, use a thief and test tube.

 

[fizgig]

This is why I glue magnets to the tops of my hydrometers, for some reason my gravity is always super low though.

 

[vNmd]

I bought an 8 inch tweezers from eBay for $5. Works great, but my carboys are usually full enough to reach.

 

[krackin]

Simple enough. Let it be for now and buy a bunch more hydrometers and continue on.

 

[SupersonicMike]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I think I'll let it be until I bottle.

 

[Torkermax]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I think I'll let it be until I bottle.

Call it "Mighty Hydro Ale"

 

[nameless]

Leaving it in is cool until you want to do a new batch and forget to get a new one! In that case, get a drinking straw and some string. Take the middle point of the string and slide it down the straw so you have a loop coming from one end and the two ends coming out the other. It's the same premise as the pole/loop thing they use to catch animals.

Sanitize it, then you can stick the loop end in, put the loop around the hydrometer, cinch it, and pull it up. You may need to have someone help you tip the carboy if it's in a weird spot, but it works great.

 

[kevinlassen]

Use kitchen tongs.