Hydrometer

[RugerBrew]

OK... new to brewing. Have a Mr. Beer IPA in the fermenter for 13 days now and have been checking the ABV with the hydrometer (that's what it's for - right?

I checked ABV after 7 days, 10 days and today (13 days in the fermenter). The hydrometer remains steady at 1.01 * 100% = 1% ONE PERCENT? What the heck? 1%?

Am I misreading the hydrometer? Is it defective? Why such a steady reading?

The beer is now starting to taste pretty good but that alcohol content has me confused - I mean, shouldn't it be reading --5%++ by now?

Suggestions?

Thanks again
RugerBrew

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTvmYaQq6Mc[/ame]

 

[flars]

The alcohol % scale is usually relegated to wine brewing. Her's a link to Palmer's first edition online book, on use of hydrometers.
http://howtobrew.com/book/appendices/appendix-a/using-hydrometers
Other still very useful information in the online book.

A link to the Brewers Friend ABV calculator.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/
A lot of other brewing tools here also.

 

[J-Rock44]

No worries, it took me a couple of times too.

Others who post here , please correct me if I have this wrong.....

The Hydrometer is for measuring the specific gravity of the beer and helps to get a more accurate condition of the fermentation process, more exactly, when its finished. To get the ABV you need to calculate the Original Gravity against the Final Gravity. Remember too, the hydrometer is calibrated to read at 60*, so another correction is needed there too, depending on the sample temp.

So for example if your O.G = 1.052 (pretty standard number for an ale I think) and your F.G. =1.010 then your ABV would be somewhere around 5.6%. I use BrewBot for the iPhone ($0.99!!) which has a robust amount of detailed info on Hops, Yeast, Mash Strike Temps and Volumes and tons of calculators and other brew related topics. There are other online calcs, but I always seem to have my phone near me.

If its good beer, be happy, if not, adjust and brew again.

~!Cheers!~

 

[RugerBrew]

Grreat! Thanks for that video - points out a number of ERRORS I made. Well... I guess that's what a first attempt is for.

Appreciate the info

Regards,

RugerBrew

 

[menerdari]

No worries, it took me a couple of times too.

Others who post here , please correct me if I have this wrong.....

The Hydrometer is for measuring the specific gravity of the beer and helps to get a more accurate condition of the fermentation process, more exactly, when its finished. To get the ABV you need to calculate the Original Gravity against the Final Gravity. Remember too, the hydrometer is calibrated to read at 60*, so another correction is needed there too, depending on the sample temp.

So for example if your O.G = 1.052 (pretty standard number for an ale I think) and your F.G. =1.010 then your ABV would be somewhere around 5.6%. I use BrewBot for the iPhone ($0.99!!) which has a robust amount of detailed info on Hops, Yeast, Mash Strike Temps and Volumes and tons of calculators and other brew related topics. There are other online calcs, but I always seem to have my phone near me.

If its good beer, be happy, if not, adjust and brew again.

~!Cheers!~

Mostly correct. Not all hydrometers are calibrated at 60*, so check your specific hydrometer to be sure.

 

[flars]

Calibration temperature is printed on the card inside the hydrometer.

 

[Calder]

I'm sure you realize by now, that the % alcohol on the hydrometer is the potential alcohol the original wort could get to if fermented to a gravity of 1.000.

It is not commonly used in beer brewing as most beer worts do not end anywhere near 1.000.