Idea about hydrometers

[MattD]

OK, so I really like to monitor my gravity during fermentation, but I hate opening up the fermenter to test and potentially exposing the brew to infection. So it occurred to me, why not just sanitize the crap out of the hydrometer, and drop it in the carboy when you pitch the yeast. Leave it in there and you can read it through the glass carboy. The only problem I see with this method is that during the initial fermentation it might wind up coated with coagulated proteins and tannins and crap, making it unreadable. For that matter, the walls of the carboy are usually also coated, so maybe this idea is dumb. BUT, anyway, any thoughts on the idea?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Yes, I concur with your conclusion...

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Get a Better Bottle with a spigot. Better yet, a conical with a racking port... Either way, you never have to open the lid to get a sample again!

 

[magno]

Ive had good luck putting the hydrometer in the carboy in the past.

Dont put it in for primary fermentation, it will quickly become unreadable. I used to put it in the secondary and then filled the carboy with water to float it out when I bottled.

- magno

 

[Evan!]

When using carboys, if I want to take a reading, I tie a piece of kitchen twine to the top of the hydrometer and drop it in (after a thorough star-san bath, of course). The key is making sure that the twine is wet when you tie it on, and tying it very tight. I take the reading, then pull it right back out.

 

[Walker]

When using carboys, if I want to take a reading, I tie a piece of kitchen twine to the top of the hydrometer and drop it in (after a thorough star-san bath, of course). The key is making sure that the twine is wet when you tie it on, and tying it very tight. I take the reading, then pull it right back out.

This will give you a false reading, several points off. The hydrometers are SUPER sensitive devices and the weight of the string (especially if wet) will push it down into the liquid more than you think.

-walker

 

[david_42]

Just set your original sample & hydrometer next to the fermenter & watch the level drop. It's not 100% accurate, as the sample seems to ferment faster than the bulk, but it's close.

 

[Evan!]

Walker,

I know, but it gives me a ballpark reading. The recorded figures always come from removed samples.

 

[Walker]

Walker,

I know, but it gives me a ballpark reading. The recorded figures always come from removed samples.

I was just making sure others realize this if they follow your tip.

The ballpark you are in here is pretty damn big, though. The one time I tried this same trick, I measured a gravity in the secondary that was higher than my initial gravity due to the string's weight, so I found the reading to be totally useless.

 

[the_bird]

One AG batch under his belt, and all of a sudden Walker's a hydrometer expert again...

 

[Bobby_M]

Walker...

Except you have it backwards. Any added weight will make the gravity read LOWER than it really is. The less dense the liquid, the lower the hydro will float.

If someone really wants to run with this idea, you can probably get away with lightweight fishing line. You can even test how "off" the reading is by testing it in some 60 degree water and seeing how far off 1.000 it reads. Then you know how much gravity to subtract due to the weight of your retrieval line.

 

[homebrewer_99]

One AG batch under his belt, and all of a sudden Walker's a hydrometer expert again...

Hey, I was going to say that!!!

 

[Walker]

Walker...

Except you have it backwards. Any added weight will make the gravity read LOWER than it really is. The less dense the liquid, the lower the hydro will float.

Whoops. You're right. I was wrong about the details there (I must have read a FG lower than 1 when I did this or something... don't recall because I can guarantee you I was buzzed at the time), but the fact remains that the reading was useless and I tossed the idea out the window.



And for bird... yes, I have one AG batch under my belt, but I have over a hundred extract batches there, too, some of which I actually used a hydrometer on, believe it or not.

Familiarity breeds contempt.

I'll probably learn to like the device again as I use it for AG. I still only see myself using it for OG readings to measure mash efficiency and improve my process. I doubt I'll be pulling the thing out for FG readings at all.

-walker

 

[Evan!]

Hydrometers will only make you worry.

 

[Walker]

If someone really wants to run with this idea, you can probably get away with lightweight fishing line. You can even test how "off" the reading is by testing it in some 60 degree water and seeing how far off 1.000 it reads. Then you know how much gravity to subtract due to the weight of your retrieval line.

Yup. After using the kitchen twine, I tried fishing line. That was a ***** to get tied on securely, but it did skew the reading less than the twine.

That evening was one of the ones that made me grow more and more loathesome of the hydrometer.

-walker

 

[Walker]

Hydrometers will only make you worry.

AMEN!

 

[Evan!]

Yeah, I haven't bit the bullet yet and gotten an autosiphon...so the way I take real readings typically is to sanitize the tube & cane, put the cane into the carboy, suck enough out with my mouth to fill the hydrometer case, and pull the cane and tube out. No risk of contamination because nothing that touches my mouth ever goes into the carboy. Worked fine so far. Someday I'll drop the measly $11 on the AS.

 

[Willie3]

I don't get it. I never have to read my beer's gravity during fermentation. The only time I read the final is if I am racking to a keg (getting ready to drink) or if I am bottling. I will normally take an OG reading and then the FG comes dead last. Fermentation occurs as time goes on. Usually I rack to secondary when there is no activity in the beer or in my airlock - (appx 1.5 weeks sometimes two). I have no issues with trub - as a matter of fact it is easier to harvest yeast for some reason.
I can see the desire to understand the paranoia that comes with brewing the first time - check the hydro check the hydro is it working is the beer fermenting, but man just SBRDWHAHB and your creation will turn out just fine.

I only use Hydros to calculate alcohol%. Other than that they are useless, in my opinion.

- WW

 

[Brewpastor]

I wouldn't worry too much about taking samples to read. I also have found that I no longer really care, except related to record keeping. I say this another of those "whatever rocks your boat" kind of things. If you want to do it, have fun, if not, who cares. It is your brew. If you mess it up, it is your fault, if it wins an award, I will take the credit.

 

[Cheesefood]

If you put it in the primary, it'll get coated with krausen that will make it hard to read and throw off the weight.

 

[the_bird]

And for bird... yes, I have one AG batch under my belt, but I have over a hundred extract batches there, too, some of which I actually used a hydrometer on, believe it or not.

Teal type, my friend.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I'll probably learn to like the device again as I use it for AG. I still only see myself using it for OG readings to measure mash efficiency and improve my process. I doubt I'll be pulling the thing out for FG readings at all.

-walker

Don't give in man. Well, ok....you will need it the first couple times to learn your setup. But after that, throw it back in it's box for good.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Just get a wine thief! They're cheap enough!