Nifty Little Gadget

In an attempt to add technology to a brewing process someone built a sensor rig that monitors bubbles and pressure during fermentation. What does this have to do with brewing great beer? I not sure, but he’s got some preliminary readings to spark your imagination. By the way I am not sure if this has been posted here or not, but I thought it to be note worthy...

http://www.alternet.us.com/?p=1388

 

Either someone that is really anal....or has way to much time on their hands. Probably both.

 

I can see no practical use for this... Yet I really, really want one.

 

Are you kidding me!?! That gets my nipples hard just thinking about it. I'm a complete technogeek. I keep a running log on the time between bubble and record 3 time samplings for a decent cross section each time.

I know that bubbling is no indicator of fermentation but, it's the only thing I can actively watch since I ferment in buckets and don't use a secondary yet.

 

That is awesome! Kinda ridiculous, but awesome!

 

What a waste.

This thing counts bubbles and they claim that is how they are tracking fermentation. This is the best way to panic without need and to end up with possible bottle bombs.

 

I don't care if it's accurate or not. I just want to program it to go PING everytime a bubble comes up.

Heheh.

 

Hahahaha ... wow ... If SWMBO ever complains about the amount of time I spend on DIY projects, I will simply show her that picture ...

 

That would be epic.

 

I wonder if it's linked to twitter lol#burbleburbleburble

Although if you were to tack on a thermostat it could be kinda useful.

 

That is interesting but it seems it only tells you if your beer is off gassing any co2 which really has little to do with the state or your fermentation.

I would really rather spend my money on more ingredients so I can brew more beer.

I can care less how many bubbles per minute I get. I just wait for the fermentation to end, wait a little longer for the beer to clear up then I bottle and wait some more until it is carbonated well then I enjoy the beer.

 

You build something like that because you can, not because you need to.

 

Nice!

I can't imagine the pressure sensor will ever actually work. I use a mass flow controller to maintain a fixed fermentation pressure and to track CO2 released. It's tremendously fun.

 

I've thought about adding this to my arduino fridge controller. The simplest way I've seen to count bubbles is with an ir break beam sensor. It would be awesome to have my phone vibrate every time my airlock bubbles with an app...

 

That would drive me nuts getting texts a few time a min.

 

Oh no, more of an app that vibrates the phone when you're connected to the network. And of course you could always close out of it.

 

How about a circuit board and digital readout that tells you how many beers are left in the fridge? Or maybe a magnetic "beers in the fridge abacus!"

Or even better (worse?) a digital readout that tells you exactly how many beers you drink a week/month/year. That one might save quite a few lives from liver disease.

The circuit board that tells how long there have been bubbles looks more like a $6.00 kit from Rat Shack, ages 6-10.

 

Bingo. Now if only I can build a pressure sensor into my boxer shorts that texts my wife every time im pitching a tent