Hi there,
This is my first post here, but I've read a few threads. I'm interested in making Mead, and will probably experiment with other wine-like liquids (fruit wines, like Strawberry. I'm not too interested in grape wine). My first batch (of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead) is underway. I just purchased a second Demijohn which I filled with a Lemon/Ginger wort this time.
I'm also a computer programmer by trade, mostly working in PHP but I've done some C++, Objective C (iPhone) and other languages. I was thinking about putting my recently-procured Raspberry Pi to work as a monitor for my small-time brewing.
I've ordered some electronic, waterproof, thermometers. I may have jumped the gun, however, as I'm not 100% sure how I'd get these into my Demijohns so I'd really know what temperature at which the fermentation process is occurring at. I was thinking about drilling a second hole in the bung, and was wondering if anyone had tried anything similar. If so, how would you recommend ensuring an air-tight seal again afterwards? I'm probably going to need to pass a good length of wire through the hole, so it can't be too tight, so I'll presumably need to seal it somehow afterwards.
I'm also trying to figure-out a way to monitor specific gravity electronically. It seems such sensors are hella expensive.
My initial thought was to weigh the Demijohn empty, measure the OG as per usual (I have a glass Hydrometer), fill the Demijohn to a known volume, and keep the Demijohn on an electronic scale. As we know the gravity of the solution, the volume, and the weight of the demijohn: we can calculate-away the non-soluable mass (raisins, orange
) leaving us with a solution weight that reduces as the carbon in the sugar becomes CO2 and ethanol. Of-course the problem with this is that the volume may change (Evapouration, etc) but that may be slow enough that I can monitor it manually or factor it out in some other way. Still, if I can get a load sensor circuit working to give me a digital input then I'd like to try it and see how the estimated FG result compares to the glass hydrometer's. Maybe a relationship could be established?
Cheers,
Li1t
This is my first post here, but I've read a few threads. I'm interested in making Mead, and will probably experiment with other wine-like liquids (fruit wines, like Strawberry. I'm not too interested in grape wine). My first batch (of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead) is underway. I just purchased a second Demijohn which I filled with a Lemon/Ginger wort this time.
I'm also a computer programmer by trade, mostly working in PHP but I've done some C++, Objective C (iPhone) and other languages. I was thinking about putting my recently-procured Raspberry Pi to work as a monitor for my small-time brewing.
I've ordered some electronic, waterproof, thermometers. I may have jumped the gun, however, as I'm not 100% sure how I'd get these into my Demijohns so I'd really know what temperature at which the fermentation process is occurring at. I was thinking about drilling a second hole in the bung, and was wondering if anyone had tried anything similar. If so, how would you recommend ensuring an air-tight seal again afterwards? I'm probably going to need to pass a good length of wire through the hole, so it can't be too tight, so I'll presumably need to seal it somehow afterwards.
I'm also trying to figure-out a way to monitor specific gravity electronically. It seems such sensors are hella expensive.
My initial thought was to weigh the Demijohn empty, measure the OG as per usual (I have a glass Hydrometer), fill the Demijohn to a known volume, and keep the Demijohn on an electronic scale. As we know the gravity of the solution, the volume, and the weight of the demijohn: we can calculate-away the non-soluable mass (raisins, orange
) leaving us with a solution weight that reduces as the carbon in the sugar becomes CO2 and ethanol. Of-course the problem with this is that the volume may change (Evapouration, etc) but that may be slow enough that I can monitor it manually or factor it out in some other way. Still, if I can get a load sensor circuit working to give me a digital input then I'd like to try it and see how the estimated FG result compares to the glass hydrometer's. Maybe a relationship could be established?Cheers,
Li1t
