Hydometer reading question?

[Jtd6628]

After fermenting my beer for two weeks I got ready to bottle my beer so I took a fg reading when I drop the hydrometer in the cylinder I use for testing it sank? Why would this be?

 

[bratrules]

What was the gravity reading? did read 1.000 cause if it did some thing is wrong with your Hydrometer.

 

[unionrdr]

Do you mean it sank all the way to the bottom? If so,it's sprung a leak. At the least,maybe you didn't put enough beer in the sample tube.

 

[Jtd6628]

It sank to the bottom and it is not broken it Is floating in water right now

 

[Ryush806]

When you say it sank, did the beer completely cover the hydrometer? That would mean that you managed to ferment down below 1.000. We would need recipe details to figure out if that might be possible. It could also be due to an infection of something that can eat some of the sugars the regular brewer's yeast can't.

If the beer didn't cover the hydrometer competely, you just didn't get enough beer into the tube.

 

[Jtd6628]

It was completely covered by the beer. Oh no an infection i have drank about two of them now and they taste not good but not bad like undrinkable it finishes with a bite of metal a little the aroma and front taste is good. If infected is it bad to drink it?

 

[craig_reed]

This has happened to me... my guess is you didn't put enough beer in your testing vessel. I know you say it was covered completely, but fill up your vessell to within an inch of the top with your beer sample.

Place the hydrometer in the sample, spin it, and you should be fine.

If it does truly sink to the bottom like a rock, as the others said, you either have a leaky hydrometer, or your beer is infected.

 

[ajf]

Or the other possibility is that your cylinder is too narrow and the hydrometer sticks to the side of the cylinder preventing it from floating freely.

-a.

 

[Jtd6628]

Is it ok to drink infected beer?

 

[twelvelookslikex]

You made wizard beer

 

[Brew_4iT]

Or the other possibility is that your cylinder is too narrow and the hydrometer sticks to the side of the cylinder preventing it from floating freely.

-a.

I was going to say this, usually happens to me try spinning it like a top when you drop it in. I find it gives a more accurate reading when it's done spinning... not too hard though

 

[Ryush806]

Is it ok to drink infected beer?

Depends on what it is infected with. Some people "infect" their beer on purpose to produce interesting flavors that you can't get with normal brewer's yeast. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I'd imagine if it doesn't taste terrible it's ok. You said you've already drank a couple? Any ill effects? If no it's probably ok to drink.

 

[Jtd6628]

Yeah they have been bottled two weeks as of yesterday and they are drinkable but they don't taste very good. No I'll effects after drinking three last night to celebrate the hurricane so I guess they will be dranked. The after taste is a little metallic and even less vinegar but it is there. Will these after taste fade with time?

 

[Esmitee]

Hey how did you make out there with Irene? Im up the coast in South NJ?/

 

[Esmitee]

 

[Jtd6628]

I am about 45 miles inland and right now at 6:45 in morning it is still a constant 45 mph wind with sideways rain lots of noise about 5 inches of rain so far. The wind is spouse to get worse from 1 to 4 in the afternoon today. See one toppled pine tree in the woods to the right of my house must of happened while I slept. Still have power so I think if we can make it until 5 today it will be ok

 

[Chia]

I would relax and let it age longer, if after 3-4 weeks in the bottle it still tastes bad then you might not want to drink it. I have found, after much restraint, that the longer i let it sit the better. i have a very creamy fat tire clone chilling in the frige. while it is drinkable, i have to control my desire to drink it knowing that it will get better. good luck!

 

[Jtd6628]

Yeah thanks for all the replies I am going to let them set another to weeks and see how they taste and next time not use that graduated cylinder to measure my fg

 

[Esmitee]

I am about 45 miles inland and right now at 6:45 in morning it is still a constant 45 mph wind with sideways rain lots of noise about 5 inches of rain so far. The wind is spouse to get worse from 1 to 4 in the afternoon today. See one toppled pine tree in the woods to the right of my house must of happened while I slept. Still have power so I think if we can make it until 5 today it will be ok

OH good so you made out ok.. Thats a good thing! 12 hours after you posted It almost here now. I live right on the coast 1/2 mile in. They want us to evac. we'r staying and try to ride it out! we are 23 ABSL soo I dont think we will get flooded. Thanks and sorry about putting this in your thread.!