Hydrometer Test Jar

[brew703]

Which is best? Glass or plastic.

 

[Pkrd]

For looking at or for dropping on the floor?

 

[brew703]

For looking at or for dropping on the floor?

Looking at of course

 

[flars]

The best one is the one that requires the least volume to float the hydrometer. No sense in losing a bottle or two of finished beer just to get good SG readings.

Glass will break if you drop it. Plastic will get scratched unless it is handled and stored carefully. If a plastic tube gets scratched by handling, or in storage, you'll probably end up breaking a glass tube even without dropping it.

I use the plastic tube the hydrometer was shipped in. It is narrow, but it doesn't take much to hold it so the hydrometer doesn't stick to the side.

An occasional cleaning and the plastic tubes offer a clear view for reading the hydrometer.

 

[ricshayne]

Doesn't matter

 

[zacster]

Plastic. Glass breaks, although I've broken a plastic one too. It isn't critical to the brewing process, only to taking a measurement, it doesn't need to be perfectly sanitized, just maybe at the top where my turkey baster may touch it while taking a sample (also plastic).

The only glass I use in my brewing are the carboy and the Ehrlenmeyer flask for starters. Note that both are where fermentation takes place and need to be clean and sanitized. Glass is best for that IMO.

 

[Komodo]

Ferment in buckets. No jar, no wine thief, no beer loss. Boom.

 

[HBngNOK]

Another recommendation for the (plastic) tube the hydrometer came in.

 

[brew703]

Plastic it is.
Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[BowAholic]

I just bought a wine thief that fills automatically as it's lowered. You can take a hydrometer reading right in it, and then touch the side of the carboy/bucket to let it drain smoothly back. It's easy to clean and means no more turkey baster for samples. It also costs less than my test jar did.

 

[Hobanon]

Second vote for testing in the bucket.

 

[SevenOaks]

I've broken two in the last month.
My next one will be plastic.

 

[hezagenius]

I test directly in the fermenter (bucket or big mouth bubbler). Way easier. Just sanitize it and drop it in.