Looking for SUGESTIONS

[Redpappy]

I am on a budget. But plan on either saving in bulk, or buy things as I go. I plan on eventually doing EBIAB, in my future basement ( building a home, which should be done in about 6 months)So far I bought a SB Custom BIAB Kettle ( got it last week and have not even used it yet),along with all the plugs and caps minus one spot which I got a 3 valve and hose, along with a new wort chiller. I do have a burner right now, as well as my bag, a hydrometer. So I have the basics. I got curios, so I checked amazon and see that a refactrometer is roughly $23.00. I’m also looking at a pump ( think it’s the MKII, that I was looking at.) I’m not sure if I should go ahead and get a cheap refractrometer now or wait till I get a pump. If I go with a pump that will have to wait for at least another month, or longer. Depending on how upset the wife gets. The list of items I need seems to be growing.

Question is really, should I go ahead and get a cheap 23.00 refractometer or hold off and get a pump.

This is strictly for personally suggestions, I do realize really is up to me, and do expect/hope for multiple suggestions.

 

[beermanpete]

Spend the $23 on a hydrometer and sample jar. The refractometer is not very good for finished beer due to the alcohol.

 

[Redpappy]

Spend the $23 on a hydrometer and sample jar. The refractometer is not very good for finished beer due to the alcohol.

what would the jar be? I do realize the refractrometer would be strictly for before fermentation.

 

[beermanpete]

what would the jar be? I do realize the refractrometer would be strictly for before fermentation.

The sample jar is simply a tall thin container designed to hold the hydrometer and a small volume of the beer or wort.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/hydrometer-jar-115.html

 

[BrewInspector]

Often the hydrometer comes in a clear tube that can be used in place of a separate sample tube.

 

[Owly055]

In almost 200 brews, I almost never used a hydrometer............

H.W.

 

[BrewInspector]

In almost 200 brews, I almost never used a hydrometer............

H.W.

Actually I have a similar practice.
With over 100 brews I am not interested in my mash efficiency and knowing my alcohol content.

Lately I have taken absolutely no readings. No 1st running readings, preboil gravity, post boil SG, fermentation progress readings, FG readings.

But then most of mine are of similar composition and go through an expected process.

 

[Owly055]

Actually I have a similar practice.
With over 100 brews I am not interested in my mash efficiency and knowing my alcohol content.

Lately I have taken absolutely no readings. No 1st running readings, preboil gravity, post boil SG, fermentation progress readings, FG readings.

But then most of mine are of similar composition and go through an expected process.

I didn't want to confess, but I often have refrained from taking any FG reading also, for exactly the same reasons. Though I usually took OG readings, not that it really mattered. I know what my efficiency runs, so an OG reading really isn't necessary either, except that I did various kinds of mashes from 15 minutes to many hours.... starting the mash and going off to work for the afternoon.
When fermenting in glass as I did, one soon learns to judge the stages of fermentation. The exception of course being when one is using certain yeasts that are known to stall, or making very high ABV brews. When doing the latter, a hydro is the solution of course.
My most interesting brewing experiment was a continuous brew in a 7 gallon Fast Ferment using Sigmunds Voss Kviek yeast. 2 gallons of wort was removed every week, and two gallons of boiling hot wort added, maintaining a constant 6 gallons. I pulled off the yeast prior to adding the hot wort, allowed it to cool down to pitch temp, and tossed the yeast back in. It went very well. I initially changed up the hops gradually, but ultimately found that dry hopping my secondary.... the two gallons I removed, was the best strategy. I ran this for 20 brews.... 40 gallons of beer, and never had anything but excellent beer............ The Kviek yeast is great. It has a high temp tolerance without developing off flavors on either end of the temp spectrum. In 20 brews on the continuous brew system, I never once took an FG. Secondary ran 7 days, which was long enough to tone down the dry hops.

H.W.

 

[BrewInspector]

Now that is interesting. A couple gallons of something new each week perpetually changing yet still the same. Tell us more.

So you would do a mash of various grains for a 2 gallon wort collection each week. Boil that and do an altered hop addition each time. Or was it a regimented grain and hop schedule that was repeated each time?

 

[mongoose33]

If you want to understand brewing, the ability to reproduce or change recipes and understand what happened to what and why, I think you should get a hydrometer. If you want to calculate ABV, you need one. And if you want to ensure that fermentation is complete, you need one.

I'm not sure why it would cost $23 though. Are you not in the US?

My local homebrew store shows a hydrometer cylinder for $3.50. A hydrometer is $5.95.

 

[Redpappy]

I have a hydrometer and cylinder, but I do not have a refractometer. Right now I have been using my hydrometer to check my pre boil gravity, but I’m usually half way through my boil by the time I get it cooled down enough to check. I have seen on you tube videos where people check gravity with the refractometer without having to cool the wort.

The question being asked is, which would be more beneficial to me, a refractometer or a pump.

 

[mongoose33]

I have a hydrometer and cylinder, but I do not have a refractometer. Right now I have been using my hydrometer to check my pre boil gravity, but I’m usually half way through my boil by the time I get it cooled down enough to check. I have seen on you tube videos where people check gravity with the refractometer without having to cool the wort.

The question being asked is, which would be more beneficial to me, a refractometer or a pump.

OK, somehow I misread that. Sorry about that.

RE: Pump. Do you have the capability to whirlpool? What would be your interest in a pump? What could you do with that which you cannot do now?

I personally like my refractometer. I can check--easily--the gravity as my mash proceeds, it's easy to check OG, there's not a chance in hades I'd go back to a hydrometer.

 

[BrewInspector]

Beneficial? Depends on the route you want to take.

A refractometer does allow for quick results with no temp adjustments. Plus it uses a miniscule amount of wort rather than the larger amount needed for the hydrometer.

Problem with it is that once alcohol is present it becomes nearly useless. There are conversion methods for taking readings with a refractometer after fermentation. Then of course there are adjustments for using a hydrometer at various temps.

How do you see the pump changing your system? Does it improve your brew day? Are there other costs to adding the pump you hadn't thought of?

While I rarely use either my hydrometer or refractometer right now, I did use them to learn my system and the process. I don't have a pump and am comfortable with my 3 tier system. Might be nice not needing to lift water to my hot liquor tank.

 

[Redpappy]

OK, somehow I misread that. Sorry about that.

RE: Pump. Do you have the capability to whirlpool? What would be your interest in a pump? What could you do with that which you cannot do now?

I personally like my refractometer. I can check--easily--the gravity as my mash proceeds, it's easy to check OG, there's not a chance in hades I'd go back to a hydrometer.

no biggie, if you read through some of the other responses they misread it as well.

As for my set up. My kettle has the capability for whirl pooling as well as circulation. I have 2 valves, but only 1 pick up tube ( sidekick up from SB) due to my budget I had to plug all the holes except for one. My plan is to go go EBIAB, so I purchased the kettle so that all i had to do was add the miscellaneous parts.

I’m still fairly new to brewing, and so far have only done 3 1 gal batches of BIAB. I still need to work on dialing in my new system.