Love / Hate Relationship with my Tilt Hydrometer

[ryanj]

Let me start by saying I love gadgets. When I first learned about the Tilt, I simply had to have it. After 3-4 batches of use, I have to admit that either I've had bad luck, or this product just falls a bit short of what I was hoping for.

Like clockwork, all of my batches kick off fermentation hard and proceed to drop in SG for the first 48 hours. After that, the Tilt appears to level out (no pun intended) and progress slows. The odd thing is if I pull a sample and check with my refractometer (and do the alcohol correction), my Tilt is nowhere near accurate. I believe this is due to the fact that at about the 48 hour mark, the Tilt forms a crust of kraussen around the body, and causes future readings to be skewed.

My latest batch which I brewed on Sunday 12/23 is currently reading around 1.023-1.025 according to my Tilt: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...INOb1ju1uMMIh4x0OvcAhrF7E0/edit#gid=734290882

...but I just pulled a sample, read it with my refractometer, corrected for alcohol, and I'm showing it's actually around 1.018 (3 points away from target FG).

I'm frustrated. I want to love this product because it is cool, but if I'm still stuck pulling manual samples to get accurate readings, I'm not sure this product is really helping me all that much.

 

[RPh_Guy]

That pretty much sums up everything I've ever heard about it (I don't have one).

Some people say that even though the reading isn't accurate, it can still help determine when the FG is stable.

Seems more useful for wine/cider/mead without as much to interfere.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

It helps a little if you add manual calibration points, but your experience echos mine. I don't trust the reading as being accurate, but it is a good indicator of fermentation activity and when FG is reached (but not the actual FG itself).

 

[ryanj]

That pretty much sums up everything I've ever heard about it (I don't have one).

Some people say that even though the reading isn't accurate, it can still help determine when the FG is stable.

Seems more useful for wine/cider/mead without as much to interfere.

I've heard that if you just leave it alone, the Tilt will eventually "settle" out (even with a ring of crust around the body of the hydrometer), but it's been 24 hours of no movement and it's not showing any signs of settling.

I think I need to just accept that if I'm doing any dry hopping (at all), my Tilt is going to be useless.

 

[ryanj]

It helps a little if you add manual calibration points, but your experience echos mine. I don't trust the reading as being accurate, but it is a good indicator of fermentation activity and when FG is reached (but not the actual FG itself).

Calibration is one thing, but what I'm experiencing is a little different. For instance, I tossed the Tilt in and it was reading 1.053 OG. I checked with my manual hydrometer and refractometer and saw 1.056. So I just figured "alright..it's reading 3 points low...whatever."

That wouldn't be a big deal if the Tilt ALWAYS read 3 points low. It's like the product completely becomes useless after 48 hours of fermentation. Right now it's reading ~7-8 points HIGH.

 

[Derp]

Right now it's reading ~7-8 points HIGH.

I think you mean 5-7 points.

I just use mine to let me know when the gravity is stable. It's never seemed to be more than 2 or 3 points off. I find that my cheap refractometer does the same thing sometimes.

 

[ryanj]

I think you mean 5-7 points.

Correct, I did mean 5-7 points.

 

[ryanj]

...and of course, today it's bouncing between 1.017 and 1.019, so it looks like after 2 days, it's slowly getting to a more accurate/stable reading.

 

[micraftbeer]

I've got a couple of them, and love them. After being able to see when fermentation actually starts and figuring out if I need to bump up or drop down temperature, I can never go back. Here are my observations from my use:

1. Definitely calibrate it. Throw it in distilled water, and hit the Tare in Water button on the app. I then usually grab another data point from a starter around 1.040 and Add Calibration point in the app. I'm within 2 points of gravity whenever I've taken a manual sample. And if you change the battery, delete your old calibration and do the same thing again. Battery weight differs, and that changes things.

2. If you have a super active fermentation with a giant frothy head on top, I find this does make some noise in the readings until that calms down. But it still reads and shows gravity dropping.

3. When you throw dry hops in there, you can see how the top becomes a giant frothy goop. During that time, you will probably have less than accurate readings. If I dry hop, I usually do it once my gravity is finished dropping, so I ignore whatever readings get caused by the hop froth. NEIPA I do dry hop while gravity is still dropping, and on those, I just accept the reading is going to be off until the hops settle in.

4. Rapid temperature swings (up or down) give some flaky readings for a data point or two. So I don't get too excited thinking my gravity is changing rapidly as soon as I bump up the heat for a diacetyl rest, or start a cold crash.

 

[micraftbeer]

One other observation looking at your Tilt plot. If I saw the gravity start to flatten out like was happening there on Christmas morning around 11:00, I typically would've bumped up my temperature by a degree since it was only at 1.024. I like to see a continual drop in gravity and when it starts to flatten, I usually bump up the temperature to keep things moving. That typically doesn't happen until a couple days after fermentation starts, so it seems pretty safe that I've already established the primary fermentation flavor profile.

 

[dmtaylor]

How well do you trust your refractometer correction calculation? Which calculator do you use, and what correction factor? I have my own strong opinions about which calculator and correction factor is most accurate, which I will share if you like....... and in any case, a traditional hydrometer is the most accurate of all, not a refractometer (and certainly not a Tilt).

 

[ryanj]

One other observation looking at your Tilt plot. If I saw the gravity start to flatten out like was happening there on Christmas morning around 11:00, I typically would've bumped up my temperature by a degree since it was only at 1.024. I like to see a continual drop in gravity and when it starts to flatten, I usually bump up the temperature to keep things moving. That typically doesn't happen until a couple days after fermentation starts, so it seems pretty safe that I've already established the primary fermentation flavor profile.

Yeah, I bumped the temperature at about 16:00 when I added my first round of dry hops. When I did, I noticed there was still a healthy head of krausen (I ferment in an anvil bucket fermenter), which surprised me because of the flat trend.

I haven't taken a sample today, but I'm pretty sure the beer is sitting at about 1.015 - 1.017 (FG) even though the Tilt is reporting 1.021. At this point there's nothing really to do, so I'm just going to let it sit and pull a sample on Saturday before I add my 2nd round of dry hops.

 

[ryanj]

How well do you trust your refractometer correction calculation? Which calculator do you use, and what correction factor? I have my own strong opinions about which calculator and correction factor is most accurate, which I will share if you like....... and in any case, a traditional hydrometer is the most accurate of all, not a refractometer (and certainly not a Tilt).

I trust my refractometer and correction calculation down to about +/- 1 point. I've tested it on multiple batches and cross references with my trusty hydrometer. As long as I'm within a point of what it actually is, I call it good and move on with my day. I try ...very hard... not to obsess over fractions of points.

 

[dmtaylor]

I trust my refractometer and correction calculation down to about +/- 1 point. I've tested it on multiple batches and cross references with my trusty hydrometer. As long as I'm within a point of what it actually is, I call it good and move on with my day. I try ...very hard... not to obsess over fractions of points.

Good. I am super finicky with taking measurements as perfectly as possible, and I figure I'm still only good within 2 points. 1 point is not really possible without a hydrometer, and even then.... But, yeah.

Cheers.