New brewers - stop worrying about gravity readings

[tjp68]

The truth is really somewhere in the middle.

1) You do not need a hydrometer to make tasty homebrew. Patience and good sanitation is far more important.
2) It is an integral part of the hobby for folks who want to know the efficiency of their process, and for people who brew competitively.
3) It's good to own a hydrometer and understand how to use it.
4) It's good to use a hydrometer if you are a new brewer. Until you get a feel for the fermentation process, it CAN help you avoid bottle bombs.

All IMO, of course.

 

[sudsmcgee]

Wow, zombie thread walking here...

I personally want to know the alcohol content of beer I'm drinking so that I know when/if I can drive if I need to after having 2-3 beers. It's kinda hard to do when you have no idea how much ABV is in your beers. I never go by the "I feel ok to drive" concept because I can't tell you how many times I've seen completely hammered people think they're OK to drive.

Of course, at home with no plans to go out it doesn't matter so much, but I still like knowing the ABV of my beers.

 

[r8rphan]

Wow, zombie thread walking here...

I personally want to know the alcohol content of beer I'm drinking so that I know when/if I can drive if I need to after having 2-3 beers. It's kinda hard to do when you have no idea how much ABV is in your beers. I never go by the "I feel ok to drive" concept because I can't tell you how many times I've seen completely hammered people think they're OK to drive.

Of course, at home with no plans to go out it doesn't matter so much, but I still like knowing the ABV of my beers.

Spend 15 or 20 bucks and get yourself a pocket breathalizer... Personally, I don't drive after drinking 'any' alcohol... Not worth it.. I make sure that I'm where I'm going to stay if I drink.. Which means I usually do it at home, unless someone else is driving...

BTW, your metabolism changes from hour to hour, so knowing the ABV of the beer your drinking doesn't really tell you much.. How you feel, tells you more, but that can be misleading too...

Regarding hydrometers... I'm phasing them out.. Because seeing that I tend to have a couple beers when I brew, I tend to forget that step anyways...

I do want to measure my runnings from the tun though, so that I can get an idea of how to improve my efficiency or adjust my grain bill.. But once I dial my system in completely, I plan to run more and more by the seat of my pants.. I want it to be 'automatic'.... That's where you get consistency.. The more steps you add in the process, the harder and longer it takes to get 'your method' down to an art form...

I did the mash last night for my second AG brew (which I'll be brewing today).. Because of the having a couple beers factor, I forgot to vourlauf the second and third runnings... I don't know what that will do to the beer... I'm guessing nothing, or at the worst affect clarity.. But whatever, as long as I am anal about sanitation, and ferment at the right temp and give it plenty of time to finish.. it will be beer, and it will be tasty...

Anyways, I'll be checking the gravity of the wort before I pour all 13 gallons back into the kettle, just so I know my mash efficiency.. After I have done a half dozen AG brews, I'll know what adjustments to make.. and after three or four more, I'll probably put the hydro away until I get into lagers....

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

The truth is really somewhere in the middle.

I agree. If I had an pound of hops for every post on this board that says "The only way to tell if fermentation has stopped is to take a hydrometer reading. Otherwise you risk bottle bombs." I could trade the leftover hops for grain and yeast and never buy brewing supplies again.

But I do usually measure my wort before and after boiling.

 

[KayaBrew]

I still use a hydro from time to time for different reasons. For beginners I really think its a must in order to learn about them especially if glass bottling. If you plan to get serious about brewing learn the importance of the gravity of your beer!. Better safe than sorry. I cant believe this thread died so long ago. Ha.

Congrats on digging up a 6 YEAR OLD THREAD.

By the way, the no hydrometer thing is terrible advice.

 

[woodstone]

Congrats on digging up a 6 YEAR OLD THREAD.

Yep. Hmph.

 

[smiths9312]

I rarely use one. But they have their place. If you are all grain, it's good to know your efficiency, but it isn't necessary.

However, there are beers...like Saisons that are known for being slow to finish. To avoid bottle bombs, if you are using a finicky yeast, you should check to make sure the beer is finished.