Janx
Well-Known Member
You don't need a hydrometer to brew. I haven't owned a hydrometer since my first days of brewing, and then only because I was reading books and they act like you need one.
I have taught a lot of people how to brew and it never involved a hydrometer.
When beer is fermenting, it bubbles. When it stops, it's done. There is no need to take samples and worry and fret over it. It's done when it's done.
There is no problem waiting too long to bottle or keg. There is no need to bottle on the very first day it is finished.
I see no advantage and a lot of potential risk to doing something like taking samples to see if your beer is done. A taste is a more reliable method. If you simply must worry about the gravity, take samples when you are already racking. It's really a bad idea to take samples just for the heck of it.
Here's what I do:
1) Make beer. Put in primary.
2) 5-7 days later (when I have time), rack to a secondary.
3) Let it sit in the secondary until the bubbling stops and the yeast settles.
4) Keg or bottle when you have time, but letting it sit a few weeks will hurt nothing, and help the flavor a lot.
See how absolutely no hydrometer was needed? I grant that some folks may want to keep track of those numbers, and that's fine, but it is not necessary, and it certainly isn't worth the risk of taking needless samples, that risk infection and waste beer.
So unless you really like keeping track of gravity, throw away your hydrometer. I don't know why the books emphasize it so much, but no one I know uses one, and I know folks who brew a LOT of good beer. It'll just make you worry about something extra if you're getting started. Instead focus on good sanitation, and your beer will be great.
Janx
I have taught a lot of people how to brew and it never involved a hydrometer.
When beer is fermenting, it bubbles. When it stops, it's done. There is no need to take samples and worry and fret over it. It's done when it's done.
There is no problem waiting too long to bottle or keg. There is no need to bottle on the very first day it is finished.
I see no advantage and a lot of potential risk to doing something like taking samples to see if your beer is done. A taste is a more reliable method. If you simply must worry about the gravity, take samples when you are already racking. It's really a bad idea to take samples just for the heck of it.
Here's what I do:
1) Make beer. Put in primary.
2) 5-7 days later (when I have time), rack to a secondary.
3) Let it sit in the secondary until the bubbling stops and the yeast settles.
4) Keg or bottle when you have time, but letting it sit a few weeks will hurt nothing, and help the flavor a lot.
See how absolutely no hydrometer was needed? I grant that some folks may want to keep track of those numbers, and that's fine, but it is not necessary, and it certainly isn't worth the risk of taking needless samples, that risk infection and waste beer.
So unless you really like keeping track of gravity, throw away your hydrometer. I don't know why the books emphasize it so much, but no one I know uses one, and I know folks who brew a LOT of good beer. It'll just make you worry about something extra if you're getting started. Instead focus on good sanitation, and your beer will be great.
Janx