New brewers - stop worrying about gravity readings

[GABrewboy]

Hmmm......know what!! I just feel stupid now, cause when I took the reading the wort was at about 165.....so with the adjusted temp, the gravity was about 1.053 and the original should have been about 1.055......so I am about dead on......Not bad for first AG try.......

 

[robmee]

I think they suck..... . I always find a way to break those flimsy little hydrometers.

 

[El Pistolero]

Hmmm......know what!! I just feel stupid now, cause when I took the reading the wort was at about 165.....so with the adjusted temp, the gravity was about 1.053 and the original should have been about 1.055......so I am about dead on......Not bad for first AG try.......

So you just did your first AG batch, and until just now you didn't know how to read an hydrometer? Proof positive, Janx is right! Throw out those hydrometers boys.

 

[woodstone]

Wow. First tread I've read and really laughed my arse off...HARD! Lots of sensitive people here...chill out, it's a freakin hobby...do what works for you and enjoy! Janx, cheers, brother... ...! ...and down with HYDROS!

 

[El Pistolero]

Wow. First tread I've read and really laughed my arse off...HARD!

Well, either you're not going back far enough, or you're not drinking enough.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Like I've said before...do whatever works for you.

Word of warning though, don't ask me a stupid question like "why are my bottles exploding?" ...chances are that if you used a hydrometer it would never happen to you.

I'm done with this thread.

 

[woodstone]

you're not drinking enough

...AND CHEERS TO YOU AS WELL! I've added you to my "favorites list". Funny she-ight! ! !

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

Word of warning though, don't ask me a stupid question like "why are my bottles exploding?" ...chances are that if you used a hydrometer it would never happen to you.

I'm done with this thread.

Thanks for the warning, I won't!

 

[GABrewboy]

Think I might just drop the $50 and get a refractometer.....or however you spell that thing..... Those seem to be about mindless when reading the gravity!! Just what I need when brewing and drinking at the sametime.......

 

[SWMBO]

Without taking hydrometer readings, you have no particular excuse to sample your beer.

'nuff said.

 

[El Pistolero]

Without taking hydrometer readings, you have no particular excuse to sample your beer.

'nuff said.

Why do you need an excuse?

 

[djmd]

Why do you need an excuse?

Exactly what I was thinking.

I've only brewed about 12 batches so far (hey, that's almost 2 barrels!) and I don't use one. Never have. I remember opening it on on my first batch and looking at those crappy instructions, and thinkin' "damn, do I HAVE to use this?" Ever since, it's been quietly sitting on my fridge until I go commercial Out of the 600 or so bottles I've filled, I've had no bombs.

 

[smorris]

I must be the exception. I use the hydro at every step of the process, document the readings and graph the results so I can compare from batch to batch. Must be all the money spent on engineering school trying to assert itself.

 

[uglygoat]

every post in this thread proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt that folks use or disuse, like/dislike of the hydrometer is clearly split between left and right brain/type a type b personality traits.

 

[El Pistolero]

every post in this thread proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt that folks use or disuse, like/dislike of the hydrometer is clearly split between left and right brain/type a type b personality traits.

Obviously...but which is which?

 

[uglygoat]

type a personalities and left brainers use the hydro... type b and right brainers tend not to use the hydro..

left brain traits...

uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

Type A personality generally refers to hard workers who are often preoccupied with schedules and the speed of their performance.

right brain....



uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believing
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

Type B personalities may be more creative, imaginative, and philosophical

of course there's always exceptions and alot of middle ground/grey area, bearing in mind i'm also a quack...

 

[El Pistolero]

Well that explains it I guess...I'm a right brainer with severe LBD (left brain disorder)...or is it the other way around. I use an hydrometer...but I feel very dirty doing so.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I'm proud to be a user.. .

I'm also a middle of the brain roader...whatever that is .

 

[Blaine]

Without taking hydrometer readings, you have no particular excuse to sample your beer.

'nuff said.

If you are still using a hydro for "testing", then presumably you are still at primary or early secondary stage which beggs the question....
Why would you want to be drinking/sampling "green" beer anyway ... Sick puppy....

 

[Johnwongfat]

I've seen several references to the difficulty of taking a sample and the risk of contamination. Am I the only one that brews in buckets for a primary? This makes it extremely easy to grab samples for hydrometer readings (which I use for every batch if anyone cares) or to transfer to a secondary or bottling bucket when the need or desire strikes me. I know some people are concerned about oxidation with this approach but I have had no problems as of yet with that. I am still relatively new to this so any opinions would be much appreciated.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Well I fit mostly under the left brain group but I hardly ever use a hydro. I have tried to get into the habit but I get rushed some times finding time to brew and don't always have the hydro or my thief sanitized so I bypass taking a reading. Since I also seem to have a lot of patience, at least when it comes to brewing. I let my beer sit in the secondary for longer than most( I do a lot of lagers) I have never had a problem with bombs. I also don't do a lot of big beers so I haven't had a stuck fermentation yet either. Homebrewing is a very personal hobby. People brew what they like, how they like, which is the way it should be. If you are making good beer that you like to drink then the how you got it done, in my opinion, is not that big of a deal.

Merry Christmas

 

[homebrewer_99]

If you are still using a hydro for "testing", then presumably you are still at primary or early secondary stage which beggs the question....
Why would you want to be drinking/sampling "green" beer anyway ... Sick puppy....

Actually, I've been brewing since '93. I sample and write down the data for my records. I also taste the samples. I take my samples with a thief and place the contents into the plastic tube to take measurements/readings because I am curious. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Tony]

Actually, I've been brewing since '93. I sample and write down the data for my records. I also taste the samples. I take my samples with a thief and place the contents into the plastic tube to take measurements/readings because I am curious. There's nothing wrong with that.

I myself sample the progress when taking readings, as well as when tranfering to secondary or keg. And I tell you what, tasting the "green beer" is a very good way to track how everything is going with your process. I sample from run off, to after the boil, to primary, to secondary, to keg and Im able to see whats what. Especially if you ever make any mistakes on a batch, you will know. Ive had only two batches go bad so far, and found out they were bad in the primary after taking a reading and sampling. So its definately not for enjoyment.

 

[rewster451]

I use a hydrometer before I pitch yeast, when I rack, and when I bottle. I think these are very appropriate times to use one. I never decide to bottle until about two weeks after the bubbles stop. I take gravities to know ABV%.
I think the root of what Janx is saying is that new brewers sometimes get kind of insane about hydrometer readings and don't pay attention to what really matters: is the yeast done working? I've seen a lot of posts where people freak out about hydro readings and they don't say anything about the beer bubbling, or yeast sediment, or taste, or anything else that could tell you just as much without doing a lot of unnecessary math.
Use the hydrometer, but don't rely on it, and don't use it when it's not appropriate.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I use a hydrometer before I pitch yeast, when I rack, and when I bottle. I think these are very appropriate times to use one. I never decide to bottle until about two weeks after the bubbles stop. I take gravities to know ABV%.
I think the root of what Janx is saying is that new brewers sometimes get kind of insane about hydrometer readings and don't pay attention to what really matters: is the yeast done working? I've seen a lot of posts where people freak out about hydro readings and they don't say anything about the beer bubbling, or yeast sediment, or taste, or anything else that could tell you just as much without doing a lot of unnecessary math.
Use the hydrometer, but don't rely on it, and don't use it when it's not appropriate.

I agree with you...and Janx on the readings, but knowing how to use a hydrometer has not gone the way of the slide scale. I don't read bubbles divided by seconds - you just might have a stuck fermentation. I prefer knowing the gravity and temp when determining when to bottle.

 

[Beer Snob]

As I recall when I brewed, I can say I never really bottled when I got a specific hydrometer reading. I used it to aproximate alcohol content. Once I had a stuck fermentation. A hydrometer reading really helps with this since sometimes you just dont know if its stuck or just done sooner then you thought it would be.

 

[homebrewer_99]

True, but if you are brewing a clone or within a style and know the target FG range you want to make sure you are on target and not bottle early.

 

[ericlecarde]

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.

 

[rustym]

If I'm going to take on an endeavor, I want to learn how to do things right. After I learn something, then whatever shorcuts I take will be the result of my understanding of the process and what can be done (or not done) to still produce good results.

When you go learn how to fly a plane, they teach you how each instrument works so that when you have a problem, you can know how to compensate or correct. They don't teach you to just "disregard your altimeter, you can see how high up you are"!

Learn your equipment or you'll always only do a half-a@#$ job.

 

[optimatored]

i can agree that you do not NEED to take a gravity reading but it is so helpful !!

with extract I did not care as much about the OG/FG, but will all-grain, I think it is almost a must to take gravity readings.

I want to know how close I was to the recipe and my 'estimated' OG based on my efficiency... this way I can tweak the recipe up/down based on the gravity. The FG is just to know the ABV, that's about it...