No initial hydrometer reading

jc03 · Feb 2, 2014

I'm brewing a Racer 5 clone and I didn't get an initial hydrometer reading. I thought the case of the hydrometer was used to float it and it didn't work out. I already had it in the carboy when I found that out. What should I do? Do I need a large test tube to put the hydrometer in?

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carton132 · Feb 2, 2014

I use a cheap, plastic hydrometer tube or jar like this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...est-jar.html?gclid=CPKS_eL4rrwCFa4-Mgod3AYA0Q

I went with plastic to not worry about another thing to break. Works for me.

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dsaavedra · Feb 2, 2014

Right here buddy! http://www.midwestsupplies.com/fermenter-s-favorites-economy-hydrometer-test-jar.html

Use auto siphon, wine thief, or turkey baster (all sanitized of course) to take your sample.

kh54s10 · Feb 2, 2014

You can float the hydrometer directly in the wort if you wanted to.... and can get to where you can read it. Otherwise any clear cylinder that is deep enough to float it without wasting too much beer.

jc03 · Feb 2, 2014

Should try and take a reading now that I'm almost a day in and use it as the original gravity or just wait until I think fermentation is over and take a couple to see if it's done?

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DrunkleJon · Feb 2, 2014

Getting the OG isnt as important as the FG. True the OG will give you efficiency of your brewing process but that is not really an issue if you are using All Extract, less of an issue with Partial Mash, and with All Grain is much more of a factor. FG is most important because you want to be certain that fermentation is done before packaging.

As the others said, you can use the hydrometer tube (expect some drippage), or a thief or any other container that can hold wort. Additionally if you sanitize it well you can just drop the hydrometer in the bucket/carboy.

Painter · Feb 2, 2014

Don't worry. Not getting the initial gravity reading shouldn't have any effect on your final outcome. Yeah, you won't know your exact ABV, but does that really matter? I have forgotten to take initial gravity readings a couple of times now since starting to home brew two years ago. You can probably do a good job brewing without making any hydrometer readings at all...I have. That said, I like to make hydrometer readings, but looking back at all of my records I can't see any instance where knowing my hydrometer readings has made a bit of difference.