Official Broken Hydrometer Count

[balrog]

When you can do a digital refractometer for 120, count me out.

 

[sweetcell]

When you can do a digital refractometer for 120, count me out.

even digital refracts can't give an accurate reading as soon as alcohol is present. any correction you make via a calculation will be an estimate, a best guess. true precision requires a hydrometer.

ok, enough of this ... anyone broken a hydrometer lately?

 

[CJ-3]

2597
.

Took 6 years but I broke my first hydrometer tonight while cleaning up.

2,598 is the new total

Do I get some kind of a badge now? Some type of badge of shame perhaps?

 

[501irishred]

Took 6 years but I broke my first hydrometer tonight while cleaning up.

2,598 is the new total

Do I get some kind of a badge now? Some type of badge of shame perhaps?

The only shame is that it took you six years! What took you so long? Welcome to the club!

 

[bracconiere]

Took 6 years but I broke my first hydrometer tonight while cleaning up.

2,598 is the new total

Do I get some kind of a badge now? Some type of badge of shame perhaps?

lol, yes you do...

but of honor, not shame, i had to throw one on the floor because i didn't like the way it looked at me...

 

[corkybstewart]

even digital refracts can't give an accurate reading as soon as alcohol is present. any correction you make via a calculation will be an estimate, a best guess. true precision requires a hydrometer.

ok, enough of this ... anyone broken a hydrometer lately?

QA pro brewer friend gave me an FG hydrometer years ago, it's the perfect way to accurately know when my beer is finished. It survived our move last year so I can't wait to use it again soon.

 

[balrog]

I love my FG hydrometer.
I will not speak of the evil gravity here, as the hydrometer will know.

 

[deeve007]

2,598 + 2 = 2,600

I broke my first one a couple of weeks ago after just a couple of months of brewing, said to myself, "Be careful, they're far more delicate than you thought..."

I then broke my new one after a week, putting something on top of it in my brewing equipment box. Doh!!

Have my third one wrapped on cotton wool now (literally), hoping my clumsy self can get at least a few months life out of it...

 

[brewbama]

2,598 + 2 = 2,600

Add another for me today. Reaching for a clamp to hold the water hose in the fermenter for clean up and I dropped it. It bounced around and hit everything in the brewery. ...including the hydrometer flask containing the beer I just pulled to get a final finish gravity.

2,600 + 1 = 2,601

 

[bracconiere]

Add another for me today. Reaching for a clamp to hold the water hose in the fermenter for clean up and I dropped it. It bounced around and hit everything in the brewery. ...including the hydrometer flask containing the beer I just pulled to get a final finish gravity.

2,600 + 1 = 2,601

being that liking your post would be inappropriate, i'll just hold my head low...please a moment of silence...

(but i can crack a joke)

 

[VirginiaHops1]

I broke my first one in 1.5 years of brewing a couple weeks ago. Knocked it off a shelf in it's plastic sleeve but it fell like 5 feet onto concrete so I knew it was a goner.

2,602

 

[Mentalflikdid1]

2603 lost my first one on my third brew.

 

[Hophunter]

Broke my first tonight after 15 yrs, 50 ish brews. She was off by 0.002 so I guess the time was right.

 

[BrewMan13]

Resurrecting to say I broke my 2nd ever hydrometer last brewday. I wanted to get the same one again since it was nice and packaged well (and is a veteran owned business), but it almost doubled in price in 2 years, so got a generic one from the LHBS.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Resurrecting to say I broke my 2nd ever hydrometer last brewday. I wanted to get the same one again since it was nice and packaged well (and is a veteran owned business), but it almost doubled in price in 2 years, so got a generic one from the LHBS.

I'm curious what was the brand name of the one you broke?

 

[BrewMan13]

I'm curious what was the brand name of the one you broke?

Brewing America:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LK2LSP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[wsmith1625]

Had my original hydrometer break today. I don't know what I was thinking, but I shook off the StarSan while holding the thin part. It served me well for 6 years.

2605 + 1
2606

Ordered this one today.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydrometer-Triple-Alcohol-testing-Homebrewing/dp/B01DAE3LKS

 

[OldDogBrewing]

2 and I stopped buying them, I still have a spare one but I go with the refractometer and maths now, I can't break maths yet hahahah

Apparently the total count is now 2606 + 2 which makes 2608 broken hydrometers

 

[MrKristof]

Broken mine today, such a silly way of breaking it too. I usually keep it in a protective plastic tube, that opens on both ends. So I opened one end, took the hydrometer out, opened the other end of the tube for some reason and just slid the hydro through the tube thinking it was closed at the other end... Glad I took the hydrometer reading first though, gonna have to go buy another one.

Total count - 2608+1
Total - 2609

 

[OldDogBrewing]

Broken mine today, such a silly way of breaking it too. I usually keep it in a protective plastic tube, that opens on both ends. So I opened one end, took the hydrometer out, opened the other end of the tube for some reason and just slid the hydro through the tube thinking it was closed at the other end... Glad I took the hydrometer reading first though, gonna have to go buy another one.

Total count - 2608+1
Total - 2609

I broke my second one by leaving in the countertop and it decided to roll over and fall to the floor in a completely flat countertop hahaha
And the first one was that I was measuring a 40°C hot wort and when I grabbed the hydrometer I was left with the thin part in my hand and the fat one floating around in the tube hahaha the cut was super clean so it was pretty safe, I can't imagine if it had exploded in my hand or something like that

 

[zacster]

I tempted fate by leaving mine in the dish drainer through the washing of dinner dishes by my very clumsy wife. It is still in one piece.

 

[wsmith1625]

Never broken one, but I have a question. Is that paper scale anchored in any way other than it being rolled up and pressed against the inside of the glass? what's to keep it from shifting? How do I check the calibration of mine to make sure the paper hasn't moved?

I believe the paper in my magic glass wand is held in place with fairy dust or clear glue. I'm leaning towards clear glue, but I don't know for sure. Either way, it works and the paper never slides around so I can trust it on brew day.

To calibrate it, check the calibration temperature printed on the paper in the tube, typically 60 or 68 degrees. Then fill your test tube with distilled water at that temperature. Your hydrometer should read 1.000. I calibrated mine with tap water and it worked just fine.

If it doesn't read 1.000 all is not lost. Change the temperature of your water until it reads 1.000. That is the new temperature that your hydrometer is calibrated at.

Also, on brew day you don't have to get your wort to 60 degrees, or whatever the temperature your hydrometer is calibrated at. You can use a calculate to adjust it for the temperature of your wort.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

 

[wsmith1625]

zero, but I wish this one would break. it's 2 points off and i keep forgetting that fact...

Keep your hydrometer, just change the calibration temperature. Find what temperature it reads 1.000 and there's your new calibration temp.

 

[wsmith1625]

I just replied to 2 ten year old posts... DOH!

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

I just replied to 2 ten year old posts... DOH!

Rise, ancient and dusty forum thread! RISE!

 

[wsmith1625]

Rise, ancient and dusty forum thread! RISE!View attachment 705208

Hahaha! My hydrometer wisdom is worth waiting 10 years for.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[LokiM4]

Rise, ancient and dusty forum thread! RISE!View attachment 705208

Brewing Deadites? I need to call Ashy Slashy

 

[bracconiere]

i know it says official in the title but, is this the real "busted hydrometer"?


i had my precision plain form in the dish rack, and was putting a few plates in, i swear i just brushed against it. DEAD! $30 down the trash can

i don't see a tally? so i'm guessing this isn't the thread i was looking for......

 

[day_trippr]

It is - and the running count was 2609 one page back...

Cheers!