Tilt hydrometers

[wterry]

Does a Tilt hydrometer fit into a standard glass 6 gal carboy? Anyone use it in one? Considering the purchase.

I read that the RAPT PILL is too large.

 

[Jag75]

I used one in a plastic 6g carboy once . Never had a glass one so I can't say for certain.

 

[day_trippr]

Tilt Pro Mini is claimed to be a mere 29mm in diameter and as shown will apparently fit through the neck of a 6.5 gallon Italian glass carboy - at least.
https://tilthydrometer.com/products/tilt-pro-mini-hydrometer-and-thermometer

I ferment in six of those exact carboys - with their 29.8mm neck IDs - that I've used for 20 years now and when the Mini came out my inner engineer was sorely tempted. Then I remembered I've been brewing for 20 years without one

Cheers!

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I have no issues with my tilts fitting into any of my fermenter glass or plastic. You should be good.

 

[day_trippr]

Indeed, the "regular" Tilt claims a max outside diameter of 28.6mm. That would squeak through the neck of my one 5 gallon classic ribbed glass carboy (that I frankly haven't used in maybe 16 years now?) with its 29mm nominal neck ID, as well as my well-used 6.5 gallon smooth sided glass.

Otoh, Tilt Pro is 43mm max outside diameter. Not fitting in any glass carboy that I know of...

Cheers!

 

[hotbeer]

I'd figure out what standard your "standard" 6 gallon carboy is made too.

There are probably so many of them that just measuring yours will give the answer quicker.

Some or many glass carboys can be slightly narrower in the throat. So don't just measure the opening. And realize that since they are blown, they might not be perfectly round either.

 

[Jag75]

Maybe it's time to get a different fv . Those glass ones have caused some serious injuries. Then you can pull the trigger on a tilt with confidence.

 

[wterry]

Maybe it's time to get a different fv . Those glass ones have caused some serious injuries. Then you can pull the trigger on a tilt with confidence.

There are many choices for fermenters. I went with the glass because it just seemed the better way to go for several reasons. Granted, accidents are bad things with glass.
Stainless steel fermenters are rather expensive so it seems the alternative for me would be a plastic one.
Suggestions?

 

[wterry]

Tilt Pro Mini is claimed to be a mere 29mm in diameter and as shown will apparently fit through the neck of a 6.5 gallon Italian glass carboy - at least.
https://tilthydrometer.com/products/tilt-pro-mini-hydrometer-and-thermometer

I ferment in six of those exact carboys - with their 29.8mm neck IDs - that I've used for 20 years now and when the Mini came out my inner engineer was sorely tempted. Then I remembered I've been brewing for 20 years without one

View attachment 862578

Cheers!

Well, me too, I insulate and tape a thermoworks alarm gauge to the outside of the glass carboy and that is how measure the beer temp. I use a chest freezer and an inkbird to control the ambient temp inside the freezer to help maintain the temp readout on the thermoworks. I was thinking the Tilt might be more accurate.
I have a thermowell, but the thermoworks probe is tool large the fit in it Maybe the is what i need to try to find... a new thermometer with a smaller probe.....if any even exists. The inkbird probe fits...so maybe just get another inkbird just for monitoring the wort temp that use the other to power the freezer

 

[Jag75]

There are many choices for fermenters. I went with the glass because it just seemed the better way to go for several reasons. Granted, accidents are bad things with glass.
Stainless steel fermenters are rather expensive so it seems the alternative for me would be a plastic one.
Suggestions?

I'd look into the plastic carboys .

 

[Nagorg]

my inner engineer was sorely tempted. Then I remembered I've been brewing for 20 years without one

You trying to talk me down from picking up a Tilt Pro? lol I've come to that same conclusion many times over. But I'm working on a Raspberry Pi/Arduino with Fermentrak and have been thinking the Tilt would be cool to have data from too.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I'm brewing tomorrow and can confirm that for you. Like day_tripper, I've hung onto my ancient Italian carboys for some dumb reason--maybe I'll make wine some day even though I don't much care for wine. Can't bare to get rid of them, I guess. I made a lot of beer in them and learned a lot.

Anyway, I'm all but certain that the standard TILT will fit into a 6gal carboy neck. That doesn't concern me in the least. Getting it out, though... That's gotta be like dropping a pick into an acoustic guitar's sound hole. Shakey, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, etc.

 

[Exception13]

Shakey, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, etc.

I can confirm that this is an accurate representation.

 

[bike2brew]

I'd look into the plastic carboys .

So many advantages to Ss brew bucket/fermenter why stick with a carboy plastic or glass? Black Friday sale makes upgrading tempting this time of year.
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/brewbucket

 

[hotbeer]

why stick with a carboy plastic or glass?

Some of us just like being able to look at what is going on inside. Sort of like that ant farm we had as kids.

 

[Jag75]

So many advantages to Ss brew bucket/fermenter why stick with a carboy plastic or glass? Black Friday sale makes upgrading tempting this time of year.
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/brewbucket

I use a cf5 and love it . The OP didn't want to go stainless . So I offered the safer alternative to a glass carboy .

 

[mac_1103]

Black Friday sale makes upgrading tempting this time of year.

To each his own I guess. I have three HDPE buckets, three PET carboys, and two fermonsters that cost me about that much combined.

 

[wterry]

I'm brewing tomorrow and can confirm that for you. Like day_tripper, I've hung onto my ancient Italian carboys for some dumb reason--maybe I'll make wine some day even though I don't much care for wine. Can't bare to get rid of them, I guess. I made a lot of beer in them and learned a lot.

Anyway, I'm all but certain that the standard TILT will fit into a 6gal carboy neck. That doesn't concern me in the least. Getting it out, though... That's gotta be like dropping a pick into an acoustic guitar's sound hole. Shakey, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, etc.

ha, yeah I thought about that too

 

[Bramling Cross]

Oh, and it does fit. Also, I did not put it in the carboy as I have no desire to try to fish it out.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Oh, and it does fit. Also, I did not put it in the carboy as I have no desire to try to fish it out.

I’ve been considering putting a tilt in a carboy with wine. Getting it back out was something that I was also puzzling over.
What do you think of this: can I float it out?
I was thinking about just overfilling the carboy with water after racking the wine and getting it to poke itself up through the top.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I’ve been considering putting a tilt in a carboy with wine. Getting it back out was something that I was also puzzling over.
What do you think of this: can I float it out?
I was thinking about just overfilling the carboy with water after racking the wine and getting it to poke itself up through the top.

I wish I could provide some assistance to you, but I frankly have no clue. I will suggest that your proposed technique seems much more elegant than holding the carboy above your head, shaking it rigorously, cussing a whole lot, then trying to catch the TILT before it hits you in the face (while somehow still holding the carboy).

 

[doug293cz]

Anyway, I'm all but certain that the standard TILT will fit into a 6gal carboy neck. That doesn't concern me in the least. Getting it out, though... That's gotta be like dropping a pick into an acoustic guitar's sound hole. Shakey, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, shakey, shakey, shakey, cuss, cuss, cuss, etc.

As a guitar player (sort of) and someone who is prone to using analogies to explain things, I love this analogy.

Brew on

 

[day_trippr]

Is there anything in a Tilt that could be dragged by a strong magnet?

Cheers!

 

[stamandster]

Yes, depends on how strong the magnet is

 

[day_trippr]

Assume rare earth, maybe N52 (which I've used for my stir plates, so not particularly exotic )

Cheers!

 

[Deadalus]

A Tilt just slides out of a carboy most of the time. Tilt the carboy and it usually orients as it slides over the shoulders. If you have a hop bag inside that has to come out first. Those can be a bit harder with the knot and hop expansion in which case cut the bag. I blast the carboy with a dedicated bottle washer to get yeast, trub, and hops out if any if that interferes.

I use then in carboys frequently. I have a Rapt Pill and Ispindel but haven't got to figuring out how to read them so they sit in a drawer as I have 2 Tilts and was mainly fermenting in carboys. I'll give the others a shot now that I have some unitanks. They don't fit in glass carboys but maybe the Pill in the plastic carboys could fit. I could check that on a three gallon I have...