Who doesnt use a hydrometer?

[509inc]

The owner of my LHBS said " You can make brewing as simple or as complex as you want. I never use one."

 

[bsdx]

I almost always check my OG and FG when doing extract, although the OG more often than not tended to come out a little low (probably partially to do with insufficient stirring after topping off the water, or topping off the water too much because I never knew my pail markings were mostly too high, thanks HBT!). I would almost always top off the water to the (inaccurate) 5 gallon mark figuring that if I put in the exact amount of extract then there would be no explanation for it being too low except for racking loss. I'd write down the number, and whichever day that I wanted to bottle I would check the FG and consider how much it dropped before I decide to go ahead and bottle. As far as I can remember, it was always low enough by then for me. I rarely check the gravity before I am ready to bottle, I probably did on a lager or two since they move slower. I just don't like opening the fermenter. I never felt like getting out or making a little bit of sanitizer just to measure the gravity between OG and FG (things have changed). Due to the seemingly nonsensical OGs at the time, I never worried too much about the outcome.

I do try to get my brewing friends to measure at least their OG and FG, even just for my own information. At least once I pointed out a FG that was too high to bottle, and it tasted like it too, so we put it in a secondary (it might have needed one anyway, can't remember).

Now that I have correct markings on my pails, and having thought more about how I would adjust my recipe or wort concentration when doing AG, and wanting more to brew a better and more consistent beer, I will not care how close I get to 5 gallons, I'm going to adjust the post-boil volume to land the right OG in the boil kettle and then just ferment whatever volume I can manage to rack out. That way I'm not leaving behind denser wort in the BK that could have possibly made it into the fermenter if it were thinned out to start with.

Another point is that the FG won't cause bottle bombs if it is kegged. If it tastes good and gets kegged, that's all that particular batch matters (to me anyway). I'd still encourage measuring it but I wouldn't be terrified if it was 1.020-1.025.

 

[duskb]

So those of you not using one....are you extract brewers?

Yup, but when I do use it it's to obtain FG, never OG. Too afraid of something going wrong with the wort.

As long as I can get it down below 1.015 I'll just move it.

 

[ChshreCat]

Another point is that the FG won't cause bottle bombs if it is kegged. If it tastes good and gets kegged, that's all that particular batch matters (to me anyway). I'd still encourage measuring it but I wouldn't be terrified if it was 1.020-1.025.

Oh, kegging changes a lot of things. Even if it is stuck, if it taste's good... then keg it up!

 

[weirdboy]

You know, you can have it both ways. Check it, but don't worry about it. Just use that little piece of information next time around to make corrections. Mash temps, grain bill, fermenting temps . . . whatever. There’s a difference between obsessive worrying and being an informed brewing.

This is exactly what I do. I don't worry about missing my OG/FG when it happens, but I do make changes to my process, so that next time I will hopefully hit my targets better.

 

[aMillionDreams]

Maybe it's just my hydrometer, but I can't figure out how to get an accurate reading with mine. Plus, I've started using a glass carboy for fermentation and can't just drop it into the wort without it staying there for two weeks, so I've stopped using mine. I'm definitely go to start using them when I do my own recipes until then.

 

[ChshreCat]

I've started using a glass carboy for fermentation and can't just drop it into the wort without it staying there for two weeks

Wine thief:

Turkey baster:

Hydrometer test jar:

It's really not a good plan to put your hydrometer right into your fermenter. Besides, if you do that, you miss out on the excuse to drink your sample!

 

[Bubba_Mustafa]

I've read through the thread and noticed that there are numerous reasons to use one, but few not to. (I understand Walkers concept that it can make a person nervous with off readings.)

I kinda align with Walker. ABV doesn't mean a whole lot to me, taste more so. I've been leaving in the fermenter for 3-4 weeks (so it should be done) Last 2 I just checked FG with a refract.

 

[eddie]

So those of you not using one....are you extract brewers?

I do both extract and AG.

 

[Got Trub?]

Besides, if you do that, you miss out on the excuse to drink your sample!

Ahh. The real reason you hydrometer supporters are such strong advocates

GT

 

[Got Trub?]

I invested in a refractometer years ago and could not live without it now. I check my preboil gravity, adjust boil time, add DME whatever it takes to hit my target OG. I have to admit though I don't use a hydrometer for all my FG's. For my routine, brewed many times low to middle gravity beers I don't. For anything new or high gravity I do.

GT

 

[Stuntman]

I never use mine either, but I keg (no bottle bombs). I am not smart for doing it either, my batches are not consistant.

Thanks for this thread, I am not happy with my brewing (almost seven years). I am ordering a refractometer right now.

 

[UnderThePorchBrewing]

No. I use a refractometer

I find that taking detailed notes makes me pay better attention to my brewing and I get better results.

couldn't agree more. bought my refractometer 6 months ago. brewing for just over 2 years.

 

[nilo]

started with a hydrometer, now only use a refractometer.

 

[Edcculus]

I do. That being said, I do All Grain and have my system down perfectly in Beersmith. For me, its not about hitting the targeted OG/FG of a recipe I'm brewing since I'll tweak it a little for my system in the program. I have it set up so that if I'm hitting my preboil and post boil gravities I know I'll get a consistent beer. When it comes to post fermentation, I'm not religious unless its cider. I let my beer sit for at least 3 weeks, so I really just check the FG before kegging to make sure things went according to plan (which they usually do since I make starters).

For sweeter ciders, I start checking gravity 2 weeks in. When it gets to the taste I want, I'll rack to a keg and stick it in the kegerator to prevent further fermentation.

 

[PartyBible]

Great responses guys. Keep them comming!

 

[ChshreCat]

Come'on guys! A thread like this should've broken down into a flame war by now! You're lettin' me down!

 

[weirdboy]

If you don't use a hydrometer you're a sinner, and potentially gay.

If you use a hydrometer you're anal retentive, and definitely gay.


If you use a refractometer you're a nerd and probably get turned on by Japanese anime of fish having sex with porcupines.

 

[Stuntman]

If you don't use a hydrometer you're a sinner, and potentially gay.

If you use a hydrometer you're anal retentive, and definitely gay.


If you use a refractometer you're a nerd and probably get turned on by Japanese anime of fish having sex with porcupines.

OK weird, you calling me a sinning, nerdy, potential gay, with quills stuck to my crotch?

What is the difference between sheep possy, and human possy.......

NOT A DANG THING!

 

[wulfsburg]

It's really not a good plan to put your hydrometer right into your fermenter. Besides, if you do that, you miss out on the excuse to drink your sample!

I usually take an OG and then a FG. But I do not check it day after day to "make sure" fermentation has finished. I let it sit for a minimum of 9 days primary... depending on the beer. I don't get all geeky about it .If it is around what I think it should be, I bottle or xfer to secondary.

I always like to taste the beer in its stages.
Wort
Pre bottling
Finished product (4+ weeks in the bottle)

Except for that green barely carbonated beer stage. I hate that.

 

[rico567]

I don't use a hydrometer much, but I use it without fail when checking FG at the end of fermentation. As mentioned in a previous post, this isn't a completely predictable process, and the only way to be sure that fermentation has finished where you want is to check the specific gravity.....and it's not like it takes more than a few minutes to do it. Better than bottle bombs.

 

[ksbrain]

When I make beer, I'm aiming for specific statistics. If I don't measure them, I won't know if I hit my targets. Sure, I can tell if I like the end result or not, but it's a lot easier to make adjustments to the next iteration of the recipe with good data for the previous iteration.