Hydrometer Tube

[MitchDudarko]

I've lost it! And as a result I can't take any hydro readings of the ESB that's in the fermenter. Has anyone lost theirs and been forced to improvise? What did you use?
Cheers, Mitch

 

[julzmma]

ive heard of people not even using them and leaving there brew in the barrel for 14 days to be sure

 

[NDH]

I didn't take readings for my first 6 or 7 brews. They all tasted pretty good but once I started to refine my palette and questioned a couple of interesting characteristics in some brews I started to realise how significant hydro readings are. I still have mates that haven't taken a reading in 20+ brews and just leave in the fermenter for 2 weeks but it makes it hard to troubleshoot when things go wrong if you don't have readings.

Also good for piece of mind when your doing some more complex recipies and your OG/FG is exactly what it should be. Fork out the $15 and buy a new one.

 

[C_west]

Even more frustrating for me, I didnt lose the tube itself, but the little plastic plug that goes on the bottom, now taking a sample involves having one hand tightly sealed around the bottom.

Surely they arent that expensive to buy a new one?

 

[MitchDudarko]

It's not that I'm worried about fermentation not being finished, nor am I too tight to go bu one. Home brew gear is IMPOSSIBLE to get in Kalgoorlie. So i'm waiting on a new one to come in the post as we speak. It's just more for my own records.
Cheers, Mitch

 

[jiesu]

You can buy tubes from Scientific Labrotory supply shops/ Websites or you could allways just drop your hydro into the brew If you are sanitary enough.

 

[badskippy]

sterilise your hydrometer, take the lid off and drop it in,it wont be easy to see but its better than nought. dont have the lid off too long as co2 layer on the top of the beer will dissipate. leave the hydro in there if you dont need it,so its quicker the next check.try not to take the lid off too much

 

[bigfridge]

ive heard of people not even using them and leaving there brew in the barrel for 14 days to be sure

Yeah, I have hear of heaps of these sorts of people.

They usually post here that they have made 'bottle bombs' when a cold snap results in the yeast not finishing properly. If they are lucky to avoid (or even survive) the explosions, then their next post will usually be 'has my brew finished fermenting'.



A hydrometer reading at the start and end of fermentation can tell you so much so why not take a reading. It has the added benefit that you can also taste the sample to check how things are going.

You should be able to get a replacement tube from your local brewshop or if your really want to feel special, get a plastic measuring cylinder. Not only can you float your hydrometer, it also has the advantage that you can measure out sanitiser, blend beers etc.

Dave

 

[Wolfy]

The other day I was using some 'liquid steel' (a mixed black/grey glue stuff for metal/radiators etc) and the tube it came in was identical to the one my hydro came with.
When the tube is finished I'll make sure I save it.

 

[bradsbrew]

Do you have any conduit?

 

[Fireman Sam]

I used the tube the hydrometer came in once.... the bloody plug came out the bottom and we had 'Eau De Beer' in the kitchen for a while... wifey wasn't too impressed.... although she did go to one of those professional kitchen supplies shops and bought me a measuring cylinder with a wide base.... lovely.

 

[Batz]

$12.50 @ Craftbrewer

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=894

Batz

 

[petesbrew]

An engineer here at work started brewing a few years back. Told me confidently that he made low alcohol beers by watching the hydrometer. When it dropped to a measured 2.5% (not all the way down), he then bottled it.
He even had an engineer-y baffling answer when I told him he should let it fully ferment out.
I asked him a few months later how his Low alco beers were going, he grumbled "I'm not brewing anymore". hahahaha. I should've pushed on, asking how many bottles he blew?

 

[fraser_john]

$12.50 @ Craftbrewer

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=894

Batz

And they even post to Kalgoorlie

 

[yardy]

handy tip: glue an old cd to the base and it stops the ******* tube from falling over, makes it harder to lose also :icon_cheers:

Dave

 

[glaab]

ive heard of people not even using them and leaving there brew in the barrel for 14 days to be sure

:icon_offtopic: just because we leave everything for 14 days doesn't mean no checking the FG.
I don't bother checking it for 3 consecutive days but I still check it, if I'm expecting an FG of 1012 and it's within a point or two I figure she's cooked.

 

[petesbrew]

:icon_offtopic: just because we leave everything for 14 days doesn't mean no checking the FG.
I don't bother checking it for 3 consecutive days but I still check it, if I'm expecting an FG of 1012 and it's within a point or two I figure she's cooked.

My record is a 7 week long ferment for a saison... stop start stop start stop start... hydrometer samples are necessary IMO, and they taste nice.