Hydrometers

[Mattrox]

I have my hydrometer that came with my Coopers kit. Cross referencing it with Ian's spreadsheet and tap water, it seems to be reasonably accurate.

However, in the quest for an ever increasing number of beer gadgets, has anyone got a hydrometer off ebay or Aliexpress that is really accurate and worth getting?

I'm looking, but don't know which ones are good.

Suggestions?

 

[Lethaldog]

If the one you have is accurate then why do you need another! Just cos it came with a coopers kit doesn't mean it's bad, test it in 20c water, if it reads 1.000 then it's spot on !

 

[Mattrox]

If the one you have is accurate then why do you need another! Just cos it came with a coopers kit doesn't mean it's bad, test it in 20c water, if it reads 1.000 then it's spot on !

Hobby Rule # 1: You can never have enough gadgets.
Hobby Rule # 2: If what you have works, see rule #1.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

If this is motivated by gadget envy, get one of these:

Of course you'll have to learn to work in Plato / Brix, but that's worth doing anyway.

Mine is going on for ten years old now and still an incredibly useful gadget. It's a trivial matter to correct for alcohol when doing ferment gravities, in fact some software programs (eg BeerSmith) do it automatically.

Tip: since the US NCAA mandated urine testing for wrestlers, they are available for very good prices (~ $300) from the USA.

For total gadget envy, I present to you the Anton Paar DMA 35:

Best machine around for doing ferment gravities, but at $3k+ it would want to be.

 

[MHB]

Yep I got a digital and the make life really easy.
Also got some narrow range hydrometers - 5oP each, around 11/2-2 times the height of a home brew hydrometer and only about half the range (0-5oP = 1.000-1.020. 5-10oP 1.020-1.040...) so the numbers are a long way apart.
They are Australian made Carlton Hydrometers, fortunately I was gifted these by a retired brewer, after you price them you might get a lot less interested, or think of going for a digital one.
But to answer the OP yes precision hydrometers are available at a price, I doubt there is going to be much better than you have without parting with serious coin.
Mark

 

[Black n Tan]

There are some reasonably priced Carlton Glass hydrometers at Grain and Grape. I have both a 1.000-1.050 and 1.050-1.100. At $49 they hurt a little when you break them but not the end of the world.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/products/category/search/7HYDRO%20CARLT%20%3C50

 

[Rocker1986]

I'll keep those in mind for if or when I break my current one, cheers. It's a Stevenson Reeves one that has been very good over the 3 years or so that I've had it so far. Scottish made, I got it off eBay.

 

[schoey]

For total gadget envy, I present to you the Anton Paar DMA 35:

Best machine around for doing ferment gravities, but at $3k+ it would want to be.

The DMA 35 is a sweet piece of kit, wish I could justify buying one haha.

Anton Paar have released a new home brew targeted density meter which looks like a pretty good unit pricewise:
http://www.anton-paar.com/corp-en/products/details/density-and-extract-meter-for-homebrewers-easydens/

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

Damn I wish you hadn't told me that.

The DMA 35 is so far out of reach it's out of the question, that thing is on the borderline of "I must have one" and " I really can't justify this". Sudden temporary shifts in said borderline are a known cause of domestic disharmony.

 

[lost at sea]

If this is motivated by gadget envy, get one of these:

Of course you'll have to learn to work in Plato / Brix, but that's worth doing anyway.

Mine is going on for ten years old now and still an incredibly useful gadget. It's a trivial matter to correct for alcohol when doing ferment gravities, in fact some software programs (eg BeerSmith) do it automatically.

Tip: since the US NCAA mandated urine testing for wrestlers, they are available for very good prices (~ $300) from the USA.

For total gadget envy, I present to you the Anton Paar DMA 35:

Best machine around for doing ferment gravities, but at $3k+ it would want to be.

haha, well before my home brewing days, i used to use these several times per day, testing Sg of different fuels we carried on ships. i used to get a new one sent out every 6 months,
if only i knew what i had at the time. dammit.

 

[Mattrox]

Well, the dog chewed the plastic Coopers hydrometer to smitherenes!!

Grrrr

Need a new one.

 

[SBOB]

Well, the dog chewed the plastic Coopers hydrometer to smitherenes!!

Grrrr

Need a new one.

Probably lucky it wasn't a glass one then...

 

[Mattrox]

Probably lucky it wasn't a glass one then...

She's still in the chewing phase. Loves chewing anything plastic, rubber, stuffed toys, outdoor cushions, shoes (especially expensive ones). Will try timber. Avoids glass.