Incorrect Hydrometer Readings

[DJ_L3ThAL]

That's an awesome idea just goes against every other piece of lab kit which will be calibrated to read from the bottom middle

The height of a meniscus is affected by surface tension, get a dense liquid the tension's higher conversely a surfactant will reduce the surface tension. Negligible really considering the height difference with beer.

Though there's the container you use it in, some plastics will give no meniscus, some hold a strong static charge and affect the meniscus rise. Probably enough to be +/- 2 points depending on if the meniscus flattens out or is sucked upwards.

I get the surface tension effect but is it significant enough to actually change the buoyancy of the hydrometer to through it out at the scale were talking?

Pics attached anyway, so are these top meniscus reading ones a load of Rubbish?

View attachment 91685

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Pic didn't work in other post.

 

[BKBrews]

So I left it overnight and it's now reading almost bang on.....

The problem with this now is the major inconsistencies. I don't know whether it's 0.006 out, 0.004 out or 0.002 out. Will be a test each use kind of thing.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Why are there bubbles in the water?

 

[damoninja]

I get the surface tension effect but is it significant enough to actually change the buoyancy of the hydrometer to through it out at the scale were talking?

Pics attached anyway, so are these top meniscus reading ones a load of Rubbish?

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1474970359.140835.jpg

I dunno man, for the purpose of brewing it's probably so minute nobody'd ever tell the difference and even if there was a point or so difference, meh?

Sometimes I don't even bother with a FG reading few times when I've brewed a recipe I've done plenty of times I even forgot to do an OG reading. Did me or anyone notice? Nah

I prefer the RDWHAHB method.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

3 pages wow..
Since a Meniscus can be variable you could call it mendacious ha! oh... -_-

Take the bottom line as the only consistent reading. For OG I confirm it against my refractometer reading. it always helps to let things sit some time to room temperature. or take all your readings at a standard temp. Getting consistent (accurate) readings can be a skill in itself.

I like using my hydrometer sample (post pitch) as an open ferment of the brew that's in the fermenter. Watch the Krausen form and the hydrometer drop over the days of the ferment as an indication of what's going on in the fermenter.
$0.02.

 

[BKBrews]

3 pages wow..
Since a Meniscus can be variable you could call it mendacious ha! oh... -_-

Take the bottom line as the only consistent reading. For OG I confirm it against my refractometer reading. it always helps to let things sit some time to room temperature. or take all your readings at a standard temp. Getting consistent (accurate) readings can be a skill in itself.

I like using my hydrometer sample (post pitch) as an open ferment of the brew that's in the fermenter. Watch the Krausen form and the hydrometer drop over the days of the ferment as an indication of what's going on in the fermenter.
$0.02.

Does that mean you draw your hydro sample after pitching your yeast?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Does that mean you draw your hydro sample after pitching your yeast?

I take a sample before and after. Leave the 2nd sample to brew in the temp control fridge with the main brew. Sometimes if you pitch a starter it may slightly change the wort SG but never for me I have found, but the post pitch (mixed well) should be the recorded OG reading.

 

[nosco]

I like using my hydrometer sample (post pitch) as an open ferment of the brew that's in the fermenter. Watch the Krausen form and the hydrometer drop over the days of the ferment as an indication of what's going on in the fermenter.
$0.02.

Isn't that the same or similar to a fast ferment test?

Edit: sorry ot

 

[Rocker1986]

That's a huge meniscus in that reading diagram :lol:

Anyway, given this particular hydrometer appears to keep varying its readings, I would be going and taking it back and exchanging it for another one or getting my money back and buying something else. It's not worth the **** around.

I do the same thing with post pitch samples as Dan. I don't take the readings as soon as I pitch the yeast though.. these are samples taken after a few days and I leave them on the kitchen bench to see how far it'll drop. On my current batch, the sample on the bench didn't drop as far as the rest of the batch in the FV, which I found interesting. It still gave me an idea of when to test for FG though, and it had finished by then.

 

[bevan]

Just checked my Hydometer and it's made in Scotland. It's a bottom meniscus reading so I've found out, been reading the top of the meniscus [emoji10]