What do you hate about hydrometers?

[tele_dirtbag]

So, last brewday I broke my hydrometer. This was my first broken hydrometer, and I broke it just before I took my OG. Luckily I bought 2 when I first started brewing, so no problem, I just busted out the new one and took my reading. All was good until I plugged my numbers into Beersmith. My efficiency had dropped 10%, from my very consistent 85% down to 75%. I was baffled, not a single element of my brewday had changed, other than the hydrometer. I went ahead and performed a 2 point calibration (as described here: https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-techniques ) I found that my hydrometer was reading about one point low in distilled water, but 4 points low at 1.080( I made the second calibration point closer to the SG of the beer I had just brewed, versus the 1.040 point described in the article).

I went ahead and adjusted the OG of my recently finished beer up 4 points, getting me up to, just about, 80% efficiency. Now, I am just left wondering how high my old hydrometer was reading? It must have been close to 4 or 5 points high, and my true efficiency must be closer to 80%, since I now have greater confidence in my new hydrometer.

So, what do you all hate about your hydrometers?

I can now say I hate breaking them. I hate how inaccurate they can be. And man was setting up that 2 point calibration a PIA. At least now I know its necessary.

 

[rawlus]

I hate most everything about them, I have several including the large ranged ones and I haven't used any of them for several years. Refractometer works for me for initial gravities - I don't check finals anymore as I have my process down...

 

[mongoose33]

Saturday was my first batch using a refractometer and I was pleased to see that it matched my hydrometer reading exactly. I checked one against the other. But man, that hydrometer is so easy to use.

I've got a batch coming out of a fermenter in a day or two--I'm interested to see if I'll be able to correct the refractometer readings with finished beer to match that of the hydrometer.

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

Their mechanical properties.

 

[Psylocide]

I hate that everyone else has broken a bunch of them and I've been using the same one that my dad started out with 15 years ago.

 

[Spartan1979]

I just don't like how large of a sample is needed (compared to a refractometer).

 

[mattdee1]

The fact that looking at them the wrong way makes them shatter.

They're almost like a consumable item for me... I think I have a 4-pack in the garage as we speak.

 

[mongoose33]

I hate that everyone else has broken a bunch of them and I've been using the same one that my dad started out with 15 years ago.

You'd think there might be a market for stainless ones, if such a device were possible to make.

I don't see why not--maybe a little pricier to begin with, but I bought a silver serpent IC for $55 from NB, and that's made out of stainless. Lots of SS tubing there.

 

[oceanic_brew]

Yeah, the broken hydrometer count thread made me seriously think that someone's gotta work on a solution.

 

[1977Brewer]

Yeah, the broken hydrometer count thread made me seriously think that someone's gotta work on a solution.

They have, and they're spendy as heck.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BQO1GOS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

The Brix version there. There's a specific gravity one too but I couldn't find it in five seconds.

 

[Psylocide]

Why not stop handling like them like a drunken gorilla? They don't break from normal use... They break when you do stupid things to them.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Why not stop handling like them like a drunken gorilla? They don't break from normal use... They break when you do stupid things to them.

So...wait. Let me get this straight.

What you're saying is, if we treat them like the fragile pieces of glass that they are...

Dang it. I almost had it.

Run it past me one more time, please.

 

[Psylocide]

So...wait. Let me get this straight.

What you're saying is, if we treat them like the fragile pieces of glass that they are...

Dang it. I almost had it.

Run it past me one more time, please.

I really think it's more beneficial for you if you can connect the dots yourself... I've given you the tools, all you need to do is sit down for a bit and reflect on what you already know.

It'll come.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I really think it's more beneficial for you if you can connect the dots yourself... I've given you the tools, all you need to do is sit down for a bit and reflect on what you already know.

It'll come.

Okay, okay. I can do this.

So.

What you're advocating is...for us not to drop them or allow them to roll off of a countertop or allow anything to bump against them. And if we do this, then they will not break.

Huh.

That's some revolutionary thinking, there. It's pretty amazing that no one has thought of this before. Thank you for stating what should have been very, very obvious to everyone in here.

 

[Psylocide]

Okay, okay. I can do this.

So.

What you're advocating is...for us not to drop them or allow them to roll off of a countertop or allow anything to bump against them. And if we do this, then they will not break.

Huh.

That's some revolutionary thinking, there. It's pretty amazing that no one has thought of this before. Thank you for stating what should have been very, very obvious to everyone in here.

I'm always innovating.

 

[Pkrd]

Some HBTers should be brewing in rubber rooms.
I hate cooling the wort to take a post mash reading. I use a metal basin floating in the sink.

 

[beernutz]

Why not buy a plastic shatter-proof hydrometer?
http://www.thermcoproducts.com/Plastic-Hydrometers.html

I've had mine for over a decade.

 

[slym2none]

I hate that everyone else has broken a bunch of them and I've been using the same one that my dad started out with 15 years ago.

Mine's only 10 months old, but going strong.

I just don't like how large of a sample is needed (compared to a refractometer).

This. I make small-ish batches, too, so I can't waste it. I have to sanitize the crap out of the hydrometer & test cylinder so I can put it back.

 

[slym2none]

Why not stop handling like them like a drunken gorilla? They don't break from normal use... They break when you do stupid things to them.

So...wait. Let me get this straight.

What you're saying is, if we treat them like the fragile pieces of glass that they are...

Dang it. I almost had it.

Run it past me one more time, please.

I really think it's more beneficial for you if you can connect the dots yourself... I've given you the tools, all you need to do is sit down for a bit and reflect on what you already know.

It'll come.

Okay, okay. I can do this.

So.

What you're advocating is...for us not to drop them or allow them to roll off of a countertop or allow anything to bump against them. And if we do this, then they will not break.

Huh.

That's some revolutionary thinking, there. It's pretty amazing that no one has thought of this before. Thank you for stating what should have been very, very obvious to everyone in here.

I'm always innovating.

It's like a Heckyl & Jeckyl comedy bit over here...

 

[eric19312]

This. I make small-ish batches, too, so I can't waste it. I have to sanitize the crap out of the hydrometer & test cylinder so I can put it back.

I can't bring myself to do that. I suggest use a refractometer for OG and "intermediate FG" where "intermediate FG" is your gravity you are checking on any day after the yeast has been pitched before bottling day. If you are only looking at intermediate FG to see if fermentation is complete and you are safe to bottle, then the true gravity is not so important, just the relative gravity... "is it different than it was yesterday?"

Then on bottling day go ahead and splurge on a full hydrometer sample. If you are really trying to maximize your small batch yield you could bottle the hydro sample with a carbonation cap or sugar cube. (I would not dump it back into the bottling bucket.)

For me I enjoy drinking my bottling day hydro samples.

 

[eric19312]

Why not buy a plastic shatter-proof hydrometer?
http://www.thermcoproducts.com/Plastic-Hydrometers.html

I've had mine for over a decade.

Which one of these do you use? The SG seems too large a range to be useful. Are you using brix and calling it plato? I guess the 0-30 brix hydro would cover most any beer and the 0-15 might be treated as a "precision hydrometer"

 

[slym2none]

I can't afford one o' them fancy-pants refractomoters. Maybe one day.



As far as dumping the sample, yes, I do it. I've done it every batch since I got a hydrometer (3rd batch, April '15). Now, I do use the FG sample as my "tester" bottle, & I've either given it 1/4 tsp of sugar, or filled it up and given it a full 1/2 tsp of sugar for carbonation - and I cap & mark that one immediately so it won't get mixed up. So, FG sample doesn't go back, just gets bottled. But OG sample, yep - dumped back in. *knocks on wood*

 

[HowlingHog]

I hate that when I bought all of my kick-asss brew equipment, some of it was unused...Including a hydrometer. I hate that I wasn't smart enough to realize that "floating part" was housed in a plastic sheath that was only meant to protect it during shipping. I brewed, and then put the whole thing in the cylinder and couldn't figure it out. I called a friend and he told my how it worked. DUH!

I bought a refractometer....

 

[slym2none]

Bruh...

 

[mike_23us]

They Break

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

Why not stop handling like them like a drunken gorilla? They don't break from normal use... They break when you do stupid things to them.

Because we ARE drunken gorillas. Next silly question...

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I've got a batch coming out of a fermenter in a day or two--I'm interested to see if I'll be able to correct the refractometer readings with finished beer to match that of the hydrometer.

Check out Sean Terrill's refractometer tool. I'm confident in my refractometer now, so much so that I left my hydrometer behind 5 months ago when I moved from SE michigan to chicago. No hydrometer, no problems.

 

[jtratcliff]

Check out Sean Terrill's refractometer tool. I'm confident in my refractometer now, so much so that I left my hydrometer behind 5 months ago when I moved from SE michigan to chicago. No hydrometer, no problems.

Sean's site is down for me... I get a message from the hosting provider...

Any alternative links?

@pricelessbrewing, if it's an ongoing issue and not a temporary glitch, maybe you should contact him about hosting his calculator on your site along side your BIAB calculator. Seems like it's too valuable of a tool to lose.

 

[masonsjax]

Why are so many guys obsessed with measuring things?

 

[theseeker4]

Why are so many guys obsessed with measuring things?

So I have the ability to reproduce the results from a batch if I want to? Throwing things together without measuring will make beer, sure, but good luck ever making that same batch of beer again if you love it without recording your numbers and process.....

 

[masonsjax]

So I have the ability to reproduce the results from a batch if I want to? Throwing things together without measuring will make beer, sure, but good luck ever making that same batch of beer again if you love it without recording your numbers and process.....

Actually that was supposed to be a joke. I guess I forgot to wink.

Since you brought it up though, I do remake favorite recipes without measuring gravity. I all but stopped checking because my process was dialed in enough to hit the numbers every time. If my hydrometer was to break, I don't think I'd replace it. I certainly don't need one for repeatability. Of course there's nothing wrong with those that like to measure and record every detail. I can definitely see where that's part of the fun of this hobby.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Sean's site is down for me... I get a message from the hosting provider...

Any alternative links?

@pricelessbrewing, if it's an ongoing issue and not a temporary glitch, maybe you should contact him about hosting his calculator on your site along side your BIAB calculator. Seems like it's too valuable of a tool to lose.

That's a shame, I'll send him an email.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I hate that hygrometers are not called hydrometers. I just feel that the tool to measure humidity should have the prefix hydro. I don't even know what the hell a hygro is. However, if hygrometers were called hydrometers what would we call hydrometers? I think something like glass floatey alcohol measurey thing would be good.

 

[A2HB]

Ethometers?

 

[carloslavin]

Vote for sugarometer

 

[beernutz]

Which one of these do you use? The SG seems too large a range to be useful. Are you using brix and calling it plato? I guess the 0-30 brix hydro would cover most any beer and the 0-15 might be treated as a "precision hydrometer"

I couldn't find a link to the one I bought so long ago so I just grabbed that one for purposes of illustration. Coopers apparently makes a plastic one specifically for beer which is included in some of their kits but a quick google search doesn't reveal a US-based seller for just the hydrometer. Here's a picture of the coopers:

Mine is an old Walker Desmond wine hydrometer:

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

However, if hygrometers were called hydrometers what would we call hydrometers?

Densitometers.

 

[Pkrd]

Densitometers.

But what would you call a densitometer?

 

[GuldTuborg]

But what would you call a densitometer?

Translusitometer?

 

[masonsjax]

The flux capacitor. It's what makes time travel possible.