Hydrometer test

[rod1949]

Hi All,

I'm about to bottle my second brew (using the Coopers kit).

I have a question with reading the hydrometer which is do you take the reading from the initial rise or do you wait a few minutes to let the hydrometer settle?

With the first brew I took the reading with the initial rise. On this second brew I discovered in leaving the hydrometer for a few minutes is rose even more after the initial rise. I haven't found any info in the Coopers instructions on this.

Thanks
Rod

[Vernonv]

I tend to leave the hydrometer in there for a little while before taking a reading.

You need to be careful that no bubbles have formed on the hydro, or it will screw up the reading. If bubbles do form, give the hydro a couple of spins and then check again.

[rod1949]

Thanks Vernon.

I also checked with Mr Cooper and he advised to do the following; The hydrometer is rising in the sample because bubbles of CO2 gas are attaching to the bulb of the hydrometer. Degas the sample before placing it in the tube by tipping it from one glass to another ten to fifteen times. Make sure you have enough beer to fill the tube so that the foam is displaced by the hydrometer and you have a clean surface where the stem meets the meniscus.

[Humphrey9999]

After placing the hydrometer in the test tube and leaving it for a minute or two, I always used to flick the top of the hydrometer stem with my finger a few times to jerk any CO2 bubbles loose. The bulb would then drop a little. Don't drink or brew any more, but used to do heaps of both.

[red_budgie]

If you replace the whole lid of the fermenter with Gladwrap stretched tight and held on with a rubber band or the rubber seal from the original lid, you can put the hydrometer inside the fermenter itself at the start of the fermentation process and then take a reading whenever you like without having to muck around with taking samples. A small torch will help you see the reading. The Gladwrap needs to be stretched tight to aid visibility, and most importantly you need to make a small hole in the centre of the Gladwrap with a pin to allow the gas buildup to escape, as of course there is no airlock contraption in the new "lid".

I bottle most of my brews when the foam on top has completely dissipated and when I can no longer see bubbles rising in the liquid. Leave the Gladwrap on when you are bottling, then afterwards simply remove and throw it away.

One advantage of this approach is that after a while you no longer need to add the hydrometer, as you come to learn when a brew is ready for bottling simply by what it looks like.

This approach also means there are a few less things (hydrometer, lid and airlock components) to clean up and sterilise!

[Foo]

^^ This an interesting innovation I may need to try it! ^^:wink:

Foo

[red_budgie]

There's even a school of thought that advocates brewing in an open container without any lid on it at all, which I believe was how it has traditionally been made in the past.

I think the idea is that a layer of CO2 will stay in top of the liquid and prevent the wort from getting contaminated, though I've no intention of trying it!

[Kevin-R]

Hi
I just bought the new Coppers fermentor. It don't have provision for an airlock,bit reluctant to use it.
With the open top fermentor, being heavier than air CO2 will sit like a blanket on the brew. But it's not that much heavier than air and could possibly i think be displaced by air currents or possibly by convection as the yeast produce heat as they convert sugers, and hot air rises. Also any airborn bug is likly to be heavier and sink through the CO2. Having said that a lot of very good brewers and some commercial brewing companies get exelent results with open top ferementors. Buggered if i know:C

Kev

[Vernonv]

I have been using one of those "non-airlock" Coopers fermentors for a couple of years now and have never had an issue.