How Often To Sterilise Hydrometers

[will]

I'm pretty new to brewing - I'm on my second kit now (a Cooper's Larger). So far I've shied away from measuring SG because I'm under the impression that every time I use my hydrometer (once a day), I'll have to sterilise it and / or my sampling jar.

Am I correct in thinking this or can I afford to be a little less prissy? If I sterilise the hydrometer and it's plastic case can I just drop it in to the fermenting bucket, rinse, return to case and repeat?

[Marts]

You seem to be suggesting two different ways of testing the gravity of your brew there mate.

1. Using a sample jar - where I assume you are running off some of the brew from the FV into it and then testing it. In this case (and providing you don't tip the sample back into the FV afterwards ) you can get away with just rinsing the hydrometer off under a tap afterwards.

2. If you are actually putting the hydrometer into the FV to test your gravity, then taking it out and repeating the next day then you really should sterilise and rinse it off before any new tests to be on the safe side.


Alternatively you can drop a sterilised hydrometer into the fv read it and leave it in there. Then it stays in the brew and you don't need to keep cleaning / sterilising it every time.

To be honest I think we can sometimes be a bit over cautious with sterilising - I've certainly made some errors in the past and got away with it. The most dangerous time for risk of infection is before the brewing yeast has got to work. Once its got going and established it is actually quite a hardy thing. Still I personally think that there's no point taking unecessary chances for a moments extra diligence .

[Jim]

Unfortunately not. Home brew sterilisers don't actually kill off all the microbes - they are actually sanitisers rather than sterilisers. They upshot of this is that if you leave a sanitised hydrometer for 24 hrs bacteria can start to grow on it again. It's not worth taking the risk of ruining your brew.

You could fill the hydrometer jar with your sanitising solution and just keep the hydrometer in there, and put clingfilm over the top or something. Sanitiser solution keeps for a few days (at least).

When I make up santiser solution for my fermenter I put some in a big pop bottle and just use that to sanitise my hydrometer and stirrer etc.

[will]

Alternatively you can drop a sterilised hydrometer into the fv read it and leave it in there. Then it stays in the brew and you don't need to keep cleaning / sterilising it every time.

Hadn't considered this... Seems like an extremely commonsensical solution

The fermenting bin I have doesn't have a tap, so getting my brew in a sample jar would involve dropping it in or syphoning, both of which seem like a pain with sterilising.

Are there any drawbacks from leaving a hydrometer in the bin?

[Parva]

Nope, none at all, many do. Just be sure that you've washed your hands in one of those anti-bacterial hand washes that you keep by the sink, reach in and give it a spin to remove any CO2 bubbles that may have clung to it (and thereby give a false reading).

[Aleman]

Are there any drawbacks from leaving a hydrometer in the bin?

Apart from 'shit' getting stuck to it which distorts the reading . . . and bubbles of co2 sticking to it which distorts the reading . . . . . . and the fact that in order to read it properly you need to be at eye level with the level of the liquid meniscus . . . none . . . but then HB hydrometers are pretty damned inaccurate anyway so you have to ask yourself are you just compounding the issue?

When I use my hydrometer (measuring 1.000 to 1.050 with a scale of 0.0005 divisions) I follow the same procedure.

1) rinse hydrometer, and trial jar in hot water
2) draw a 250ml sample of wort into a wine bottle
3) fit a VacuVin stopper, and create a vacuum in the bottle, shake to degas solution.
4) repeat step 3 a couple of times
5) Pour degassed sample into trial jar
6) gently lower hydrometer into trial jar until it floats
7) Take reading
rinse hydrometer in hot water , dry and put away
9) Pour sample in to 1/2 pint glass
10) rinse trial jar in hot water . .. and invert to dry.
11) enjoy 1/2 pint sample

Of course using a refractometer makes this a lot quicker . . . still need a 250ml sample though

[will]

Thanks for all the great advice, guys. I think I'll go for the easy, if not accurate, solution of sticking the hydrometer in and leaving it. Or at least until such a time when I have a fermenting bin with a tap, thus making it easier to draw off a sample.

[BenB]

Okay I'm a newbie but I thought the "thing to do" with a brew in progress is leave it well alone.
Taking the lid off to have a shoofy just removes the protective CO2 layer and opens the brew up to oxidisation.
I thought the plan was to measure SG before fermentation and at the end.... The rest is just fiddling....

[Immy's Dad]

Okay I'm a newbie but I thought the "thing to do" with a brew in progress is leave it well alone.
Taking the lid off to have a shoofy just removes the protective CO2 layer and opens the brew up to oxidisation.
I thought the plan was to measure SG before fermentation and at the end.... The rest is just fiddling....

But how do you know when the end is unless you measure the gravity for a couple of days? (Rhetorical question)

[Aleman]

But how do you know when the end is unless you measure the gravity for a couple of days? (Rhetorical question)

Rhetorical Answer - You use a Fast Fermentation Test, Take 1/2 -1 pint of the wort and put it in a suitable vessel . . . . add yeast (those freebie sachets from kits are good for this ) . . . yes the whole sachet and put in a warm place (30C . . . Yes 30C this is not going to be beer!! ), it should ferment out in 24 hours . . . take a hydrometer sample . . . that is the FG of the beer . . .. then leave the beer for 10 Days and take a sample . . . you know if its finished when the values are the same

[Marts]

Alternatively you can read the kit's instructions to get the FG, because they NEVER lie

[Andy]

The fermenting bin I have doesn't have a tap, so getting my brew in a sample jar would involve dropping it in or syphoning, both of which seem like a pain with sterilising.

You could get a turkey baster from Wilkos and use that to collect enough wort to fill the sample jar. You'd obviously sanitise it before dunking!

[Immy's Dad]

The fermenting bin I have doesn't have a tap, so getting my brew in a sample jar would involve dropping it in or syphoning, both of which seem like a pain with sterilising.

You could get a turkey baster from Wilkos and use that to collect enough wort to fill the sample jar. You'd obviously sanitise it before dunking!

It's what I use. No wonder my wife looks at me funny. Actually I remember buying it from Tescos, I also bought a pregnancy test at the same time. The cashier gave me a very funny look too!

[lastordersplease]

I also use a turkey baster, I let the baster soak in hot water while I make up a small quantity of Videne. qive it a swill out with the Videne solution. The trial jar just gets a swill out with hot water as I dont put the sample of beer back in the FV, that goes down me nanny goat (throat)..