HYDROMETERS

[brupaks]

I noticed some members are looking for accurate hydrometers. Brupaks has a range of Excise approved ones as follows: 1.000 - 1.030, 1.030 - 1.060, 1.060 - 1.090, 1.000 - 1.060, 1.050 - 1.100. The problem is of course they are precision instruments and are therefore not cheap! We sell these to commercial breweries for £45 plus VAT. If anyone wants one please let me know.

Clive
Brupaks

[anomalous_result]

Are they calibrated at 20C?

[TC2642]

My £2.00 hydrometer is pretty damn accurate, all you have to do is make sure that your reading in normal water hits 1000 at 20oC and measure the temp and gravity at the start of fermentation and adjust accordingly.

Saying that I have got my eye on a nice looking refractometer though.

[Andy]

My £2.00 hydrometer is pretty damn accurate,

How did you calibrate/test it's accuracy ?

[TC2642]

My £2.00 hydrometer is pretty damn accurate,

How did you calibrate/test it's accuracy ?

I figure if it hits 1000 in water at 20oC then its ok!

[steve_flack]

Not really. All you know is that it's right at 1.000. How do you know it's right at any other reading?

[TC2642]

Not really. All you know is that it's right at 1.000. How do you know it's right at any other reading?

As said I am going to get a refractometer soon and would get one of these if I was going into brewing professionally, from what I have observed pre and post fermentation and how my beer and cider tasted it gets me in the right ballpark. Never had any problems with bottle bombs, oversweet or undersweet beers and its served generations of homebrewers well. Anyway I trust the British engineering of my cheap hydrometer.

Not that I'm against it, if you want to get one go for it, I don't feel the need.

[prodigal2]

With a properly calibrated hydrometre how much does air pressure and brewing altitude come into play?
The reason I ask is that I brew at 600m(just under 2000ft)above sea level, and I have always had this niggle that it can be slanting my readings. I have also noted water boils between 97-99C verified across 3 different thermometers, depending on air pressure.
Although it is not really that important, it is something that a wonder about from time to time.

[Scooby]

Not really. All you know is that it's right at 1.000. How do you know it's right at any other reading?

As said I am going to get a refractometer soon and would get one of these if I was going into brewing professionally, from what I have observed pre and post fermentation and how my beer and cider tasted it gets me in the right ballpark. Never had any problems with bottle bombs, oversweet or undersweet beers and its served generations of homebrewers well. Anyway I trust the British engineering of my cheap hydrometer.

Not that I'm against it, if you want to get one go for it, I don't feel the need.

From my experience with cheap refractometers they suck so stick with your tried and trusted

[TC2642]

Not really. All you know is that it's right at 1.000. How do you know it's right at any other reading?

As said I am going to get a refractometer soon and would get one of these if I was going into brewing professionally, from what I have observed pre and post fermentation and how my beer and cider tasted it gets me in the right ballpark. Never had any problems with bottle bombs, oversweet or undersweet beers and its served generations of homebrewers well. Anyway I trust the British engineering of my cheap hydrometer.

Not that I'm against it, if you want to get one go for it, I don't feel the need.

From my experience with cheap refractometers they suck so stick with your tried and trusted

Cheers Scooby, I don't know too much about refractometers, may be best to stick with what I know.

[anomalous_result]

With a properly calibrated hydrometre how much does air pressure and brewing altitude come into play?

I'd wager very little. The force that's floating the hydrometer is that of the displaced solution, the density of which will not change much at all if you go to high altitude. eg your bladder doesn't burst on everest but a can of coke might as the compressed gas in it will try to expand.

[David Edge]

As said I am going to get a refractometer soon and would get one of these if I was going into brewing professionally

They are used for different purposes. You need a sufficiently accurate hydrometer if brewing professionally to convince HMR&C that you're not doing them. Also if you're stopping the fermentation two or three degrees short of the wort attenuation limit to get secondary fermentation in the cask right instead of adding primings it would be useful to be closer than a cheap hydrometer will get you.

The refractometer is of greatest use when investigating the performance of your mash system with its ability to take frequent quick readings. That said I use a refractometer for all measurements - but I ferment out and prime bottles and am not bothered about accuracy for revenue. Finally I assess beer sweetness/dryness/balance with my palate and those of my 'customers'.

As for 'refractometers suck', in my day, a good workman didn't blame his tools!

[Scooby]

As for 'refractometers suck', in my day, a good workman didn't blame his tools!

Just to correct your quote I said 'Cheap' refractometers.

As for the rest of your comment I will treat that with the contempt it deserves.

[steve_flack]

As for the rest of your comment I will treat that with the contempt it deserves.

Ooooo....handbags at the ready.

[Vossy1]