Low Volume Hydrometer - Any Ideas?

Ingredients
1

Hey all,
I’ve been using my Refractometer for my OG and FG Brix Readings and found weird waves in my readings. After chatting with a fellow brewer, he pointed out that the Refractometer is ineffective after fermentation because of the inconsistent light defraction by alcohol. He has suggested going back to the Hydrometer for FG readings.

So my question is if there is any known Hydrometer reader that takes less volume than the traditional one we all bought with our Homebrew kits? I’ve always felt a minor tear when that vile of beer didn’t make it to the CO2, and especially when 6 or 12 test were all drunk prematurely.

2

My question is why are you pulling so many samples? I take one after the boil and one, maybe two later. Only time I pull many samples is for taste when making additions like oak or fruit.

You could always brew a little bit more to accommodate the samples.

3

I’ve seen (accidentally bought) some small hydrometers, which would require a smaller sample, but as a result aren’t really precise enough for brewing. The ones home brewers typically use are already small by brewery standards.

My suggestion would be to use the refractometer to monitor fermentation - Refractometer « SeanTerrill.com - and use a hydrometer for a final gravity reading if you need the additional precision.

4

6-12 tests?

With Sean’s excellent refractometer calculator I have very good results getting my refractometer to line up with a hydrometer. I’ve only tested a few times but I’ve never been more than 0.002 off which is as exact as I need to be.

5

Same here.

6

I never take more than a couple or 3 samples. Some people use a hydrometer right in the fermenter but I would only do that in a glass vessel so I could see from the side.

7

That sounds like a good idea at first, but once it’s coated in crud, the accuracy will be way off. I suppose it can be used to see when fermentation is complete.

8

That’s when I would do it, no need to take a reading during krausen.

9

Slightly off topic.  Is the wort correction factor in Sean’s calculator the wort’s OG ?

10

I use a wine thief when pulling samples during fermentation. My hydrometer fits right in and I can get an accurate reading while only taking a 4 oz sample. Btw, I only take a reading right after active fermentation is over and one at packaging.

11

I only take readings when I pitch and when I rack.

12

This is what in practice I almost always do but a newer brewer would want to take a couple at the end to make sure fig has been reached.

13

Btw my phone always wants to correct fg to “fig”. Can we just call it fig?

14

If, for whatever reason, you need to take that many samples, you could use a clear plastic wine thief to take the sample, then once you’ve made your reading, release the sample back into the fermenter (gently, so as to not introduce oxygen). Home Wine Making Ingredients

15

No, it’s the refractometer reading divided by hydrometer reading for your typical wort.

16

OK, let me see if I got it.  It’s the refractometer reading (in gravity) divided by hydrometer reading (in gravity) of a typical wort before fermentation.  My refractometer reads in brix so I’ll have to do some conversion.

17

Right, except convert the hydrometer reading to °Brix so that you can divide the numbers directly. (Or convert to “points” if that’s more comfortable.)

18

That may be effective providing you sanitize the hydrometer, otherwise you are risking infections.  Also sounds like a recipe for oxidation even if being careful.

19

Yeah, I would avoid this idea myself.

20

I’ve just been factoring in 3-4 samples into my volume when calculating the recipe. This seems to work out fine. I just use my desired ending volume + a few hydrometer samples as my final volume.