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Author Topic: hydrometer reading  (Read 1034 times)

Offline Pope of Dope

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hydrometer reading
« on: January 29, 2018, 02:40:32 pm »
Not a question but just something I learned today, seems obvious, thought I'd post anyways as a reminder for the sometimes sloppy homebrewer like myself. Taking a FG reading with a hydrometer and got a sample full of gunky yeast and hop residue. It was a 1.028. I thought I could make do with this sample for a reading, but when I took a clean sample from the clearer beer I got 1.017.  Just saying.
Generally you don't see that kind of behavior in a major appliance.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: hydrometer reading
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2018, 03:15:53 pm »
Same day?

Offline Pope of Dope

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Re: hydrometer reading
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2018, 06:09:53 pm »
Same day?

readings were taken 5 mins apart from each other.  The first sample was on the extreme of chunky debris, green and white, not golden.
Generally you don't see that kind of behavior in a major appliance.

Offline Hooper

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Re: hydrometer reading
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2018, 04:21:26 pm »
I just kegged my first NEIPA 2 days ago at 1.015...that yeast (WLP644) consistently finishes at 1.007...wonder if turbidity had an affect on the reading...the beer tastes great either way...
“Stay with the beer. Beer is continuous blood. A continuous lover.”
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Offline cmarron

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Re: hydrometer reading
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2018, 07:29:54 am »
Yeast in suspension and particularly CO2 in suspension will affect your readings.
At the brewery, we always put the sample in the cooler for half hour to let it settle before reading.

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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: hydrometer reading
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2018, 08:45:51 am »
For lab geeks this might be a good excuse to pick up a small centrifuge, or better yet, build one.

Palmer mentioned solids in suspension effecting SG readings. I wonder if this is coming to light lately because of the rise in popularity of these milky Vermont beers. The routine I've developed ends with the last reading being in bright finished beer. I've always felt that beer isn't done done until stabilized gravity AND yeast dropped (usually means they are done with clean up) Though some strains need help dropping bright.