[ynotbrusum]

I have a refractometer for brew day and I calibrate the Tilt against room temp water before adding it to the fermenter and, so, at that point I have - my recipe in a spreadsheet with predicted OG (based on my systems and fairly accurate volumes used), the refractometer reading (take 3 or so, if there is something seemingly off), a spare hydrometer which, if used, must be adjusted for temperature difference of wort as measured (or allowed to rise to room temp from chilled temp at racking).  At the back end, I have predicted FG from the recipe spreadsheet, a refractometer with the adjustment calculator, the same hydrometer as used on the front end, the Tilt to know it hasn't moved over 3-4 days, and a lab grade finished hydrometer that is highly accurate. 

But in reality, if I am pressure fermenting, I just use the Tilt to monitor stasis at the end (since the pressure throws off the Tilt reading accuracy - I think) and most recently, I usually don't even take a final gravity reading.

YMMV, of course, and some times it is great to know precisely where you are on a particular beer...for me, my beers are usually low ABV, so high accuracy isn't terribly necessary.  It is a rarity for me to make a beer above 1.050, FWIW.

[EnkAMania]

I used Tilts until I bought my EasyDens hydrometer. 


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[trapae]

Seems like the tilt people could solve the problem of Schmutz by making the top part of the tilt that floats conical so nothing collects on top of it.

[jjflash]

I have been using the Tilt Pro in a S/S conical fermentor.
Never have thought of this as a precision gravity instrument.
Rather, I use it to follow the fermentation trend with the graphing chart.
Really find it useful for following the temp bump ups with Belgian yeast response.
Also useful for establishing end of active fermentation.
Good if you like beer gadgets and if you are 1/4 or more nerd.

[majorvices]

My tilt is pretty close to being accurate. Close enough that I use those numbers for my batches. Even if it is off by a point ... honestly, I don't really care that much about OG and FG specifics as long as the beer is close and as long as I know it is finished fermenting. I haven't had a beer stall on me in many years but if it did I'd still be able to notice it on the Tilt even if the FG was not 100% accurate.

[trapae]

Seems like if they just made the tilt with the upper portion like a cone, it will not get hub and use debris on it and be much more accurate.

[tommymorris]

Mine is pretty accurate as is. My OG and FG are usually spot on. I have done a 2 point calibration: one point in typical OG range and one point in the typical FG range. Mine doesn’t get a lot of schmutz on it and the amount is fairly consistent.  I think the common amount of schmutz is built into my calibration.

[IslandLife671]

I've been using two Tilts (love how the App can upload to Google Docs every 10 minutes and I can check progress and temperature from anywhere in the world ...).  I find them to be "accurate enough" for my home brewing use, but I would like to chime in on the "schmutz" collecting on top of the unit.  Yes, that's real.  During high krausen you'll probably won't even see your Tilt floating in the fermentor, and yes, when the fermentation slows down, some of that foam will dry up on the little cap of the thing.

BUT, the Tilt doesn't measure gravity by weight, but by the angle (tilt ... get it) of the unit as it floats in the liquid.  The small amount of dried up foam on top of it barely effects how much the bottom of the unit wants to tilt up or down.  The vast majority of the plastic tube is below fluid level and the accumulation of gunk on top appears to be a negligible force compared to the buoyancy of the tube below the surface of the liquid.

[tommymorris]

The shape of this graph does not inspire me with confidence. I think I’ll have to pull out the floating hydrometer if I want to know the FG for this beer. 

This was a ferment with Verdant IPA yeast which is pretty vigorous yeast. In the middle there it looks like the yeast had too much sugar and started barfing it back into the wort- steadily increasing the SG. Then the big drop is probably from me swirling the fermenter- not sure. Then the Tilt lost connection with the Raspberry PI (and maybe turned off) for two long periods. Now it’s back on like nothing ever happened.

PS. I don’t mean to dis the Tilt. The batter is probably low. I really like my Tilt.

[dmtaylor]

The curve is still curving.  It's not finished yet.  Wait at least another 3-4 days before even thinking about measuring FG or packaging.

[tommymorris]

The curve is still curving.  It's not finished yet.  Wait at least another 3-4 days before even thinking about measuring FG or packaging.

Thanks for the tip

[dmtaylor]

The curve is still curving.  It's not finished yet.  Wait at least another 3-4 days before even thinking about measuring FG or packaging.

Thanks for the tip

If you want to see a goofy batch, this recent one just about takes the cake, for me.  I finally just bottled this a few days ago after it spent nearly 2 whole months in the primary.  This is a Belgian patersbier (a.k.a., single), which totally stalled for a full month!, after which I finally decided to add Belle Saison and some more sugar, which kicked things off again for a true secondary fermentation that ended at a much lower FG than the stall.  It tastes very good... so... overall, a success! 

But yeah, I find that it pays to wait a few days before packaging, particularly with Belgians, as very often, they'll keep going, like the Energizer bunny.

[mabrungard]

The curve is still curving.  It's not finished yet.  Wait at least another 3-4 days before even thinking about measuring FG or packaging.

Agree!  The benefit of the Tilt output, is not its accuracy, but its trend.  The curve is the only thing you should look at.  As it flattens, that's when you might consider spunding.  But when its flat, that's when you know its done.

[tommymorris]

The curve is still curving.  It's not finished yet.  Wait at least another 3-4 days before even thinking about measuring FG or packaging.

Thanks for the tip

If you want to see a goofy batch, this recent one just about takes the cake, for me.  I finally just bottled this a few days ago after it spent nearly 2 whole months in the primary.  This is a Belgian patersbier (a.k.a., single), which totally stalled for a full month!, after which I finally decided to add Belle Saison and some more sugar, which kicked things off again for a true secondary fermentation that ended at a much lower FG than the stall.  It tastes very good... so... overall, a success! 

But yeah, I find that it pays to wait a few days before packaging, particularly with Belgians, as very often, they'll keep going, like the Energizer bunny.

Yep. That’s another very interesting graph.  I’m glad you were able to get it going again.

[redrocker652002]

I bought something similar from another board.  I is called the Ispindel.  I think it is very similar to what you all are talking about.  I have not had much luck with it, but it has been accurate.  I guess what I am trying to say is that the last time I used it it did not read anything.  Now, this could totally be user error as I am not a very good tech person, and it was a cool gadget that I thought might help.  I am going to try it again in my next brew, but to me, the hydrometer has been pretty good.  I just hate wasting all that beer. LOL.  I might look into a refractometer and see how that works.  Either way, I think the Ispindel is pretty cool.