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Broke My Hydrometer

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Ken2029

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 26, 2015
162
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This is why I can't have nice things:

Was planning to step up my game and graduate from JAO to BOMM and do everything just right, by the book. I had my yeast smacked for several hours and it was time to sanitize everything and get started.

Then I broke my hydrometer. No turning back now because the yeast was ready to pitch. I followed the recipe, but I have no starting gravity in order to determine my 1/3 & 2/3 sugar breaks. By time the brew shop opens on Tuesday it will be way too late.

The room temperature where I am brewing is about 70 degrees. Can anyone give me an estimate of the timing of the sugar breaks?

Dang!!
 
Dadux

Dadux

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jan 5, 2016
725
3
18
Spain, Europe
Yeah that happened to me too...twice. when i was brewing hydrometerless i just divided my adittions in 5 and add them at 0h 24h 48 etc. Some good mazers do this too so its not to crazy (i remember reading Schramm using 5 additions a few times i think). As long as you see the ferment going you can do this. Use 5 adittions if the ferment is medium speed/you expect high ABV or 4 of its fast/the sg is low (you should know more or less by the ammount)
 
C

caduseus

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Aug 20, 2016
675
2
18
Cincinnati
I use Lalvin yeast with TOSNA which dictates 24,48,72 for first 3 additions. 4th addition at 1/3sugar break or 1 week whichever comes first.
It seems TOSNA is better with a broken hydrometer if you use lalvin yeast.

Try out lalvin yeast sometime.
 
K

Ken2029

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 26, 2015
162
1
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I bet I could break it.
I just did a degas/aeration. The fermentation is really progressing well, or appears to be.
 
K

Ken2029

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 26, 2015
162
1
0
Update: Without a hydrometer, I followed the instructions of Canadian Sasquatch on YouTube. On the 7th day I tasted it and thought it tasted hot, so I put it in the fridge for a week prior to stabilization.

Today makes two weeks since pitch. I racked it into a carboy for stabilization and further aging. Took a little out to taste and was surprised to find that it tastes pretty good! It was dry, but not harsh at all. Passed it around to my wife and daughters and they all liked it.

I was thinking of adding a little sugar or a vanilla bean, but everyone insisted that I not alter it. I'm calling it a success.
 
edblanford

edblanford

Premium Patron
Premium Patron
Dec 19, 2010
232
0
0
Salt Lake City, Utah
Midwest Supplies/Northern Brewer have polycarbonate hydrometers for $10. I have a couple for general use, although I use real glass ones when I am looking for the ultimate in accuracy. What I really want is an affordable electronic one?
 
jeffvenuti

jeffvenuti

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jan 26, 2015
48
0
6
Bedford, MA
Great advice Hamish! Boil SG down to what it truly is. A ratio of weight to volume. For shits and grins I've done this exercise before to convince myself I truly understood SG. Total geek stuff.

Anyway, Ken, when you buy your next hydrometer buy three. I probably have five around the house for just these types of incidents.

This weekend I was wishing I had a spare pH meter since mine went all haywire in the middle of adjusting with K-carb (1.5 year old Extech ph110). These are a bit more expensive to stock up on though.

Jeff

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 
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