Discussion:
Hydrometer calibration question
(too old to reply)
Joerg
2016-12-31 19:13:37 UTC
Permalink
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I hung
it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997 instead of
1.000.

https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-techniques

Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator states
rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one actual and
one calibrated:

http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and I
measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely assume
that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be accurate?
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
T.J. Higgins
2016-12-31 21:36:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and I
measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely assume
that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be accurate?
I don't think you can trust that hydrometers are linear. They need
to be verified.

The article entitled "Checking your hydrometer, rev H" about 1/4 of
the way down this page:
<http://hbd.org/discus/messages/26895/28341.html?1108389094>
may be of interest.
--
TJH
tjhiggin.at.hiwaay.dot.net
Joerg
2016-12-31 22:02:44 UTC
Permalink
Post by T.J. Higgins
Post by Joerg
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and I
measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely assume
that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be accurate?
I don't think you can trust that hydrometers are linear. They need
to be verified.
The article entitled "Checking your hydrometer, rev H" about 1/4 of
<http://hbd.org/discus/messages/26895/28341.html?1108389094>
may be of interest.
Interesting post by Gary Muehe. I didn't know that hydrometers could be
off in scale as well. Non-linearity is probably less of an issue but
aside from an offset it seems they can also have an overall error factor
or multiplier.

Well, I don't want to do a lengthy science experiment. When I correct
for the 0.003 offset error my OG readings suddenly make a lot more
sense. They were always low by that much and when I saw an FG of 1.009 I
thought this can't be.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
D Ash
2016-12-31 21:40:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-t
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper 'meter'.
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to figure out
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to 68F.
Joerg
2016-12-31 22:08:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-t
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper 'meter'.
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to figure out
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to 68F.
Mine doesn't. However, it contains a thermometer which is very
practical. On the thermometer strip there is a green band around 75F and
on the gravity strip there is a green band around 1.025. Whatever that
means. Maybe because it is a hydrometer for aquarium use.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
D Ash
2017-01-01 02:42:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-
fermenter-t
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F and
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper 'meter'.
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to figure out
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to 68F.
Mine doesn't. However, it contains a thermometer which is very
practical. On the thermometer strip there is a green band around 75F and
on the gravity strip there is a green band around 1.025. Whatever that
means. Maybe because it is a hydrometer for aquarium use.
Perhaps a hydrometer made for brewing perposes would be a good idea for
a future splurge? Just a guess, but since you are brewing beer . . . . .
(grin)
Joerg
2017-01-02 20:38:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-
fermenter-t
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F
and
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper
'meter'.
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to figure
out
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to 68F.
Mine doesn't. However, it contains a thermometer which is very
practical. On the thermometer strip there is a green band around 75F
and
Post by Joerg
on the gravity strip there is a green band around 1.025. Whatever that
means. Maybe because it is a hydrometer for aquarium use.
Perhaps a hydrometer made for brewing perposes would be a good idea for
a future splurge? Just a guess, but since you are brewing beer . . . . .
(grin)
Why? They charge 3x or more and after all a hydrometer is a hydrometer.
Looks like mine is just 0.003 off and per what some Internet stories say
that doesn't seem unusual.

I like off-label use if it saves money. My brew pot is a tamale steamer
I bought new for $30 on sale. It is aluminum but it can hold a whopping
13 gallons and it even came with a false bottom so I should be prepared
for BIAB. The diameter of that pot is such that it just straddles two
back to back 1kW electric cook tops from Walmart. Those cost around $10
each and I plug them into different circuits. The two secondary
fermenters are 5-gallon water cooler bottles that cost about $11 each
plus a little over $2 each for air locks and grommets. It all works.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-03 02:30:05 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Why? They charge 3x or more and after all a hydrometer is
a hydrometer.
Looks like mine is just 0.003 off and per what some Internet
stories say that doesn't seem unusual.
Cheap hydrometers are only six or seven bucks at my homebrewing store -- I
know because I seem to break one every year or two.

I generally don't get too hung up over hitting the exact predicted OG or FG
anyway as long as it's in the general neighborhood and find that it's most
useful for knowing when the yeast is done. I'd probably be more careful
about OG and FG if I was brewing the same recipe over and over again, but
I'm always tinkering.
Joerg
2017-01-03 15:53:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Why? They charge 3x or more and after all a hydrometer is
a hydrometer.
Looks like mine is just 0.003 off and per what some Internet
stories say that doesn't seem unusual.
Cheap hydrometers are only six or seven bucks at my homebrewing store -- I
know because I seem to break one every year or two.
Yeah but mine was $2.12 :-)

Now they even dropped it to $0.99 and maybe I should get a spare or two:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6703J81983&cm_re=hydrometer-_-9SIA6703J81983-_-Product
Post by baloonon
I generally don't get too hung up over hitting the exact predicted OG or FG
anyway as long as it's in the general neighborhood and find that it's most
useful for knowing when the yeast is done. I'd probably be more careful
about OG and FG if I was brewing the same recipe over and over again, but
I'm always tinkering.
Same here. You can pretty much predict OG from the stuff that goes in.
Especially since I am still an extract and steeping brewer. I'd like to
move up to BIAB this year but my wife isn't too enthused about brew
sessions taking 6h instead of 4h. This is mainly because I only have two
1kW electric burners and must work in cramped quarters for brewing.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-03 21:59:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Same here. You can pretty much predict OG from the stuff that goes in.
Especially since I am still an extract and steeping brewer. I'd like
to move up to BIAB this year but my wife isn't too enthused about brew
sessions taking 6h instead of 4h. This is mainly because I only have
two 1kW electric burners and must work in cramped quarters for
brewing.
Brew in a bag shouldn't take that much longer than extract + steeping.

I find the big increase in effort comes from grinding grain extra fine, but
that can be done ahead of time whenever there's a window of time, and it's
not a necessary step. It takes a bit longer to heat the extra water for
the mashing, and the mash can take a bit longer than soaking some crystal
or whatever, but the actual investment of extra effort is minimal.
Joerg
2017-01-04 00:29:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Same here. You can pretty much predict OG from the stuff that goes in.
Especially since I am still an extract and steeping brewer. I'd like
to move up to BIAB this year but my wife isn't too enthused about brew
sessions taking 6h instead of 4h. This is mainly because I only have
two 1kW electric burners and must work in cramped quarters for
brewing.
Brew in a bag shouldn't take that much longer than extract + steeping.
Steeping is just 20 minutes. BIAB requires a 60 minute mash and then a
mash-out AFAIK. Also you still need to grind (and I'd have to buy a
grinder for that).
Post by baloonon
I find the big increase in effort comes from grinding grain extra fine, but
that can be done ahead of time whenever there's a window of time, and it's
not a necessary step. It takes a bit longer to heat the extra water for
the mashing, and the mash can take a bit longer than soaking some crystal
or whatever, but the actual investment of extra effort is minimal.
One of my time consumers are the wimpy burners. Only two electric
cooktops with 1kW each. When you dump 12 lbs or so of grains in there
the temperature will drop way down or, alternatively, you'll have to
pre-heat higher to hit the 150F target. That can easily consume another
45 minutes. The guys with propane burners don't have that problem.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-04 16:47:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Same here. You can pretty much predict OG from the stuff that goes
in. Especially since I am still an extract and steeping brewer. I'd
like to move up to BIAB this year but my wife isn't too enthused
about brew sessions taking 6h instead of 4h. This is mainly because
I only have two 1kW electric burners and must work in cramped
quarters for brewing.
Brew in a bag shouldn't take that much longer than extract +
steeping.
Steeping is just 20 minutes. BIAB requires a 60 minute mash and then a
mash-out AFAIK. Also you still need to grind (and I'd have to buy a
grinder for that).
You don't need a mash out. I mean, you can do it and it would certainly
help you get some extra wort, but I've found it's more trouble than it's
worth. I drop the bags in a colander, let them sit while the pot comes
to a boil, maybe push on them once or twice with a lid at some point,
and pour the drippings into the pot once it's hit a good boil.

Also, you can shave a little time off the mash. Most of the conversion
is done early, so cutting a 60 minute mash down to 50 minutes (or
forgetting about it for 10 or 20 minutes) will have a very minimal
effect.

I'll grant the extra time for a good grind, but since that's something
you can do days ahead, I sort of forget about it once brewday comes.

On a thrifty note, you don't need to buy a regular grinder -- I use a
knockoff Corona style grinder that was $25 and depending on where you
live you can find them in thrift stores for less.
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
I find the big increase in effort comes from grinding grain extra
fine, but that can be done ahead of time whenever there's a window of
time, and it's not a necessary step. It takes a bit longer to heat
the extra water for the mashing, and the mash can take a bit longer
than soaking some crystal or whatever, but the actual investment of
extra effort is minimal.
One of my time consumers are the wimpy burners. Only two electric
cooktops with 1kW each. When you dump 12 lbs or so of grains in there
the temperature will drop way down or, alternatively, you'll have to
pre-heat higher to hit the 150F target. That can easily consume
another 45 minutes. The guys with propane burners don't have that
problem.
Like the grinding, this isn't a pure time saver, just a time shifter,
but you can always set up the water the night before and put the burners
on a timer. If you overshoot and the water is too hot, you can always
add a bit of cold water to get the temperature back down.

In general I've found that getting as much set up ahead of brewday saves
time and makes things go so much smoother. I'm not a big one for
organizing, but getting all the ingredients weighed and sorted into
plastic bags and put in a plastic bin, checking all the equipment for
being clean and sticking it into another bin, all that really helps
prevent chaos and saves time.
Joerg
2017-01-04 17:36:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Same here. You can pretty much predict OG from the stuff that goes
in. Especially since I am still an extract and steeping brewer. I'd
like to move up to BIAB this year but my wife isn't too enthused
about brew sessions taking 6h instead of 4h. This is mainly because
I only have two 1kW electric burners and must work in cramped
quarters for brewing.
Brew in a bag shouldn't take that much longer than extract +
steeping.
Steeping is just 20 minutes. BIAB requires a 60 minute mash and then a
mash-out AFAIK. Also you still need to grind (and I'd have to buy a
grinder for that).
You don't need a mash out. I mean, you can do it and it would certainly
help you get some extra wort, but I've found it's more trouble than it's
worth. I drop the bags in a colander, let them sit while the pot comes
to a boil, maybe push on them once or twice with a lid at some point,
and pour the drippings into the pot once it's hit a good boil.
Also, you can shave a little time off the mash. Most of the conversion
is done early, so cutting a 60 minute mash down to 50 minutes (or
forgetting about it for 10 or 20 minutes) will have a very minimal
effect.
Good idea. It might also be possible to add the grains a bit early and
keep the burners going until mash temp is reached. The false bottom in
my kettle is about 2" or 2 gallons above the bottom. So the paint
strainer net should not become burnt.
Post by baloonon
I'll grant the extra time for a good grind, but since that's something
you can do days ahead, I sort of forget about it once brewday comes.
On a thrifty note, you don't need to buy a regular grinder -- I use a
knockoff Corona style grinder that was $25 and depending on where you
live you can find them in thrift stores for less.
Is it this kind?

https://www.amazon.com/GM-150-Grinding-Multigrain-Soybeans-Shelled/dp/B00A2YG6C0

I'd like to be able to drive it with an electric drill but I heard and
read that many lower cost grinders won't last long with barley because
the innards get ground down fast.

I could save time by grinding while the water heats up. Because this
takes so long I usually use that time to walk our dogs though.
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
I find the big increase in effort comes from grinding grain extra
fine, but that can be done ahead of time whenever there's a window of
time, and it's not a necessary step. It takes a bit longer to heat
the extra water for the mashing, and the mash can take a bit longer
than soaking some crystal or whatever, but the actual investment of
extra effort is minimal.
One of my time consumers are the wimpy burners. Only two electric
cooktops with 1kW each. When you dump 12 lbs or so of grains in there
the temperature will drop way down or, alternatively, you'll have to
pre-heat higher to hit the 150F target. That can easily consume
another 45 minutes. The guys with propane burners don't have that
problem.
Like the grinding, this isn't a pure time saver, just a time shifter,
but you can always set up the water the night before and put the burners
on a timer. If you overshoot and the water is too hot, you can always
add a bit of cold water to get the temperature back down.
I already do that with steeping and extract. If it is a beer sans
specialty grains where you have to go from zero to boil I fill the night
before and turn it on when I wake up. Quick cereal breakfast, coffee in
the office, handle some client emergencies, shower, brush teeth, shave,
walk the dogs and then it's boiling.

What I really found helpful is a wireless meat thermometer so I can keep
working in the office. I set the display next to me and it also has a
belt clip. The alarm is set to either 155F or 206F depending on whether
steeping is required. Unfortunately it broke and the replacement isn't
here yet.
Post by baloonon
In general I've found that getting as much set up ahead of brewday saves
time and makes things go so much smoother. I'm not a big one for
organizing, but getting all the ingredients weighed and sorted into
plastic bags and put in a plastic bin, checking all the equipment for
being clean and sticking it into another bin, all that really helps
prevent chaos and saves time.
How true. I often forgot little stuff. Like in the middle of bottling on
a dreary day where I need a lamp shining from the side to see the fill
level. Dang ... forgot to get it from the garage. So now I have
checklists like for a lot of my work stuff. When brewing that is less of
a concern because the whole process with heating and all is so slow.
Like when I add 6lbs of LME it takes at least half an hour to get back
to a boil. Then I turn on the TV down there to learn some Spanish while
organizing the various hop bags.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-04 22:01:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
I'll grant the extra time for a good grind, but since that's
something you can do days ahead, I sort of forget about it once
brewday comes.
On a thrifty note, you don't need to buy a regular grinder -- I use a
knockoff Corona style grinder that was $25 and depending on where you
live you can find them in thrift stores for less.
Is it this kind?
https://www.amazon.com/GM-150-Grinding-Multigrain-Soybeans-
Shelled/dp/B
Post by Joerg
00A2YG6C0
Looks like it's the same kind, probably a different source. Mine
doesn't have the little hood over the grinding plates, so there's a bit
more mess because grain dust can scatter a bit more without the hood.
Post by Joerg
I'd like to be able to drive it with an electric drill but I heard and
read that many lower cost grinders won't last long with barley because
the innards get ground down fast.
I could save time by grinding while the water heats up. Because this
takes so long I usually use that time to walk our dogs though.
Mine has lasted a long time and shown no problems, except the wooden
handle got corroded a bit when there was some Starsan that spilled on it
and soaked in without my knowing it. But all of the parts seem fine
after grinding a ton of grain with it.

I've read that the cheap ones don't have the best quality control, so
sometimes they get delivered with things like the plates not aligning
well or the crank is out of true, although that didn't happen to me.

I tried to connect mine to a power drill but couldn't get it to work
right -- I never got the speed of the drill and the speed of grain going
into the spinning plates right, and it either didn't go fast enough to
grind or got jammed.

Grinding by hand is good exercise, at least, although it does get
tedious.
Joerg
2017-01-04 22:35:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
I'll grant the extra time for a good grind, but since that's
something you can do days ahead, I sort of forget about it once
brewday comes.
On a thrifty note, you don't need to buy a regular grinder -- I use a
knockoff Corona style grinder that was $25 and depending on where you
live you can find them in thrift stores for less.
Is it this kind?
https://www.amazon.com/GM-150-Grinding-Multigrain-Soybeans-
Shelled/dp/B
Post by Joerg
00A2YG6C0
Looks like it's the same kind, probably a different source. Mine
doesn't have the little hood over the grinding plates, so there's a bit
more mess because grain dust can scatter a bit more without the hood.
Brewing is always a little messy :-)



Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
I'd like to be able to drive it with an electric drill but I heard and
read that many lower cost grinders won't last long with barley because
the innards get ground down fast.
I could save time by grinding while the water heats up. Because this
takes so long I usually use that time to walk our dogs though.
Mine has lasted a long time and shown no problems, except the wooden
handle got corroded a bit when there was some Starsan that spilled on it
and soaked in without my knowing it. But all of the parts seem fine
after grinding a ton of grain with it.
I've read that the cheap ones don't have the best quality control, so
sometimes they get delivered with things like the plates not aligning
well or the crank is out of true, although that didn't happen to me.
Then I'll keep an eye out at the thrift stores for a really big version.
Post by Joerg
I tried to connect mine to a power drill but couldn't get it to work
right -- I never got the speed of the drill and the speed of grain going
into the spinning plates right, and it either didn't go fast enough to
grind or got jammed.
What might work is a corded electric drill on a variable transformer.
Either an old one that doesn't have variable speed or switched to full
bore. I'd use low gear if it has a gear box selector (mine has two speeds).
Post by Joerg
Grinding by hand is good exercise, at least, although it does get
tedious.
Good point. My legs are in good shape because I spend around 4000mi/year
on bicycles but the arms need exercise, too. So instead of push-ups
it'll be grinding.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-05 15:25:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
Post by Joerg
I'd like to be able to drive it with an electric drill but I heard
and read that many lower cost grinders won't last long with barley
because the innards get ground down fast.
I could save time by grinding while the water heats up. Because this
takes so long I usually use that time to walk our dogs though.
Mine has lasted a long time and shown no problems, except the wooden
handle got corroded a bit when there was some Starsan that spilled on
it and soaked in without my knowing it. But all of the parts seem
fine after grinding a ton of grain with it.
I've read that the cheap ones don't have the best quality control, so
sometimes they get delivered with things like the plates not aligning
well or the crank is out of true, although that didn't happen to me.
Then I'll keep an eye out at the thrift stores for a really big version.
I've read that you can find them cheap in Hispanic grocery stores, but
unfortunately there aren't any close to me. At any rate, the advantage
of getting one in person instead of online is you can see within a
minute if they'll work right, assuming the seller lets you give it a few
turns.
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
I tried to connect mine to a power drill but couldn't get it to work
right -- I never got the speed of the drill and the speed of grain
going into the spinning plates right, and it either didn't go fast
enough to grind or got jammed.
What might work is a corded electric drill on a variable transformer.
Either an old one that doesn't have variable speed or switched to full
bore. I'd use low gear if it has a gear box selector (mine has two speeds).
My failed efforts used a full hopper while holding the drill, and I
suspect that it would work better if I had worked out a way to mount the
drill, started with an empty hopper, used some kind of clamp on the
drill's trigger to keep it going at a set rate, and then carefully fed a
slow but steady amount of grain through the hopper while the drill spun
the grinder. But that was getting to the point where I was spending
more time figuring things out than I wanted.

I've played around with using a blender and small batches of grain, and
while it worked, the efficiency wasn't nearly as good as the hand
grinder for whatever reason, even though the consistency looked the same
to my eye. I wasn't being very rigorous about any comparison, though,
so it could have just been a larger grind with the blender, or some
other variable that was off.
Post by Joerg
Post by baloonon
Grinding by hand is good exercise, at least, although it does get
tedious.
Good point. My legs are in good shape because I spend around
4000mi/year on bicycles but the arms need exercise, too. So instead of
push-ups it'll be grinding.
I think an easy mod would be extending the handle for more leverage -- I
am guessing that the standard size is made so women who are 4' 11" can
still turn them. That probably would make more sense if I had a spare
on hand in case I screwed up the first one, though.
D Ash
2017-01-05 19:14:43 UTC
Permalink
Re: Crushing grain

Is it difficult to find a local homebrew supplier who has a grain crusher
available for customer use? Mine does this for free; of course, one has to
buy the grain there, too. But free crushing is a good price, IMO.
baloonon
2017-01-06 00:01:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Re: Crushing grain
Is it difficult to find a local homebrew supplier who has a grain
crusher available for customer use? Mine does this for free; of
course, one has to buy the grain there, too. But free crushing is a
good price, IMO.
Mine does it free, but they set the grinder for a coarser grind than I like
for brew in a bag -- it's better for people who mash in more traditional
ways, and that's a bigger part of their customer base and also how they do
their own on-site brewing. Understandably, they prefer that customers
don't change the rollers on their own, and when I go it's often a wait to
get an employee to do it. I'll often do a first grind at the store and
then do a finer grind at home.

The other issue is that I don't like to grind too far in advance of
brewing, and I'll often buy several batches worth of grain in one visit, so
I will often bring home a bunch of unground grain.
D Ash
2017-01-06 02:32:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by D Ash
Re: Crushing grain
Is it difficult to find a local homebrew supplier who has a grain
crusher available for customer use? Mine does this for free; of
course, one has to buy the grain there, too. But free crushing is a
good price, IMO.
Mine does it free, but they set the grinder for a coarser grind than I
like for brew in a bag -- it's better for people who mash in more
traditional ways, and that's a bigger part of their customer base and
also how they do their own on-site brewing. Understandably, they
prefer that customers don't change the rollers on their own, and when
I go it's often a wait to get an employee to do it. I'll often do a
first grind at the store and then do a finer grind at home.
The other issue is that I don't like to grind too far in advance of
brewing, and I'll often buy several batches worth of grain in one
visit, so I will often bring home a bunch of unground grain.
Makes sense. I'm fortunate to live a few minutes bicycle ride from probably
one of the oldest suppliers in the Pacific Northwest, local, small,
established in the very early 1900's. Their prices are good, as well. They
have one crusher set as you've outlined-- can't change it without a wrench
and screwdriver. There's another one that is used by the employees and by
those who have been customers for a very long time and is easily
adjustable. One thing I've found to beat the crowds, though, is to go in
the morning at opening time, middle of the week. (I understand the
difficulty for most) Okay, I'll admit it-- I'm spoiled! Keep those air
locks bubbling!
baloonon
2017-01-08 21:17:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Makes sense. I'm fortunate to live a few minutes bicycle ride from
probably one of the oldest suppliers in the Pacific Northwest, local,
small, established in the very early 1900's. Their prices are good, as
well. They have one crusher set as you've outlined-- can't change it
without a wrench and screwdriver. There's another one that is used by
the employees and by those who have been customers for a very long
time and is easily adjustable. One thing I've found to beat the
crowds, though, is to go in the morning at opening time, middle of the
week. (I understand the difficulty for most) Okay, I'll admit it-- I'm
spoiled! Keep those air locks bubbling!
My local store is a godsend -- if I suddenly realize I'm missing some
hops or I'm low on bottlecaps, I can be there and back in half an hour.
Or if I need only 3.5 ounces of black malt, I can get exactly that and
not have to buy a whole pound like I would from a lot of online places,
and there's no shipping costs.

Their prices are a bit higher than the big online places, but I'm happy
to accept that. I can tell they're not getting rich by charging another
30 cents a pound for malt or extra dollar a packet for liquid yeast, and
I realize a new modestly sized business is going to have higher overhead
than a big warehouse sized place. Unfortunately, they're having some
issues with their landlord over repairs, but I'm hopeful if they move
that they're going to stay within a few miles of me. The landlord would
be stupid to let them go over the cost of some weatherproofing, because
no other tenant is going to move in until they're adressed -- but plenty
of landlords in history have made the same dumb calculation.
D Ash
2017-01-11 14:35:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by D Ash
Makes sense. I'm fortunate to live a few minutes bicycle ride from
probably one of the oldest suppliers in the Pacific Northwest, local,
small, established in the very early 1900's. Their prices are good, as
well. They have one crusher set as you've outlined-- can't change it
without a wrench and screwdriver. There's another one that is used by
the employees and by those who have been customers for a very long
time and is easily adjustable. One thing I've found to beat the
crowds, though, is to go in the morning at opening time, middle of the
week. (I understand the difficulty for most) Okay, I'll admit it-- I'm
spoiled! Keep those air locks bubbling!
My local store is a godsend -- if I suddenly realize I'm missing some
hops or I'm low on bottlecaps, I can be there and back in half an hour.
Or if I need only 3.5 ounces of black malt, I can get exactly that and
not have to buy a whole pound like I would from a lot of online places,
and there's no shipping costs.
Their prices are a bit higher than the big online places, but I'm happy
to accept that. I can tell they're not getting rich by charging another
30 cents a pound for malt or extra dollar a packet for liquid yeast, and
I realize a new modestly sized business is going to have higher overhead
than a big warehouse sized place. Unfortunately, they're having some
issues with their landlord over repairs, but I'm hopeful if they move
that they're going to stay within a few miles of me. The landlord would
be stupid to let them go over the cost of some weatherproofing, because
no other tenant is going to move in until they're adressed -- but plenty
of landlords in history have made the same dumb calculation.
Check out my local brick-and-mortar on-line: Steinbart's. (I'd be
interested to see any price comparisons you may be willing to note)
Their prices are very reasonable. Some states, free shipping. Not a
glitzy glamour site, by any means.

URL: http://fhsteinbart.com/
baloonon
2017-01-12 00:48:53 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Check out my local brick-and-mortar on-line: Steinbart's. (I'd be
interested to see any price comparisons you may be willing to note)
Their prices are very reasonable. Some states, free shipping. Not a
glitzy glamour site, by any means.
URL: http://fhsteinbart.com/
Their prices look pretty comparable to what I pay. I'm most impressed
that they started out in 1918 -- right before Prohibition kicked in.

I seem to recall that even though home brewing was outlawed, the raw
materials weren't. People either hoarded yeast, got brewers yeast that
was packaged as bread yeast, or used bread yeast -- I've seen
experiments that say at the right temps it makes very clean tasting
beer.

Hops weren't illegal, nor was malt extract -- it was used a lot in
baking and at soda fountains, and it wasn't hard for home brewers to get
a hold of it. Steinbart must have been one of the sources. I'm curious
if they had a side business, because it must have been tough to sustain
until home brewing was legalized by Carter in the 1970s (although I just
read that Alabama and Mississippi didn't allow it until 2013!).
D Ash
2017-01-12 22:42:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by baloonon
Post by D Ash
Check out my local brick-and-mortar on-line: Steinbart's. (I'd be
interested to see any price comparisons you may be willing to note)
Their prices are very reasonable. Some states, free shipping. Not a
glitzy glamour site, by any means.
URL: http://fhsteinbart.com/
Their prices look pretty comparable to what I pay. I'm most impressed
that they started out in 1918 -- right before Prohibition kicked in.
I seem to recall that even though home brewing was outlawed, the raw
materials weren't. People either hoarded yeast, got brewers yeast that
was packaged as bread yeast, or used bread yeast -- I've seen
experiments that say at the right temps it makes very clean tasting
beer.
Hops weren't illegal, nor was malt extract -- it was used a lot in
baking and at soda fountains, and it wasn't hard for home brewers to get
a hold of it. Steinbart must have been one of the sources. I'm curious
if they had a side business, because it must have been tough to sustain
until home brewing was legalized by Carter in the 1970s (although I just
read that Alabama and Mississippi didn't allow it until 2013!).
They survived Prohibition by supplying (heavily!) the "soda pop" makers.
(nudge nudge, wink wink)
Joerg
2017-01-12 23:11:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Post by baloonon
Post by D Ash
Check out my local brick-and-mortar on-line: Steinbart's. (I'd be
interested to see any price comparisons you may be willing to note)
Their prices are very reasonable. Some states, free shipping. Not a
glitzy glamour site, by any means.
URL: http://fhsteinbart.com/
Their prices look pretty comparable to what I pay. I'm most impressed
that they started out in 1918 -- right before Prohibition kicked in.
I seem to recall that even though home brewing was outlawed, the raw
materials weren't. People either hoarded yeast, got brewers yeast that
was packaged as bread yeast, or used bread yeast -- I've seen
experiments that say at the right temps it makes very clean tasting
beer.
Hops weren't illegal, nor was malt extract -- it was used a lot in
baking and at soda fountains, and it wasn't hard for home brewers to get
a hold of it. Steinbart must have been one of the sources. I'm curious
if they had a side business, because it must have been tough to sustain
until home brewing was legalized by Carter in the 1970s (although I just
read that Alabama and Mississippi didn't allow it until 2013!).
They survived Prohibition by supplying (heavily!) the "soda pop" makers.
(nudge nudge, wink wink)
"No, no, officer, we only make Kombucha in these here fermenters. Honestly."
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
baloonon
2017-01-13 02:12:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by D Ash
Post by baloonon
Post by D Ash
Check out my local brick-and-mortar on-line: Steinbart's. (I'd be
interested to see any price comparisons you may be willing to note)
Their prices are very reasonable. Some states, free shipping. Not a
glitzy glamour site, by any means.
URL: http://fhsteinbart.com/
Their prices look pretty comparable to what I pay. I'm most
impressed that they started out in 1918 -- right before Prohibition
kicked in.
I seem to recall that even though home brewing was outlawed, the raw
materials weren't. People either hoarded yeast, got brewers yeast
that was packaged as bread yeast, or used bread yeast -- I've seen
experiments that say at the right temps it makes very clean tasting
beer.
Hops weren't illegal, nor was malt extract -- it was used a lot in
baking and at soda fountains, and it wasn't hard for home brewers to
get a hold of it. Steinbart must have been one of the sources. I'm
curious if they had a side business, because it must have been tough
to sustain until home brewing was legalized by Carter in the 1970s
(although I just read that Alabama and Mississippi didn't allow it
until 2013!).
They survived Prohibition by supplying (heavily!) the "soda pop"
makers. (nudge nudge, wink wink)
"No, no, officer, we only make Kombucha in these here fermenters. Honestly."
These are some interesting bits on Prohibition era home brewing by HL
Mencken:

http://www.citypaper.com/eat/food-features/bcp-hl-mencken-on-brewing-a-
drinkable-home-brew-20140909-story.html

https://faithfulreaders.com/2012/05/01/h-l-mencken-homebrewer/

Home brewing supply stores seem to have done booming business during the
1920s and 30s, at least where he lived. I would assume if you lived in
Alabama you were stuck with buying corn liquor from a moonshiner.
D Ash
2017-01-13 14:04:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by D Ash
Post by baloonon
Hops weren't illegal, nor was malt extract -- it was used a lot in
baking and at soda fountains, and it wasn't hard for home brewers to
get a hold of it. Steinbart must have been one of the sources. I'm
curious if they had a side business, because it must have been tough
to sustain until home brewing was legalized by Carter in the 1970s
(although I just read that Alabama and Mississippi didn't allow it
until 2013!).
They survived Prohibition by supplying (heavily!) the "soda pop"
makers. (nudge nudge, wink wink)
"No, no, officer, we only make Kombucha in these here fermenters. Honestly."
LOL!

D Ash
2017-01-03 14:08:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low I
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-
fermenter-t
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps, one
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F
and
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper
'meter'.
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to figure
out
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to 68F.
Mine doesn't. However, it contains a thermometer which is very
practical. On the thermometer strip there is a green band around 75F
and
Post by Joerg
on the gravity strip there is a green band around 1.025. Whatever that
means. Maybe because it is a hydrometer for aquarium use.
Perhaps a hydrometer made for brewing perposes would be a good idea for
a future splurge? Just a guess, but since you are brewing beer . . . . .
(grin)
Why? They charge 3x or more and after all a hydrometer is a
hydrometer.
Post by Joerg
Looks like mine is just 0.003 off and per what some Internet stories say
that doesn't seem unusual.
I like off-label use if it saves money. My brew pot is a tamale steamer
I bought new for $30 on sale. It is aluminum but it can hold a
whopping
Post by Joerg
13 gallons and it even came with a false bottom so I should be
prepared
Post by Joerg
for BIAB. The diameter of that pot is such that it just straddles two
back to back 1kW electric cook tops from Walmart. Those cost around $10
each and I plug them into different circuits. The two secondary
fermenters are 5-gallon water cooler bottles that cost about $11 each
plus a little over $2 each for air locks and grommets. It all works.
Being frugal definitely has its advantages, that is for certain, and yet
I don't find $10.00-$12.00 for a hydrometer, which will likely be much
closer to accurate, to be prohibitively expensive. YMMV, of course.
Sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

My concern about those water bottle carboys is the plastic may not be
impervious to gaseous exchange. Don't leave a batch in one of those any
longer than necessary. (I may be repeating an urban myth here, but I've
seen more doubts cast on those due to the increased possibility of
oxygenation than I have seen pros.)
Joerg
2017-01-03 15:57:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Since I always had a suspicion that my hydrometer was reading low
I
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
hung it into water at room temperature. Sure enough it read 0.997
instead of 1.000.
https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-
fermenter-t
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
echniques
Says there should be a paper slip at which temp the calibration is
valid. There wasn't any slip that came with mine. This calculator
states rather large differences (up to 0.003) and has two temps,
one
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Very confusing. If my hydrometer shows 0.997 in clear water at 70F
and
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
I measure wort gravity and pitch my yeast at 70-80F, can I safely
assume that I need to add 0.003 to all my gravity readings and be
accurate?
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
Mine came with the register temp listed on the rolled up paper
'meter'.
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Says to adjust to 60F. That URL will give you a calculator to
figure
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
out
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
how to adjust temp at reading to 60F. Some are to be adjusted to
68F.
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Mine doesn't. However, it contains a thermometer which is very
practical. On the thermometer strip there is a green band around 75F
and
Post by Joerg
on the gravity strip there is a green band around 1.025. Whatever
that
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
means. Maybe because it is a hydrometer for aquarium use.
Perhaps a hydrometer made for brewing perposes would be a good idea
for
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
a future splurge? Just a guess, but since you are brewing beer . . .
. .
Post by Joerg
Post by Joerg
(grin)
Why? They charge 3x or more and after all a hydrometer is a
hydrometer.
Post by Joerg
Looks like mine is just 0.003 off and per what some Internet stories
say
Post by Joerg
that doesn't seem unusual.
I like off-label use if it saves money. My brew pot is a tamale
steamer
Post by Joerg
I bought new for $30 on sale. It is aluminum but it can hold a
whopping
Post by Joerg
13 gallons and it even came with a false bottom so I should be
prepared
Post by Joerg
for BIAB. The diameter of that pot is such that it just straddles two
back to back 1kW electric cook tops from Walmart. Those cost around
$10
Post by Joerg
each and I plug them into different circuits. The two secondary
fermenters are 5-gallon water cooler bottles that cost about $11 each
plus a little over $2 each for air locks and grommets. It all works.
Being frugal definitely has its advantages, that is for certain, and yet
I don't find $10.00-$12.00 for a hydrometer, which will likely be much
closer to accurate, to be prohibitively expensive. YMMV, of course.
Sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Other than being off a bit there isn't much that can go wrong with a
hydrometer.
Post by D Ash
My concern about those water bottle carboys is the plastic may not be
impervious to gaseous exchange. Don't leave a batch in one of those any
longer than necessary. (I may be repeating an urban myth here, but I've
seen more doubts cast on those due to the increased possibility of
oxygenation than I have seen pros.)
I made sure they are BPA-free. These bottle carboys were recommened to
me by a brewpub owner and brewer. He uses them to do experimental
batches. Also, the caps I use are oxygen-absorbing although I doubt that
matters considering that the beer is usually all consumed within about
two months.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
D Ash
2017-01-03 18:05:44 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joerg
Post by D Ash
My concern about those water bottle carboys is the plastic may not be
impervious to gaseous exchange. Don't leave a batch in one of those any
longer than necessary. (I may be repeating an urban myth here, but I've
seen more doubts cast on those due to the increased possibility of
oxygenation than I have seen pros.)
I made sure they are BPA-free. These bottle carboys were recommened to
me by a brewpub owner and brewer. He uses them to do experimental
batches. Also, the caps I use are oxygen-absorbing although I doubt that
matters considering that the beer is usually all consumed within about
two months.
I wasn't referring to BBA +/-/free. Thin plastic is permeable to gas
exchange. Chemistry 101. The usual 2-3 week secondary might be fine, but I
was referring to lengthy clarification needs for some beers, might want to
invest in maybe one 6.5 gallon carboy just for the occasional need.

Oxygen-absorbing bottle caps are much like what the fishing tackle stores
put out on their shelves-- most of it is meant to catch fishermen, not
fish! Save your money and buy simple ordinary crown caps. They come in a
lot of different colors for no extra. I've had brews capped with those sit
in the cellar for a couple years with no problems. But do get a good
capper!
Joerg
2017-01-03 20:30:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by D Ash
Post by Joerg
Post by D Ash
My concern about those water bottle carboys is the plastic may not be
impervious to gaseous exchange. Don't leave a batch in one of those any
longer than necessary. (I may be repeating an urban myth here, but I've
seen more doubts cast on those due to the increased possibility of
oxygenation than I have seen pros.)
I made sure they are BPA-free. These bottle carboys were recommened to
me by a brewpub owner and brewer. He uses them to do experimental
batches. Also, the caps I use are oxygen-absorbing although I doubt that
matters considering that the beer is usually all consumed within about
two months.
I wasn't referring to BBA +/-/free. Thin plastic is permeable to gas
exchange. Chemistry 101. The usual 2-3 week secondary might be fine, but I
was referring to lengthy clarification needs for some beers, might want to
invest in maybe one 6.5 gallon carboy just for the occasional need.
The max I use for secondary is 4 weeks. Should be fine. The material is
not as thin as that on a large soda pop bottle. Also, due to lower back
issues I do not want to have to lift glass carboys with 5 gallons of
beer in them.
Post by D Ash
Oxygen-absorbing bottle caps are much like what the fishing tackle stores
put out on their shelves-- most of it is meant to catch fishermen, not
fish! Save your money and buy simple ordinary crown caps. They come in a
lot of different colors for no extra. I've had brews capped with those sit
in the cellar for a couple years with no problems. But do get a good
capper!
Oxygen-absorbing caps are the only ones Brewmeister in Folsom carries. I
buy theirs because they are of stiffer metal than the non-oxygen ones
from Midwest. The cost is roughly the same, I buy 200 caps for $7 plus
tax. Also, it is on one of my regular cycling routes with only a mile or
two of detour.

The capper, yeah, I only have a wing capper for now. Got to buy a
standing capper some day but that's yet another chunk of equipment
needing a parking spot.
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
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