1st broken hydro

[feedthebear]

Well, I've crossed another brewing first. Got all my equipment out. Got my brew pot on the burner. Slapped my smack-pak. Started sanitizing my equipment... and discovered that my hydrometer is broken. Hey, it lasted 11 months.

So much for my freaking Bitter.

And it means that I'm going to have to do back to back brew nights. SWMBO is down to 7 pints of Hazelnut Stout #2. Its time to make #3.

So I'm going to drink my triple shot margarita and figure out which coworker I can bribe with a Red Ale to take me to the LBHS so I can buy another hydro while my car is being worked on. +100F days forcast for the next two weeks. Need that AC compressor fixed.

 

[McKBrew]

Buy 2 this time and keep one in the case, just in case.

You can keep the hot weather BTW, I don't know how you do it.

 

[feedthebear]

I'm not doing as well with it as I used to. I used to love the heat and hated the cold. Now I hate them both.

I must be getting old or something.

 

[dibby33]

I always used to have just one hydrometer. The next time I was in my LHBS I bought another. Got it home and the original one got knocked by the bag from the LHBS and fell to the floor and smashed. Went the the store and bought 2. Out of the four I still have 2 left!

 

[Ryanh1801]

Its amazing how easy they are to break isn't? I broke my first one with in one month. Now it stays in a case unless im using it. Once I get some money I gonna invest in a refractometer.

 

[feedthebear]

I picked up two hydros Monday. Felt like crap Monday night so I only made a starter.

I finally got the Bitter brewed tonight. I freaked out when I used the new hydro for the first time. My OG read 1.074. That's almost double what I was planning. Then I realized a bunch of hop seeds had sucked into my wine thief and was giving me a false high.

I remeasured in the fermenter and it came out 1.042. That's still a little high for an Ordinary Bitter but not bad for a first attempt.

 

[FlyingHorse]

Buy 2 this time and keep one in the case, just in case.

I broke two hydrometers a week apart in 1994.
Next time to the LHBS, I did the "buy 2" trick.

The 2nd one continues to reside in my brewing toolbox, never having been removed from its case

(I'm certain I've just cursed myself)

I did break my hydrometer flask this week, though. So maybe that will appease the HB gods...

 

[Bernie Brewer]

In a pinch, you can get hydrometers at a tropical fish store. The scale only goes to 1.060 or so, but they work in a pinch. I've gone through so many regular hydrometers that I could've bought a refactometer with the money, but that aquarium hydrometer, which is my spare, hasn't broken yet, and it's been several years.

 

[EdWort]

Since I bought a Refractometer, I have not broken a single hydrometer.

 

[the_bird]

I have a couple hydrometers I inherited from my grandfather. He was a doctor, and they were used to test sugar levels in urine. I'm probably not going to use them for beer

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I have a couple hydrometers I inherited from my grandfather. He was a doctor, and they were used to test sugar levels in urine. I'm probably not going to use them for beer

C'mon, tell the truth- you urinated on them to sanitize them, didntcha???

 

[feedthebear]

*bump*

Update: Make that 2 broken hydros. Second one shattered on the inside door of my dish washer

****ing Rat Farts.


Where's my beer?

 

[Brew Runner]

I don't remeber exactly , but I think I broke my first hydro shortly after brewing my first batch. Thankfully I had a spare; one that I acquired through the years and had no use for before I ever thought about brewing. Good thing I don't throw anything away.

 

[ilikebeer]

I just found that mine had fell and broke while in its plastic tube. I guess the good thing is there's no glass to clean up.

Can these just be thrown out or is there something toxic in them that will contaminate?

 

[feedthebear]

I just threw mine out.

As far as I'm aware, they are just weighted glass tubes.

 

[david_42]

Good question. I suspect the manufacturers use steel shot for weight. Mine, at least, claim to be lead-free, but I had to track down the manufacturer to find that out.

 

[Brew Runner]

One of mine has a blob of metal that was obviously molten when it was put there, but it doesn't look like lead. I suspect it's another low-melt metal like bismuth, which is used in lead-free shot shells.

 

[feedthebear]

Make that 3 broken hydros.

I've decided to replace them with a refrac.
http://www.technika.com/Sper/s300001.htm

 

[alowishus]

In a pinch, you can get hydrometers at a tropical fish store. The scale only goes to 1.060 or so, but they work in a pinch. I've gone through so many regular hydrometers that I could've bought a refactometer with the money, but that aquarium hydrometer, which is my spare, hasn't broken yet, and it's been several years.

Bernie,

Are you refering to the little plastic ones which you pour some liquid into and it raises an arrow?

It may work in a pinch, but as an experienced coral reef aquarist, those are highly inaccurate. When I started using a refractometer to check salinity, I found mine was off by more than .010!

Just a warning - it won't kill you, but it could kill your corals!

alow