they make them in SG i believe... the biggest thing is the temp calibration and the more accurate ranges.
https://www.belart.com/h-b-durac-sa...orm-thermo-hydrometers-traceable-to-nist.html
4th Attempt at Pale Ale
- Thread starter Mike at Bay
- Start date
https://www.belart.com/h-b-durac-sa...orm-thermo-hydrometers-traceable-to-nist.html
Thanks.....looking. mostly only need 1.000-1.200
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Messages
- 4,652
- Reaction score
- 4,290
- Points
- 113
That^^^
If you hit preboil gravity and volume, there's no reason to miss OG unless your boil volume is different from expected. Fix your equipment profile numbers in the calculator.
Remember that gravity is meaningless without accurate volume reading if you're trying to predict what's going to happen with future brews.
Thanks. Yep. I get it now. One issue I have is the calibration on my kettle is inaccurate. I know that so I pre-measure my water going in. A little difficult to get scientific after I pull the bag but I can get "close". Example; I put 8.4 gals in kettle....reads around 9 gals on kettle markings. No problem...I know what went in....so after pulling the bag it shows roughly 8 or a bit less.....so I can assume I am at about 7.5 gals as expected. Then, to your point and following advice I have been boiling a little less aggressively which may lead to slightly more volume post boil.
I currently assume Pre boil measurement was high due to inaccurate hydrometer reading. The math for determining pre boil seemed to work if I understood the sugar points right. Further, I assume the post boil OG calculation is amiss due to profile setting issues.
Next steps:
Adjust grain absorption if needed. I have pics of where the volumes landed against the kettle. I can recreate
New test boil off less aggressive.
Log new boil off rate IF needed.
Use the hydrometer I trust.
Thanks again to all.
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Messages
- 4,652
- Reaction score
- 4,290
- Points
- 113
Yes, defnitely get a handle on accurate grain absorption...if you're using a bag it can be tricky but try to squeeze it the same way every time if you can.Next steps:
Adjust grain absorption if needed. I have pics of where the volumes landed against the kettle. I can recreate
New test boil off less aggressive.
Log new boil off rate IF needed.
Use the hydrometer I trust.
Boil off can be variable but try to be consistent. It's easiest to estimate a little low on boil off because you can always top up if your volume is less than expected. In general, estimate in a way that allows you to overcompensate and you won't have problems with low OG. I run recipes with an estimated efficiency that's on the low side of what I'm likely to get. Sometimes efficiency is quite a bit higher and I'll be 5 to 10 points high. I have the choice of diluting or adjusting hops accordingly.
One quirk that I noticed relatively consistently for a while was getting a higher than expected gravity reading at pre boil that didn't follow through after the boil (the math doesn't lie...the amount of sugar in a larger volume is the same after the volume changes so is very predictable with the Boil off and Dilution Calculator). A couple of factors can have an impact - temp for sure and possibly distribution of sugars in suspension. I sparge so I wait until all the wort is in the kettle and starting to heat. Then I stir very well and then get a sample that I cool carefully to the exact temp.
Thanks. In the interest of accuracy and since graduating from extract to all grain........there is a new kettle in my future...Moving on From Bayou Classic to SS Brew Tech with more precise and detailed volume markings. I have had a SS BrewTech Fermenter for years....not sure why this took so long.
Also Brewing America has very accurate hydrometers made of borosilicate glass. Not cheap, so treat 'em like a newborn!
Also, I learned too late after wasting 2 cheaper hydrometers - NEVER shake them dry. The paper moves inside when you do.
I get the desire to hit the numbers and depending on what my goal for the brew is, I either care or don't. But I almost always nail within .001 or so now. Why? Because I spent the time to VERY meticulous with my volume and gravity measurements. Yes, my process and general brewing knowledge increased along the way, but I'd advise not to sweat being off unless you are very accurately measuring volumes. Use the Boil-off and Dilution calculator and play with some recipes to see what happens when you are off by only say .1 gallons. (easy to estimate wrong) Once you figure out your system and what those slight variances in estimations translate to with respect to a hydrometer, you'll worry less, because you'll know why it is off. (and it may not be!)
Finally, your hydrometer reading really looks like 1.048 because you should be reading the bottom of the meniscus. (as long as you are consistent though, that is all that matters)
Also (not so finally apparently) variations in malt from batch to batch can affect your gravity easily in the 0.001–0.002 range. Unless you are doing Congress mashes for brand new bags of malt each time and using your own custom specs for malt rather than the Brewer's friend defaults (which are indeed sane) I wouldn't sweat that variance.
Early on in brewing (BIAB, propane) I set up a spreadsheet to track a running average for grain absorption and boil-off. (I actually tracked absorption per grain when doing SMaSHes, which is likely more accurate, but too much work) Boil-off can vary based on ambient temp, wind speed, and relative humidity, even after controlling for the kettle dimensions and heat applied. That's too much to factor in. (but yes, I set up a formula to do so) The easier route is just build a running average. It will settle in at one number. Update your profile as you make each batch and refine it.
Check out this video:
You want Level 4. Many smaller electric systems struggle to maintain Level 3. Those of my friends with such systems, struggle to get clear beer accordingly.
Determine your boil-off rate (with accurate pre-post readings!) at Level 4.
So factor in:Thanks. Yep. I get it now. One issue I have is the calibration on my kettle is inaccurate. I know that so I pre-measure my water going in. A little difficult to get scientific after I pull the bag but I can get "close". Example; I put 8.4 gals in kettle....reads around 9 gals on kettle markings. No problem...I know what went in....so after pulling the bag it shows roughly 8 or a bit less.....so I can assume I am at about 7.5 gals as expected. Then, to your point and following advice I have been boiling a little less aggressively which may lead to slightly more volume post boil.
I currently assume Pre boil measurement was high due to inaccurate hydrometer reading. The math for determining pre boil seemed to work if I understood the sugar points right. Further, I assume the post boil OG calculation is amiss due to profile setting issues.
Next steps:
Adjust grain absorption if needed. I have pics of where the volumes landed against the kettle. I can recreate
New test boil off less aggressive.
Log new boil off rate IF needed.
Use the hydrometer I trust.
Thanks again to all.
Bottom of meniscus = 1.048 instead of 1.046 and you're only .003 off instead of .005
Wide degree of accuracy in estimations of volume = .003 easily, but let's say .001 or .002
Variations in malt from the default specs = .001–.002
That easily covers your assumed 'miss'. Maybe you didn't miss.
