hydrometer or bubbles

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Question:

Typically, I’ll watch the airlock. If there is signs of fermentation, I won’t bother taking a hydrometer reading since it obviously is not done fermenting. After the airlock stops bubbling, I let it sit for another week or two (to clear and finish off the more complex sugars that may take longer to ferment). If things go my way (they usually do), the ale sits in the primary for about 3 weeks and once the airlock is inserted it is not removed until packaging time (unless it is a lager, then it gets racked and put up for an extended secondary at lagering temps). However, I always take a hydrometer reading before thinking about kegging or bottling. You could have a stuck ferment and that is unsafe for bottling. Even a stuck ferment will go to terminal gravity given sufficent time – you don’t want that happening in a capped bottle. Not Racking in Pa, John — John Varady The HomeBrew Recipe Calculating Program Boneyard Brewing Custom Neon Beer Signs For Home Brewers Glenside, PA Get More Information At:

Response:

I have pretty much gotten into the habit of watching the airlock and waiting 7 days before bottling. It is fairly warm here in South Carolina, which I think speeds up the fermentation process. After about the second day I get almost no airlock action. So after a week I bottle. I still take my hydrometer readings at the start of fermentation and just prior to bottling for record keeping purposes, but I have gotten into the habbit of not even figuring alcohol percent. From the time I start fermentation to getting ready to bottle, I never open the fermentor! All I brew are Ale’s, so I Can’t speek for Lagers or anything else. After 4 batches I am very satisfied with the results Rob

Response:

And if bubbling has ceased because of a stuck fermentation? I wouldn’t want to bottle that 1.030 brew. — to respond, change "spamless" to "optonline"

Response:

And if bubbling has ceased because of a stuck fermentation? I wouldn’t want to bottle that 1.030 brew.

Exactly. I mainly use bubbles (or lack thereof) to judge my beer, but I still take hydrometer readings at key points to make sure everything is just right. My last beer got stuck at 1.025, for example, so I had to take corrective measures. cheers, -Alan — — Alan McKay http://www.bodensatz.com/

Response:

I believe that watching bubble action in the air lock may be just as good or even better than using a hydrometer to determine when a batch needs to go into the bottles. Am I in error? I am hesitant to keep stirring things up and give an opening for any contaminants, that is why I am thinking that bubbles are better. Should I be using a hydrometer instead? Paul * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

Yeah, just because an airlock bubbles, doesn’t mean anything. Shake up a carboy of finished brew and you’ll get bubbles from suspended CO2 being released. Higher gravity brews may still be fermenting, but at a rate so slow that you don’t notice the bubbles unless you sit there and stare at the airlock for hours. The hydrometer is your friend. It’s the most reliable method to determine whether or not your brew is still fermenting. Plus, it also gives you the extra added benefit of being able to calculate % of alcohol. I use a wine thief to pull out samples of a brew and take hydrometer readings. I drink the sample instead of putting it back. Make sure you sanitize anything that comes in contact with your brew, and you should have no contamination issues. Mike Fun

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I believe that watching bubble action in the air lock may be just as good or even better than using a hydrometer to determine when a batch needs to go into the bottles. Am I in error? I am hesitant to keep stirring things up and give an opening for any contaminants, that is why I am thinking that bubbles are better. Should I be using a hydrometer instead? Paul * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

I agree with you 100%. I don’t use a hydrometer to decide when to bottle. I take a final reading for my records, but I *never* open the fermenter mid-fermentation just to check the gravity. If it is still bubbling, then the SG is still dropping… why take multiple hydrometer readings, to tell you what you already know? —

Response:

Yeah, just because an airlock bubbles, doesn’t mean anything. Shake up a carboy of finished brew and you’ll get bubbles from suspended CO2 being released.

So don’t count on the bubbling rate telling you anything if you’ve shaken the fermenter recently. Doesn’t seem like a big deal to me — just don’t shake the fermenter, if you are planning on checking the bubbling rate. Higher gravity brews may still be fermenting, but at a rate so slow that you don’t notice the bubbles unless you sit there and stare at the airlock for hours.

And if it is really fermenting so slowly that you would need to stare at it for hours, you will also need to spread your hydrometer readings out over a period of weeks, to notice any significant drop between successive SG readings. If you stare at the airlock for 2 *minutes* and it doesn’t bubble, and the beer has fallen clear, go ahead and bottle — for all practical purposes, fermentation is done. The hydrometer is your friend. It’s the most reliable method to determine whether or not your brew is still fermenting. Plus, it also gives you the extra added benefit of being able to calculate % of alcohol.

I am not arguing against the use of hydrometers per se. What I see as unnecessary is the taking of multiple readings during fermentation to gauge fermentation progress. Just a waste of good proto-beer, IMO. I take one reading post-boil, one when I rack, and one at bottling time. This allows me to track how different mash temps and yeast strains affect my attenuation, and allows me to calculate % alcohol. I use a wine thief to pull out samples of a brew and take hydrometer readings. I drink the sample instead of putting it back. Make sure you sanitize anything that comes in contact with your brew, and you should have no contamination issues.

Agreed… if everything is sanitary, the infection risk from doing multiple readings should be minimal. But it’s *still* extra mucking around — more stuff to sanitize, etc… Both approaches are ceratinly valid; but for me, I just don’t see the pros as outweighing the cons. I’ll stick to watching the bubbles in my airlock. —

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