Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 2 Days ago I did a brew of an Ale recipe I like and took a sample in a measuring cylinder to establish the OG (1.074). The sample was taken after I pitched the yeast starter. Here is a photo of the original. The sample was not discarded and I sat it next to my PC to watch it do its magic. Because it has the yeast it has gone through all the same violent fermentation with a heavy krausen developing on top of the fine creamy head as has occurred in the fermenter. I took a an SG reading just now from the fermenter with another hydrometer ( which gives same readings)and well as I expected the SG readings from the measuring cylinder and the fermenter are identical. Here are a couple of photos taken a few minutes ago. (I did gently clean away the krausen and head to show the reading. So it seems to me if you want to keep a close eye on your brews progress (SG and activity) this is a simple way which is highly visible. I can see every bubble and every bit of trub which I cannot see in the opaque plastic fermenter. This is like having a glass carboy to watch. I will definitely be using with future brews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Very interesting John. I take the temperature of the sample near your PC is the same as the wort in your FV. Varying temperatures could result in different fermentation between the two. It's good to watch though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Very interesting John. I take the temperature of the sample near your PC is the same as the wort in your FV. Pretty well the same temperature I reckon but maybe a degree or two variation could have been the case. Should have little impact as I think it is about 0.2 of a point for every 1\xb0C if my memory serves me correctly. I will not look at the fermenter again until this sample has bottomed out for 3 days in a row. Then I will see how the FGs line up. If they concur then in future I will not worry about taking sample from the fermenter and just keep the sample in the temp controlled cabinet so it is at the same temperature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianD3 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Hey guys! I'm new here and to the awsomeness of brewing beer. but Living in central QLD i often have trouble with my sg reading. the lowest i have ever got a beer is around 1012 with the beer temp 22c. I know with the sugars malt yeast,all can make a differance. but its good at this time of year as i have let a mangrove jack australian bitter go for 5 weeks. but in the summer its gotta be bottled asap. any tips guys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 You are absolutely correct saying sugars, malt and yeast impact the FG. So it is a bit hard to comment on your brews without knowing the recipes etc. With regards to only having achieved a FG low of 1012, this may be the correct FG for the brew. You may not be doing anything wrong at all and your beers could all be going according to plan. As for tips, what do you want to know? If you have any specific questions then start a new topic/thread and you should get lots of help. Everyone has an opinion around here (but we're all friendly)[biggrin] And welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Well as a method of monitoring the SG of the brew it is a failure!! The measuring cylinder was sitting on 1.034 this morning so I decided to see how it compared with the real thing. The reading from the fermenter was 1.030 and the temperature and hydrometer used were the same. So I think I can conclude that other factors significantly effect the rate at which the yeast do their trick. Still interesting to watch what was happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 the size and shape of an FV also affect the ferment, a long skinny thing like you show will be a very different thing to your main FV.. However what you can do is take that sample and shake the living poo out of it every day and keep it somewhere warm, it will give you a fast track reading of the FG you can expect... just dont drink it... yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 the size and shape of an FV also affect the ferment, a long skinny thing like you show will be a very different thing to your main FV.. However what you can do is take that sample and shake the living poo out of it every day and keep it somewhere warm, it will give you a fast track reading of the FG you can expect... just dont drink it... yob I am expecting delivery of a cheap refractometer any day http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270748552919?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 Hopefully I will not have to worry about losing good beer taking hydrometer samples in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I have been eying that off myself but just never thought much of the cheap versions. No personal experience with them so really I have no idea. Let us know what it is like when you get it please John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Back on topic. Rather than "monitor" the SG, I do something known as a "forced fermentation" test. This indicates what the FG of the brew will be. I fill a 375 ml PET bottle with wort, drop in one of the small cheap Brigalow hydrometers, innoculate it with a fair dash of yeast and cap it with a lid that has an an airlock through it. I keep it warm and agitate it every time I pass by. After 2-3 days it has fermented and your FG is determined. This way I know when the brew in my FV has terminated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 Let us know what it is like when you get it please John. I will Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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