Using airlock instead of hydrometer

[Chrisnewton]

I know I know I will get flamed for this, but I have never used a hydrometer when doing homebrew... I am quite new to this but I just can't get my head round using one so I use method passed down by my dad, basically when airlock has stopped bubbling it's good to bottle.

My problem is every home brew usually still bubbles.. I'm talking about one bubble every few minutes.. I always leave it about 2 weeks before bottling but was wondering is the fact I am still getting one bubble every few minutes mean it's not finished?

I know there is only really one way to tell and I understand I'm doing it wrong but beers have always tasted fine.

Just wondered what what you guys feel about airlock being only judge of fermenting process?

 

[HarrowBrewer]

I guess it depends on your FV and how good the seal is. I have one with a very tight seal, any brew in there bubbles the airlock constantly. My other FV must have a less efficient seal as I get no bubbles at all through the airlock, but the beer ferments with no problem. If you're leaving your brews for two weeks, then I expect they'll be good to bottle, but it wouldn't hurt to get a hydrometer....

 

[Sandimas]

I do use a hydrometer but it does tend to be a bit of a waste of time, as 99% of the time I know when it's finished. I leave brews an absolute minimum of 2 weeks, usually 20 days or so, which seem to be ample - you can tell it's finished as the yeast will drop out and the beer will be clear.

 

[Slid]

I only ever use a hydrometer just before bottling. This tells me if it is too cloudy, or SG is too high and then I leave it for another week.

I take the hydrometer sample before sorting the bottles with priming sugar (when I remember) because it seems a bit late by then to change your mind!

 

[brumbrew]

I own a hydrometer and I do use it.

But I will admit sometimes I don't.

I know what your saying about just sort of knowing when it's done. But don't underestimate the little yeasties.

An outhouse with beer dripping off the ceiling isn't a nice spectacle. :-(

 

[TheRedDarren]

So how do you work out your abv?

 

[Chrisnewton]

I don't bother as long as it tastes nice I'm happy

 

[Covrich]

thing is an air lock won't tell you if your brew is stuck.. a hydrometer will..

If you're doing just kits then typically it isn't nessecary to take an OG.. but I would still take one to ensure FG has been reached..

For AG brewing taking gravity checks are much more important for working out efficiency.. ect, and that doesn't just affect ABV but it can actually alter the balance of the beer too.

 

[ochiburi]

Just wondered what what you guys feel about airlock being only judge of fermenting process?

HarrowBrewer's comment re the seal on the fermentation vessel is spot-on. :thumb: This can mislead you into thinking its done when its not.

From what you wrote, I guess you already know the best answer is to use a hydrometer... The real question is what is the risk of not using one?

The risk is exploding bottles. I have never had an exploding bottle or indeed a whole batch of them. My brother had quite a few in one batch - his wife was less than impressed and still reminds him of this historic event each time he brews. :lol:

Here's why and how it can happen: :geek: Sometimes fermentations get stuck (could be several reasons for this, wrong temperature, poorly aerated wort to name but two) and you may think fermentation is done when its not - in fact the yeast may just have gone dormant waiting for better conditions. The bottling process re-introduces oxygen to the beer, also you add a little more sugar (it may be the right amount of bottling sugar) but there is also still lots of unfermented sugar in the beer. The fresh oxygen wakes up the dormant yeast which goes to work again and a few days later boom!

Bottom line: if you don't use a hydrometer you should really wait until the bubbles have completely stopped. Even then its a gamble, but its yours to take.

Cheers,
Laurence.

PS. If your life gets in the way of watching an airlock for hours, try a hydrometer - its quicker and 100% certain
PPS. Using a fermentation bucket with a tap makes it very easy to take a hydrometer sample.
PPPS. In case you don't know how: take a sample and get a hydrometer reading, write it down, (drink the sample if you like - i usually do) wait 24hrs, repeat. If the reading is the same you are fine. if not, write it down, wait 24 hrs, repeat. etc.

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

I'd second the risk of not identifying a stuck brew. I've had a couple of Woodford Wherry kits suffer from this (because of the appalling quality and amount of yeast supplied with the kit) and wouldn't have known the FG hadn't been reached if I hadn't taken a hydrometer reading.

However, I've never had much success getting a stuck brew much lower and ended up bottling anyway. The highest reading was 1018 and it was a slightly nervous time while they sat in my wardrobe during the warm conditioning. Luckily no bottle bombs!

 

[dad_of_jon]

Being a bit 'CDO' i just have to know my abv so I can put it on the bottles and fill in my alcohol consumption chart, which is going up thesedays, not down:-o

but if you only had to use a hydrometer once per brew say you want to save on taking samples or the risk of contaminating beer, i'd suggest 14-21 days after pitching yeast. You can get a good OG by using a brewing recipe calculator. A muntons kit i did said not to bottle above 1.014 whilst brewferm say 1.010 is their optimum fg, so if your hydro reading is below 1014 after two or three weeks you should be ok to bottle. I also bottle one plastic bottle as a carbonation tester, so there's very little change of bottle bombs. I only measure twice - og at start and fg 2-3 weeks later depending on the og of the beer (under 1050 - 2 weeks / 1050-1075 - 3 weeks)