| If you asked a bunch of homebrewers what the | | | | and learning the method does not require long . In |
| main items they need for their hobby what do you | | | | the first place, fill a straight sided jar two-thirds full |
| think they would say? | | | | of water at 60 degrees F (room temperature) and |
| I suppose the most popular responses would be a | | | | then place the hydrometer in the water and allow it |
| fermenter,the ingredients including hops, yeast, malt | | | | bob around for few seconds, and then stabilize. The |
| syrup , and an item known as a hydrometer. So | | | | reading ought to be about 1.000 . After you have |
| what precisely is a hydrometer anyway? Why ought | | | | checked this reading, remove the hydrometer from |
| you to have one and how would you use it? | | | | the jar and then dry it out. |
| After looking up my dictionary, I can tell you that a | | | | The next step is take a different jar and pour in |
| hydrometer is a tool for measuring a liquid's specific | | | | your home brew until it is full. Then place your |
| gravity, generally consisting of a calibrated tube | | | | hydrometer into the liquid, and allow it to balance out, |
| weighted so that it floats upright. Well, that does not | | | | and make a new reading. If Fermentation is still |
| actually clarify matters, so let's explain it in more | | | | happening the readingwill be over 1.015, but is near |
| detail. | | | | completion if the hydrometer reads from 1.010 to |
| When you are creating homebrew beer, you'd would | | | | 1.008. |
| need to use a hydrometer to find out how heavy | | | | To assure fermentation has completed, take two |
| the brew in comparison to normal water (also called | | | | readings during 24 hours. When the readings are |
| the "specific gravity"). The weight of the homebrew | | | | equal, your homebrew is ready and can be bottled. If |
| is related to what proportion of the sugar in the | | | | your reading is not consistant, then the process of |
| brew has been used up by the yeast (this is the | | | | fermentation is still going on. |
| fermenting process). | | | | Quick tips: Always ensure that your jars, and |
| So Why do you need to know what your brew's | | | | hydrometer, are both clean & dry before you |
| specific gravity of is? Well, the hydrometer is way of | | | | use them to make sure that a proper reading is |
| understanding when your brew is wholly fermented. | | | | taken. If your homebrew has any froth then pour |
| Once this point has been reached, you can bottle | | | | the liquid into a glass, and then into the jar again, |
| your brew and thereafter relish drinking what | | | | until they havesubsided. Finally, always ensure that |
| you've created. | | | | your hydrometer does not touch edges of your ar |
| So, just how would a homebrewer use a | | | | before taking readings. |
| hydrometer? Well, the action is in fact really easy, | | | | |
