16 replies to this topic

[HVB]

Anyone else use one?  I  fully confess to liking gadgets that I really do not need but want so I bought one of these.  I hope to use it this weekend to test it out.  This weekend will also be the last batch on my current hot side set up before I move to some new kettles... I like shinny.

 

Right now I plan to just use the app on my phone but I do plan to set up an old tablet  and use Google sheets to log and graph the ferment profile.

 

[Poptop]

How the heck would you fit that thing in the test tube?

[neddles]

How accurate are these? Looks like they compensate for alcohol production somehow.

[HVB]

How accurate are these? Looks like they compensate for alcohol production somehow.

I had asked others that used them and it seems like 2 points was the common response.  That is close enough for me to spund with out opening the fermenter to take a reading.  My main reason was for spunding.

How the heck would you fit that thing in the test tube?

BIG test tube!

[shaggaroo]

that's schnazzy! I might have to get one, just because...

[neddles]

Yeah if I was brewing more Id have to seriously consider one for spunding alone. Where did you get yours drez?

[Big Nake]

That looks like one of those things I'd like to play with for a bit and then return.    I say that because I really would like to use it but then I probably wouldn't use it much after the initial WOW factor.  I could say that about a lot of toys you see.  Drez, please report back on how you like it and what it does for you.  At the moment I take hydro readings to check gravity and I have a cup of water in the fridge and I just stick my thermapen in there.    But I agree with neddles that this could be a must-have for spunding.  A quick search shows them at $135 almost everywhere except a place that had it for $140.  Northern Brewer, MoreBeer and Amazon all sell it for $135.  With Amazon Prime you could at least save on the shipping.  Amazon.

 

EDIT:  I stand corrected.  Not eligible for Amazon Prime.  

[HVB]

Yeah if I was brewing more Id have to seriously consider one for spunding alone. Where did you get yours drez?

I got it right from Tilt. I wanted to pick a color and Amazon only had black.  

 

I seem to really have a hard time with the spund window so this should help, i imagine, with out the need for multiple samples.

[Big Nake]

I got it right from Tilt. I wanted to pick a color and Amazon only had black.  

 

I seem to really have a hard time with the spund window so this should help, i imagine, with out the need for multiple samples.

Aside from actually being present when you need to be... I'm finding that the spund window is not that tricky.  I have probably sent beer to the keg to spund with MORE gravity left than there should have been and while those beers may have been slightly more lively, they were great.  I had a 5% blonde ale fermenting since last Friday night and on Monday night the activity was getting very slow.  I thought "no way it's done in three days.  No way."  I checked the gravity on Tuesday morning and it showed 1.010.    So I quickly sent it to the keg and it may or may not naturally carb.  If not, I'll hit it with CO2.  The TILT would have helped for sure. 

 

Also:  I'm not using the spunding valve anymore either.  I just send it to the keg with a closed-transfer and let the rest happen.  The valve doesn't seem necessary.  

[HVB]

Aside from actually being present when you need to be... I'm finding that the spund window is not that tricky.  I have probably sent beer to the keg to spund with MORE gravity left than there should have been and while those beers may have been slightly more lively, they were great.  I had a 5% blonde ale fermenting since last Friday night and on Monday night the activity was getting very slow.  I thought "no way it's done in three days.  No way."  I checked the gravity on Tuesday morning and it showed 1.010.    So I quickly sent it to the keg and it may or may not naturally carb.  If not, I'll hit it with CO2.  The TILT would have helped for sure. 

 

Also:  I'm not using the spunding valve anymore either.  I just send it to the keg with a closed-transfer and let the rest happen.  The valve doesn't seem necessary.  

 

I like numbers and I still use the valve.  In the end this will produce a bunch of data that may or may not be usable but heck it will be cool.  Knowing what is going on inside the fermetner will be nice.  It is the one downside to SS fermenters, you cannot see in.  I miss the "volcano" effect you would see in a carboy.

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

i saw a post on a FB group about this. one concern raised once some schmaltz (trub, yeast, etc) throws off the readings.  

[HVB]

i saw a post on a FB group about this. one concern raised once some schmaltz (trub, yeast, etc) throws off the readings.  

That is one worry I have to be honest.  I will just have to see how it goes.  For a couple batches I plan to take a hydro reading at the same time to compare.

[Big Nake]

i saw a post on a FB group about this. one concern raised once some schmaltz (trub, yeast, etc) throws off the readings.  

I would need it to be pretty accurate.  If the spund window is anywhere in the .005 to .002 range (give or take), it would have to be in the zip code or its spunding value might be out the window.  Drez, please post your findings.  You can be the site guinea pig.  

[HVB]

  Drez, please post your findings.  You can be the site guinea pig.  

You bet!  I will update as I get results.

[Merlinwerks]

I have two and have been using them since October 2016, so that's about 115 batches or so. I always use a hydro to measure the FG I record and for the most part these have been within .001 - .002, although there are times when there is a .003 - .004 difference. I'm not particularly concerned with absolute accuracy and use them more to identify when they flatline at terminal gravity, which is way sooner than I used to think, for almost all brews it is around 5 days. I use the www.brewstat.us website for logging.

[HVB]

I have two and have been using them since October 2016, so that's about 115 batches or so. I always use a hydro to measure the FG I record and for the most part these have been within .001 - .002, although there are times when there is a .003 - .004 difference. I'm not particularly concerned with absolute accuracy and use them more to identify when they flatline at terminal gravity, which is way sooner than I used to think, for almost all brews it is around 5 days. I use the www.brewstat.us website for logging.

Thanks for the feedback.  I can deal with that range for what I need.  

[Merlinwerks]

FWIW, here is a brew on the Brewstat page.

 

https://www.brewstat.../mogal-pale-ale

 

The graph is presented in a "zoomed-in " state, you need to grab one of the sliders and move it to the left to see the whole ferment cycle.

 

The uptick in gravity at the end is because I usually remove the Tilt before turning off the logging.