Help! Not sure what to do here....

[lerxstrulz]

Hi All,

This is my very first time making wine (making from a kit) and I am not sure what to do here...

It is day 7, my hydrometer BROKE so I made a homemade one, but I'm not confident it is working correctly. According to it, I am at 1.060 SG and I need to be at 1.010 or less. According to the instructions I should be racking at 5-7 days.

Primary fermentation has stopped as far as I can tell...the air lock is not bubbling and temperature on the fermenter has dropped to 75 F.

Going to try and get to a brewing store tomorrow and see if they have a Hydrometer, so I guess I have two questions:

1. IF the homemade hydrometer is right and I'm nowhere near where I need to be on SG, what do I do? Just wait? Add more yeast?

2. How long can I leave the must in primary fermentation without doing anything? I'm hoping the brew store has a hydrometer but if they don't and if I have to order one it will be at least 2-3 days before I get it.

Thanks in advance for your help!

- Brent

 

[cpfan]

Step 1 - buy several hydrometers (well 2 or 3 at least) because they break easily. (BTW, clean and rinse in warm water NOT hot water. My hydrometers started lasting longer after I heard that tip.)

Step 2 - if your brew store doesn't sell hydrometers (temporarily OOS is OK but not good), then NEVER EVER go there again.

Step 3 - sounds to me like the wine is below 1.010 (based on visuals & temperature). HOWEVER, I don't trust visuals. Waiting another day or two should be fine, some kit brands call for a 14-day primary. Some people make kits without using hydrometers (although it wouldn't be my recommendation.)

Step 4 - a homemade hydrometer? if it turns out to be accurate, please publish your construction details.

Steve

 

[Julie]

what kind of a homemade hydrometer did you make? Sorry but I just can't see this working. You should be fine, snap the lid down and add an airlock until you get a hydrometer.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Kits are pretty bullet-proof. Waiting a few days until you get that hydrometer is not an issue.

Oh, and NEVER rely on visual signs of fermentation.

 

[wineforfun]

I am also curious as to the homemade hydrometer, what exactly did you do?

Also, @cpfan what is OOS?

 

[richmke]

I am also curious as to the homemade hydrometer, what exactly did you do?

Brent already had the original SG. At this point, he only needs to know when fermentation is complete. He can use tap water to turn almost anything that floats into a hydrometer to determine SG of 1.000 (SG of tap water).

A partially filled water bottle would work. Mark the water line when floated in tap water. Then make a few more evenly spaced markings to measure distance from that line. Then you can determine when it has passed 1.000, and remains unchanged for a few days.

Also, @cpfan what is OOS?

"Out of Stock"

 

[wineforfun]

Ahhhh, the old OOS. Thanks.

 

[lerxstrulz]

Thanks for the replies! Feeling much more relaxed now lol....

So the homemade hydrometer was just a straw with a bit of clay on the end. I put it in a jar of water to mark the "0" spot, then transferred the lines from the broken hydrometer to it with a fine tip marker.

When I get a working hydro I will compare the two and see how accurate it is.

 

[richmke]

So the homemade hydrometer was just a straw with a bit of clay on the end. I put it in a jar of water to mark the "0" spot, then transferred the lines from the broken hydrometer to it with a fine tip marker.

IMHO, the buoyancy of a straw is much different from glass. While you have identified the "0" spot, the other marks on the hydrometer do not necessarily transfer 1-1 to the straw.

You would need to make a known solution of SG 1.030 (or some other amount), and mark that on your straw. From there, you may be able to interpolate (between the 1.000 and 1.030 marks) to estimate the other SG marks.

 

[lerxstrulz]

IMHO, the buoyancy of a straw is much different from glass. While you have identified the "0" spot, the other marks on the hydrometer do not necessarily transfer 1-1 to the straw.

Sigh....SCIENCE...lol..yep that's a great point.

Anyone know where to find a table of buoyancy coefficients for different objects (i.e. straws, for example)?

But yes you are totally correct...don't know why I didn't think of that!

 

[richmke]

Anyone know where to find a table of buoyancy coefficients for different objects (i.e. straws, for example)?

I think you need the mass of the hydrometer, diameter of the straw, and volume of water displaced at the "0" spot.

From there, you calculate how much liquid needs to be displaced at various SG's. Then you can estimate how much more or less of the straw will be exposed.

 

[JohnT]

I agree with above. Buy a hydrometer. Then buy a backup for your hydrometer, then buy a backup for your backup!!!

In a pinch, rather than mess around with a home made device, be advised that you already possess a device that is far more accurate than any homemade hydrometer. It is called your tongue.
.

Take a taste. Does it taste sweet? If not, then it is time to transfer to your secondary.

If it does taste sweet (aka a stuck fermentation) then try adding a shot of nutrient and raising the wine's temp to 80.

I am not saying that your tongue should replace using a hydrometer, but if in a bind.....