First Timer

Mister Burns

I just got my first kit having done a lot of reading online etc I went for the Coopers DIY Beer Kit with the Coopers Canadian Blonde. While everything seemed very straight forward on the instructions and online instructions I don't think I read the OG right. It read at 1.036 however plain water was only reading 0.994 rather than the 1.000 that I was expecting - Is there something simple that I'm doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for any help or pointers you guys have

BeerNut

Mister Burns wrote: »

Is there something simple that I'm doing wrong?

Hydrometers are only accurate at 20C. To measure liquid at other temperatures, you need to calibrate the reading.

Mister Burns

Thanks BeerNut,

That makes more sense although I didn't take note of the temperature when I took the OG yesterday so I'll just have to take a rough guess and chaulk it down as a lesson learnt for the next batch

Baz_

I got that coopers kit myself when starting and the hydrometer that come with it was faulty. Having done some research online it's a known issue so I contacted the store I bought from and they sent me out a proper working replacement...

Mister Burns

Thanks Baz,

Am I right in assuming that if it is working right that at 20C it should read water as 1.000 with no calibration required?

Baz_

I believe so but when I put mine into the trial jar of water it slowly sank to the bottom. Now I'm no big city detective but I knew something was up then...

Mister Burns

Thanks Sherlock!

I'm thinking mine is off cause it seems to measure water at 0.994 - 0.995 so I'll take your first suggestion and get it replaced

Baneblade

its a common thing with those coopers hydrometers that they are off by 0.005
the one i got with the coopers kit was off by about the same amount. got a new one and it sat at 1.000 in water

as long as you take the og and fg readings with the same hydrometer the % result will still be correct

Mister Burns

Cheers Baneblade that makes sense