Tips and helpful info

[sampvt]

OK maybe its been done before but why don't we all share tips and info that make wine making fun and easy. Ill start it off....

I don't like removing my air lock during fermentation and in a demijohn it s hard to control the sg so I came up with a little idea of my own......

After I go into the later stages of fermentation, I tie a little bit of cotton thread around my hydrometer and drop it in the put the air lock back so the thread is there so I can lift it out easy. This way I can look daily at the rate my wine is going and when to stop it if need be.

The reason I did this was the fermentation can be finished but the airlock can still show activity because of escaping co2.

Lets hear some more.

 

[dralarms]

That's a great idea, but some of us would have to have 20 hydrometers.

 

[JohnT]

OK maybe its been done before but why don't we all share tips and info that make wine making fun and easy. Ill start it off....

I don't like removing my air lock during fermentation and in a demijohn it s hard to control the sg so I came up with a little idea of my own......

After I go into the later stages of fermentation, I tie a little bit of cotton thread around my hydrometer and drop it in the put the air lock back so the thread is there so I can lift it out easy. This way I can look daily at the rate my wine is going and when to stop it if need be.

The reason I did this was the fermentation can be finished but the airlock can still show activity because of escaping co2.

Lets hear some more.

Aren't you afraid that the string might throw off the readings?

 

[wineforfun]

I am all sorts of confused.

I don't like removing my air lock during fermentation
I don't use an airlock, I ferment in an open bucket.

in a demijohn it s hard to control the sg
I don't understand this comment.

I tie a little bit of cotton thread around my hydrometer and drop it in the put the air lock back so the thread is there so I can lift it out easy.
So you take the hydrometer out once/twice daily so you can stir during fermentation?

 

[richmke]

Wouldn't the string break the seal of the airlock?

That also implies a lot of head space to let the hydrometer float.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

tying cotton on a hydrometer will cause it to drop even lower and give you inaccurate readings. I still like the baster idea - even if you have to add a hose onto the end to extend it.

removing a airlock during fermentation - no issues that I am aware of.

 

[sampvt]

too many negative people on here. tying cotton on does nothing to the sg reading. If you are worried, check it out in a glass tube first. It wont break the seal, its thread ffs. Making people happy seems to be a bad thing on here. Im done, moving to another site. America seems to be the land of doom and gloom.

 

[dralarms]

Wow man, just because someone disagrees with you, you're going to take your marbles and go home? Heck, I get disagreed with all the time, I'd have to burn my computer cause there would be nowhere for me to go.

Stick around. Learn from us and let us learn from you.

 

[sampvt]

Wow man, just because someone disagrees with you, you're going to take your marbles and go home? Heck, I get disagreed with all the time, I'd have to burn my computer cause there would be nowhere for me to go.

Stick around. Learn from us and let us learn from you.

Ive been on here a while and there are way too many so called experts that treat newbees with distain. My post was heartfelt and without malice, all I got was lectures. If someone was to test my theory out first, they would see it does work, but no, just the same old glass is half empty attitudes

In closing...for all you so called experts.....you where here one day a long time ago. Everyone starts a journey with one step and a few stumbles, they don't need to be told they are awkward.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

sampvt
I must admit - when you mentioned cotton thread - I automatically thought you were talking about a cotton ball to protect the hydrometer.

Sorry if you take offence to any of this discussions - but that is why I like to talk to customers over the phone as emails can be taken in several different ways - especially if there is a language barrier.

 

[Runningwolf]

In closing...for all you so called experts.....you where here one day a long time ago. Everyone starts a journey with one step and a few stumbles, they don't need to be told they are awkward.

We were all there at one time and grew with the hobby by making mistakes and listening to the experienced. Now we're trying to pass that on to you. Whether you choose to listen or not to opposing views is up to you.

Taking short cuts will only lead to mishaps. Learn the process first and remember patience, patience, patience!

 

[Kraffty]

I think Ward was a bit hard on the Beaver last night.
Mike

 

[Runningwolf]

I think Ward was a bit hard on the Beaver last night.
Mike

First "R" rated sitcom and they didn't even know it at the time.

 

[JohnT]

too many negative people on here. tying cotton on does nothing to the sg reading. If you are worried, check it out in a glass tube first. It wont break the seal, its thread ffs. Making people happy seems to be a bad thing on here. Im done, moving to another site. America seems to be the land of doom and gloom.

DUDE!!!

Please realize that we are discussing methods and ways of doing things. Open debate is simply human nature, especially here. No one is bashing you.

What I see is that we were discussing the tip and suggestion and at no time were bashing you. Remember there is a difference between a topic and a person.

Most here have the goal of improving their techniques and there wine. Honest critique is what most here look for. Coddling and Just saying "thanks for the tip", helps nobody.

This site is the friendliest winemaking site you will ever find, especially for beginners. If you do "move on" to another site (and I sincerely hope you do not) you will quickly realize that perhaps you were wrong about us.

The only thing on this thread that was remotely offensive was your anti-American comment. You do not see any comments about Great Britian, so why would you bring the conversation there???

I sincerely hope that you continue as a contributor here. If you do leave, you will be missed..

johnT..

 

[wineforfun]

too many negative people on here. tying cotton on does nothing to the sg reading. If you are worried, check it out in a glass tube first. It wont break the seal, its thread ffs. Making people happy seems to be a bad thing on here. Im done, moving to another site. America seems to be the land of doom and gloom.

Well, if you are including me in your "negative" comment then re-read my post. I said I was all sorts of confused and asked why you did what you did. Nothing negative at all. Negative would have been to tell you it was crazy, dumb, wrong, etc.
I simply asked why you did what you did.

 

[GreginND]

I agree - no one was being disrespectful or condoning. I was also confused reading your original post. I am not quite sure what exactly you are doing or why. It seems some of your methods are different than how a majority of winemakers make wine. Some explanation would help folks understand.

If you happen to come back, I have several questions - honest inquiries, not negativity.

1. What are you worried about regarding removing the airlock?
2. How does fermenting in a demijohn make fermentation SG change differently than an open container?
3. How do you pull up the hydrometer to read it without removing the airlock?
4. Is your hydrometer already inside the measuring tube and you are lifting the whole thing to see? If you lift the hydrometer out of the demijohn, you would lift it out of the liquid. I am really confused at how that would measure the SG. It would need to be in the liquid to measure.

 

[sour_grapes]

Here is the way I read the OP:

He is finishing the fermentation in a demijohn. (He says "later stages," you might say "secondary.") Rather than take a sample each day, he leaves the hydrometer floating in the demijohn. He can then just read the approximate SG through the glass of the demijohn. The role of the thread is to allow him to fish out the hydrometer after fermentation is completed, i.e., before racking to another vessel.

 

[sampvt]

Here is the way I read the OP:

He is finishing the fermentation in a demijohn. (He says "later stages," you might say "secondary.") Rather than take a sample each day, he leaves the hydrometer floating in the demijohn. He can then just read the approximate SG through the glass of the demijohn. The role of the thread is to allow him to fish out the hydrometer after fermentation is completed, i.e., before racking to another vessel.

Give that man a gold star......He is the only one that understood my post. lol.

The whole basis of my rant, if you prefer to call it that, was because where I come from, if a child suggest something stupid, you explain away the difference between his suggestion and the right way to do stuff....what you don't do is question his motives, pat him on the head and s****** under your breath.

Now I know some of the retorts where heartfelt and sincere, but a couple read very condescending. Now to answer why I posted it......I had 2 reasons, the first was to be helpful if I could and secondly I wanted to start a thread to pass on info which might make us all a bit wiser.

The thread thing wasn't my idea, it was my homebrew buddies. It came about because I couldn't get my hydrometer out after dropping it in and when tested in water, the difference was negligible. Taking constant samples to read sg and putting it back opens up a cradle of complications I don't even want to get into but as the member of Mensa above states, its an easy way to fish it out and I can keep a constant watch on the sg.

I apologise for the American thing but it was a comment made in jest. sorry. Hopefully now we can all get on and my reputation as being as popular as a fart in a spacesuit might subside as time goes by but being Irish and old, is a pretty good excuse to *****.

 

[JohnT]

sampvt,

I am so glad you came back and (by the sound of things) intend to remain as a contributor.

One thing about this group is that everybody prides themselves on simply trying to help. There are no hard feelings on my part. I look forward to more tips.

 

[murphyaii]

I'm with you as well.

I'm from ireland and i've been observing and adding a few comments.
To be honest the lads in here are ok.
but i think i'll move closer to home here.
http://www.homewinemaking.co.uk/yabb2/YaBB.pl