BeerBorg

http://brewometer.net/products/brewometer

Has anybody tried this yet?

No. The link didn't work for me, but I searched it. I found a widget that floats in your wort and reports temperature and gravity to your phone. That is cool. How much does it cost?

Interesting. Not for me, but interesting all the same. I'm pretty much old-school in most aspects of my brewing. I do use BrewToad to formulate and save recipes, but I print out those recipes and keep them in a looseleaf binder. When the Technological Apocalypse hits (and it will...oh, it will), I'll still have my recipes handy and I will be the homebrew king! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!

alb wrote:http://brewometer.net/products/brewometer

Has anybody tried this yet?

Here's the link in working form...

http://brewometer.net/products/brewometer

As a geek it's kind of cool.

As a poor geek, it's not cool enough.

$120 / 7 = 17. I can break 17 real hydrometers before breakeven...

I'm a tech/geek/semi-nerd but this isn't for me. But if they want me to beta test one, I'm your man.

See this is one of my gripes with all these new homebrewing apps and such. (WARNING: Grumpy Old Man rant to follow)

Is it necessary to have something that tracks your beer's gravity throughout the fermentation process and sends updates to your cell phone? How does this make you a better homebrewer? How does this improve your beer, especially if you effed up your mash temperature or strike temperature, or your water is too acidic or too soft?

In some ways, it's just a toy. A really expensive toy that doesn't seem to really improve the process or the finished product.

Feel free to discuss.

FedoraDave wrote:See this is one of my gripes with all these new homebrewing apps and such. (WARNING: Grumpy Old Man rant to follow)

Is it necessary to have something that tracks your beer's gravity throughout the fermentation process and sends updates to your cell phone? How does this make you a better homebrewer? How does this improve your beer, especially if you effed up your mash temperature or strike temperature, or your water is too acidic or too soft?

In some ways, it's just a toy. A really expensive toy that doesn't seem to really improve the process or the finished product.

Feel free to discuss.

I can see it being a fun thing for someone to see how their beer progresses--is it for me? Not for $120!

But if I were given one as a beta tester or the like, I'd use it. If someone gave it to me as a gift, I'd likely return it.

I don't think it will help make better beer--but it might let you optimize your pipeline and production by letting you package your beer as soon as its at a stable FG. Hmmm, something like this might be worthwhile for production breweries, actually--moreso than homebrewers, anyway...since they could get real value out of it.

So I don't think it's a waste of a device, I just think it's a very niche device. I also wonder how well it transmits its signal through a SS fermentor or a big ol' fridge/chest freezer that a lot of homebrewers ferment in.

I see two benefits: If you want quick turnaround, you'll know when it is done without opening your fermenter. (I'm happy just to wait three weeks) But it would be nice to track temperature throughout the ferment. On another thread, Mash and I were discussing temps of a Belgian. I honestly don't know how warm it got, because I was in NYC during the early phase.

I'm happy to wait three weeks, too. I've got three carboys, and I brew every week, so there's your 21-day rotation right there. I check the FG before I package each batch, because I like to know the ABV. So I'm only opening the carboy once, and taking a 2-3 ounce sample. No big loss.

As far as the temperature throughout, that may be more important for certain batches. I've had a saison working for two weeks now, and the temperature swings are something I just can't control. It's been in the mid-high 70s, though, for the most part, and since I can't really control the variables, I just RDWHAHB. For lagers, I have a fridge with a Johnson Controller, so no worries there. The rest of my batches sit in my basement, which stays in the mid-60s most of the time. It works for me; my beer is good beer in those conditions.

Jon makes a good point about production breweries getting some use out of it, and how it's more of a niche device. I just can't see a need for it in my own brewing.

I use fully enclosed SS fermenters and kinda miss the visual aspect of fermentation. I might could use something like this. I really hate having to open the fermenter 3 times to get hydro samples and take a chance on infection. Once I pitch the yeast the only time I have to open is that. After I get my reading everything is sealed beer movement. I might have to get a couple. A bit pricy, but if it works I could get behind something of the like.


Update, I showed this to my wife and she agrees with my not having to open the fermenter , so she is getting me one for my birthday. The only thing she complained about was the $5 shipping ( and then she laughed). I will post updates in a month.

Happy birthday to you!!! Looking forward to hearing how it works for you.


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I will do. It has gotten great reviews on HBT

I might just have to pick one up for the simple fact that it will only cost $20.00 plus shipping. Have $100 Visa gift card, in ref to another thread it is kept in a RFID blocking wallet.