I was able to find and buy a miniature alcometer off of eBay. It took several weeks to arrive so I had forgot I even ordered it. It showed up today and boy is it tiny. I tested out a range of different ABVs and to my surprise, it is pretty accurate. I am going to use it to test 250 - 500 ml jars during airing, aging, and blending. I smelled, tasted, and tested 46 pint jars last night. The jars had been airing for 48 hours. The smelling and testing was fun but I don't really like pulling samples to put in my plastic tube that holds my alcometer. I use a turkey baster and then I have to fumble around with my fragile glass alcometer. I usually rinse everything to avoid any unnecessary smearing.
With this tiny lil fella I can just drop it into any jar and test the ABV. Then I can just wipe it off and then quickly move to the next jar. I will attach some pictures below. The price was great as well.
I was able to find and buy a miniature alcometer off of eBay. It took several weeks to arrive so I had forgot I even ordered it. It showed up today and boy is it tiny. I tested out a range of different ABVs and to my surprise, it is pretty accurate. I am going to use it to test 250 - 500 ml jars during airing, aging, and blending. I smelled, tasted, and tested 46 pint jars last night. The jars had been airing for 48 hours. The smelling and testing was fun but I don't really like pulling samples to put in my plastic tube that holds my alcometer. I use a turkey baster and then I have to fumble around with my fragile glass alcometer. I usually rinse everything to avoid any unnecessary smearing.
With this tiny lil fella I can just drop it into any jar and test the ABV. Then I can just wipe it off and then quickly move to the next jar. I will attach some pictures below. The price was great as well.
Thanks,
JB
8D436499-0DC9-45E3-83F1-AAE179BE384B.jpeg
EAE55AAC-A3AD-427C-ADF5-850A8209D1BF.jpeg
ACD6BDE3-CBED-4E43-BC1A-D15A0512ECE3.jpeg
Damn, that’s cute. I have to have one or two. Not for final proofing, but looks great for the use you described, quick checks of jars. I’m sure I can search, but by chance do you have a link?
** Warning **. You said your tall tube was plastic and you use a turkey blaster. Don’t use those again for alcohol, especially high proof. Shit from the plastic will leach into your product, will ruin the plastic for other uses, and it’s not safe for anyone drinking your stuff. Please be safe and stay healthy.
Try this link. I had hard time finding it. I try to stay away from plastic as much a possible. I have a glass tube called a wine thief but it can be messy and difficult to use. I need to buy one of the glass alcometer tubes with the wider base.
I have been playing with mine quite a bit. I wouldn't say they are 100% accurate but they are pretty dang close. I have been using both of the tiny ones and they read the same as each other. When it come to my regular sized alcometer vs. the mini ones, there seems to be a sweet spot of accuracy which is between 30% to 80% ABV. That works fine for me. That is the range in which I do most of my testing anyways. My only one small complaint is that the numbers get real small under 30. They are still readable though.
I find them highly annoying. Always stick like glue to the side of the jar. Fine in a still vessel, but in a collection jar, where there is constant movement, they do my head in.
I use a copper wire hoop to hold them upright and away from the sides. I gave up on my idea of using them in a mini parrot because they get top heavy at low abvs.
They fit nicely in a 10ml measuring cylinder if you need to read tiny samples, but they are so fragile that dropping one into the empty cylinder is enough to break it.
NZChris wrote:
They fit nicely in a 10ml measuring cylinder if you need to read tiny samples, but they are so fragile that dropping one into the empty cylinder is enough to break it.
I've been lucky then. I often forget they are in the collection jar and pour them into the storage vessel, then have to go fish it out... Haven't had one break yet....
Yes I only use it after the foreshots are gone and when the stream is slow. It works on my setup fine but probably not a larger still as the tube is only 1/4 inch.
Scott817 wrote:I have the same ones so I made this for it. I call it a hummingbird
curious - was the bottom fitting that the 1/4" line goes into already made for it?
No I drilled it out. It is just a 1/2 cap on a piece of 1/2 pipe and 3/4 to 1/2 reducer and some 1/4 copper tube and the piece of top is just another 1/2 cap
Last edited by Scott817 on Wed Feb 20, 2019 3:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Scott817 wrote:I have the same ones so I made this for it. I call it a hummingbird
curious - was the bottom fitting that the 1/4" line goes into already made for it?
No I drilled it out. It is just a 1/2 cap on a piece of 1/2 pipe and 3/4 to 1/2 reducer and some 1/4 copper tube and the piece of top is just another 1/2 cap
I was able to find and buy a miniature alcometer off of eBay. It took several weeks to arrive so I had forgot I even ordered it. It showed up today and boy is it tiny. I tested out a range of different ABVs and to my surprise, it is pretty accurate. I am going to use it to test 250 - 500 ml jars during airing, aging, and blending. I smelled, tasted, and tested 46 pint jars last night. The jars had been airing for 48 hours. The smelling and testing was fun but I don't really like pulling samples to put in my plastic tube that holds my alcometer. I use a turkey baster and then I have to fumble around with my fragile glass alcometer. I usually rinse everything to avoid any unnecessary smearing.
With this tiny lil fella I can just drop it into any jar and test the ABV. Then I can just wipe it off and then quickly move to the next jar. I will attach some pictures below. The price was great as well.
Thanks,
JB
8D436499-0DC9-45E3-83F1-AAE179BE384B.jpeg
EAE55AAC-A3AD-427C-ADF5-850A8209D1BF.jpeg
ACD6BDE3-CBED-4E43-BC1A-D15A0512ECE3.jpeg
Damn, that’s cute. I have to have one or two. Not for final proofing, but looks great for the use you described, quick checks of jars. I’m sure I can search, but by chance do you have a link?
** Warning **. You said your tall tube was plastic and you use a turkey blaster. Don’t use those again for alcohol, especially high proof. Shit from the plastic will leach into your product, will ruin the plastic for other uses, and it’s not safe for anyone drinking your stuff. Please be safe and stay healthy.
Otis
Thanks for the tip Jeeter. I just ordered a couple. Looks like they could be handy. I see they come from the Ukraine. Might take a bit to get here. @Scott817, that Hummingbird is really cool. Nicely done.
I don't drink alcohol, I drink distilled spirits.
Therefore I'm not a alcoholic, I'm spiritual.
Mine are on their way. Otis
