Luddite asking for Technical advise on Ispindels?

[gingerneil]

I bought 2 pre-calibrated ispindels which were also pre-configured for my Brewfather account.

I just use them to automatically keep a record for each brew, for roughly when to dry hop and to let me know when fermentation is complete.

I really never understand why people are happy to do this - the last thing I would want to do is send wifi and account details/passwords to someone else - even paying for the pleasure of risking their data and network security! There are some good videos on youtube on how to setup the ispindel with Brewfather - it really is a 5 minute job.

 

[fgoulding]

I really never understand why people are happy to do this - the last thing I would want to do is send wifi and account details/passwords to someone else - even paying for the pleasure of risking their data and network security! There are some good videos on youtube on how to setup the ispindel with Brewfather - it really is a 5 minute job.

I have a dedicated wifi router and separate internet provider for my brewing equipment. Also, there are no state secrets held within my Brewfather account.

 

[Wobbly13]

Sorry newbie question, so using the iSpindel what stage are you looking for in fermentation to dry hop, 50% attenuation?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Sorry newbie question, so using the iSpindel what stage are you looking for in fermentation to dry hop, 50% attenuation?

Well that would depend on your recipe or your own personal preference. Personally I've moved to dry hopping outside of the fermenter after active fermentation..I find I get significantly better results that way, less hop aroma lost to trub (have you smelt how hoppy trub is if you dry hop in the fermenter?...I want that in the beer not in the bin), but others will have different preferences based upon their own experiences.

iSpinels/floating hydrometers are great bits of kit. I'm new to home brewing so have jumped straight into the tech without 'managing' for years, but really struggle to see how you wouldn't see the visibility of the most important part of the whole brewing process as a significant benefit. We're happy to monitor all the other aspects of the process...through the mash, boil etc. so why wouldn't you want to continually monitor things during fermentation?

I got two iSpindels ready built and did the manual calibration and I have to say this is the weak part of the process and both my ispindels just don't agree with a hydrometer reading...they always read 5 or so points high despite me popping the spindle into some sugar water at a known gravity and them being bob on. I suspect things like trub clinging to the lid is enough to throw the reading off. The plastic tube with its lip and screw lid is perfectly designed to cling onto chunks of trub. The new Raptor Pill with its smooth sides looks like a far better design to minimise this. Ultimately it's not a major problem as it is consistent and its easy to take account of it, but would be nice if there was a fiddle factor you could add that moves the whole calibration 'map' up or down a number of gravity points to fine tune the calibration for your set up. But ultimately just to track the trend of fermentation is great and often I'll not have to visit the fermenter at all...just track it via the iSpindel. But without that it's just easy to accept the readings are a bit high and mentally make the adjustments instead of going through the whole messy business of re-calibrating and probably ending up in the same situation.

 

[Wobbly13]

Well that would depend on your recipe or your own personal preference. Personally I've moved to dry hopping outside of the fermenter after active fermentation..I find I get significantly better results that way, less hop aroma lost to trub (have you smelt how hoppy trub is if you dry hop in the fermenter?...I want that in the beer not in the bin), but others will have different preferences based upon their own experiences.

iSpinels/floating hydrometers are great bits of kit. I'm new to home brewing so have jumped straight into the tech without 'managing' for years, but really struggle to see how you wouldn't see the visibility of the most important part of the whole brewing process as a significant benefit. We're happy to monitor all the other aspects of the process...through the mash, boil etc. so why wouldn't you want to continually monitor things during fermentation?

I got two iSpindels ready built and did the manual calibration and I have to say this is the weak part of the process and both my ispindels just don't agree with a hydrometer reading...they always read 5 or so points high despite me popping the spindle into some sugar water at a known gravity and them being bob on. I suspect things like trub clinging to the lid is enough to throw the reading off. The plastic tube with its lip and screw lid is perfectly designed to cling onto chunks of trub. The new Raptor Pill with its smooth sides looks like a far better design to minimise this. Ultimately it's not a major problem as it is consistent and its easy to take account of it, but would be nice if there was a fiddle factor you could add that moves the whole calibration 'map' up or down a number of gravity points to fine tune the calibration for your set up. But ultimately just to track the trend of fermentation is great and often I'll not have to visit the fermenter at all...just track it via the iSpindel. But without that it's just easy to accept the readings are a bit high and mentally make the adjustments instead of going through the whole messy business of re-calibrating and probably ending up in the same situation.

Thanks, sounds like a matter of personal preference plus character you are aiming for.

I have found my iSpindel to be pretty accurate vs a regular hydrometer. That said you can use relative readings as what I am looking for is the progress of the fermentation as indicated by the shape of the time vs SG curve. I also like that I get an accurate reading of the beers temperature so I can adjust my Inkbird if required.