Time to replace hydrometer?

I just brewed a Brewer's Best Milk Stout kit. I did a full boil using about 6.25 gallons of water and ending up with a little more than 5 gallons. Before pitching the yeast, I put some cooled wort in the test cylinder. Target OG should be 1.057 - 1.061. My reading was around 1.090, maybe higher. This has been happening to me on almost all my readings on past brews but I was told that using top up water would throw the results. So that is why I decided to do a full boil. Maybe something is wrong with the hydrometer?

Also, I put it in a sample of my tap water. It's reading a bit over 1.040. Lol not even close...

sounds like the paper inside shifted tap it back into place or adjust your reading +/- what you get from room temp tap water.
if nothing else it will let you know when your done fermenting not sure id trust it for OG readings unless you get it back to 1.000 in just water

1.040 in water youre probably around 1.050 from 1.090

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking too. By that logic, the OG isn't entirely off...

That's also a good thought on the paper scale inside the hydrometer. I wouldn't have thought about that shifting. I will have to give it a look when I get home.

I'd get a new one. If the paper shifted once, it could shift again quite possibly between O.G. and F.G. readings. :smack:

Yeah that would really suck. I'll probably replace it and get a Fermtech Thief while I'm at it.

Then at some point a refractometer.

Try not to let your hydrometer bounce when you take your gravity readings. I gently put it into the liquid usually just below where I think it should be, then let it float up. That paper can shift pretty easily.

I looked at it last night and it definitely does look like it's out of place. Tried gently tapping it to shift it back but it's pretty well set. I wouldn't be surprised if it came that way. Got it a few years ago with a Coopers kit. I don't think I've ever had a correct reading. Thought it was me all this time. :smack:

This is the reason you should calibrate. We calibrate our thermomters and Hydrometers at least twice a year. We also take a hydrometer reading, a refractomter, and use the weight method as well during a brew. We have a "finish" hydrometer from the FG. Overkill, but he with the most toys wins!