Have you ever wondered how it would be nice to know the contents of your alcoholic beverages and have data on them?
Did you know that there was a device where you could measure your beer’s specific gravity (SG) and temperature (temp)?
You’ve come to the RIGHT PLACE! In this article, we will be doing a Tilt hydrometer review! The device that you asked for before clicking here!
Tilt's wireless hydrometer is compatible with your phone/tablet and works with both iOS & Android platforms.
Are you interested to learn more about the product? Read more to know the Tilt hydrometer and how it operates!
Before the Tilt Hydrometer
Ever wonder how brewing companies manage to keep producing high-quality beer? Have you ever asked yourself how they get such data for these beers?
The ESSENTIAL measurements and data for brewers to get are the temperature and specific gravity of fermenting beer.
For many brewers, the process of gathering such data can be a pain in the ass and could have DETRIMENTAL effects on the beer you consume.
How do brewers solve this issue? Well, there’s a solution to this issue!
With the age of technology only increasing and growing, some products can transmit this very data brewer need and do it wirelessly!
All it needs is Bluetooth range and a Bluetooth-enabled device, and you essentially can operate the Tilt hydrometer!
Overview of the Tilt Hydrometer
Tilt Hydrometers are suited for brewers to measure a fermenting beer’s temperature and specific gravity, as well as the brew’s alcohol content.
The Tilt’s compact plastic cylinder will float in your beer from when you place it in the drink until you bottle it or keg it.
Then, the device measures the temperature and specific gravity of all your fermentation chambers and your fermentation vessel!
The Tilt can work on any beer container – a standard brewing container, carboys, kegs, refrigerators, kegerators, keezers, and stainless steel fermenters.
It allows the user to INSTANTLY CHECK the data of their brewing process.
What Else Does It Have to Offer?
What makes the Tilt unique is its WIRELESS PROPERTIES. While a standard hydrometer can work fine in a fermenting container, its traditional setup can be a pain to work with.
Before you have full access to your data, you’ll need to download the free Tilt app available on Google Play and the Apple App Store!
You can even use your old phone to fully utilize it with the Tilt.
Another option is getting the Tilt Pi download to function properly with your chosen device! The Tilt Pi can even integrate with other software like the Raspberry pi!
You drop the device in the fermentor, and the Bluetooth chip on board will broadcast the data to your smartphone or tablet.
Once broadcasted, it should show the beer’s gravity and temperature!
How Does the Tilt Work?
The beer’s density decreases as the yeast consumes sugars during the fermentation process.
The change in density, also known as the specific gravity, is measured through the Tilt’s angle with the combined use of an accelerometer.
Then, the Tilt provides its data and readings to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, and it does this every FIVE SECONDS.
After that step, the data is automatically transmitted to its free Google Sheets template using the Tilt app.
One of the best things about the product is that it can be integrated into several other brewing software platforms. Integrate the Tilt app with other software if you need additional data points!
It allows the user to instantly check the state and condition of their beer!
Performance of the Product
The Tilt provides accurate readings during its performance, namely specific gravity readings and temperature readings.
This is thanks in large part to their properly calibrated hydrometer.
Those readings are within +/- 0.002 SG or temp reading and temperature range of +/- 1°F/0.5°C. The readings are complemented with the Tilt’s range of 0.990 to 1.120.
If you want to increase the Tilt’s range, you can use the Tilt repeater to extend the range of the product!
You can view the readings in DIFFERENT temperatures and specific gravity readings.
The temperature reading can be read in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, while you can read the specific gravity reading in either Plato or standard gravity reading.
Indeed, it’s impressive how accurate the readings are compared to the hydrometer and thermometer.
What Are the Benefits of the Tilt Hydrometer?
Unlike the traditional hydrometer and thermometer, the Tilt hydrometer provides its users with benefits that will GREATLY help in their home brewing and beer brewing process.
Here are the benefits and features of the Tilt hydrometer!
Monitoring the Brew’s Specific Gravity and Temperature
Monitoring the brew’s specific gravity and temperature is one of the product’s BEST BENEFITS.
When it comes to getting the most accurate temperature and gravity, a traditional hydrometer requires sanitation before placing it in the brew.
You DO NOT need to open the fermenter to know the brew’s temperature for the Tilt.
It makes taking readings like temperature ramps, cold crashing, and racking off easier to track and document!
In reading the specific gravity, the Tilt allows the user to track fermentation and alcohol content without wasting beer to take a reading!
Beer is not wasted, and the SG readings are accurate, allowing the user to know when the beer is READY for kegging or bottling, allowing the beer to be ready for consumption much faster!
Taking Specific Actions
Depending on the recipe’s activity, the Tilt allows the user to know when to take specific actions.
Its integration with google sheets enables easier management and organization of activities!
Thanks to the Tilt’s functionality, actions like raising the temperature, halting fermentation, or even agitating the brew are much easier to determine.
Are you worried that you missed an important task that may cause damage to your beers? Don’t worry! You’ll know what’s happening with your beers, thanks to the Tilt!
Improved Sanitation
The Tilt’s improved sanitation allows it to stay inside your fermenter for long periods!
For example, if you’re worried that your Tilt is getting dirty inside your corny fermenter, there’s no need to worry because the Tilt’s design allows it to stay sanitized for long periods.
The design ensures that the brew does NOT get oxygen exposure. A brew getting too much exposure leads to CONTAMINATION.
Monitor From Anywhere
Because of the great Bluetooth connectivity feature, you can monitor your brewing procedures so long as you are within the Bluetooth range of the Tilt!
The wireless hydrometer’s built-in Bluetooth chip enables mobile monitoring to be possible.
All you need is a device that has Bluetooth, and you’re good to go! You can monitor from as far as 10 feet, and you’ll still get accurate readings!
That is the beauty of the wireless hydrometer.
Logging Brewing Data
The Tilt is best utilized if you used the product for the same recipe CONSISTENTLY!
Logging brewing data allows homebrewers to accurately give data like the sg or temp reading to fellow brewers! It also helps with consistency in the brewing process!
With the integration of software like the Tilt pi and Google Sheets, the job of consistently gathering data of the same product becomes more STRAIGHTFORWARD!
For better accuracy, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND adding calibration points!
What Are the Drawbacks of the Tilt Hydrometer?
Despite the benefits of the Tilt hydrometer, there are still DRAWBACKS that may draw customers off this product.
These disadvantages could affect some customers. Let’s check them out.
Battery Life
Although the Tilt allows you to use the same battery for multiple batches, it can drain the battery life QUICKLY.
You can drain the pre-installed battery during long shipping stretches.
Bluetooth Range Limitations
Although the Tilt provides mobility, there will always be limitations to how far you can go when monitoring data.
Because Bluetooth has a specific range, you cannot go beyond that without connection issues!
Reading Multiple Brews
One of the most significant drawbacks of the Tilt wireless hydrometer is that it will not take accurate readings if the product in the same color is used for several beers.
You’ll need to buy DIFFERENT COLORS of the Tilt to read multiple brews, which will cost MORE MONEY!
Two-Point Recalibration Requirement
It would help if you often did a two-point recalibration when changing batteries.
It may be a simple task, but it can be a nuisance when constantly working with the device.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you want more information that the Tilt Hydrometer review failed to mention, this section of the article answers some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the topic.
Here are some of the most FAQs about the Tilt Hydrometer!
Does the Tilt Hydrometer Get Affected by the Beer’s Krausen?
Certain yeasts can create EXCEPTIONALLY DENSE krausens that can last for the entire fermentation process.
This usually happens in the active fermentation stage.
Yeasts like this can cause discrepancies in the data from the hydrometer.
This is due to the dense properties that the hydrometer can misunderstand as some other property, hence the discrepancies.
However, the krausen will NOT HAVE any significant effects on most fermentations as the hydrometer is almost completely submerged in the beer.
There’s no need to worry if you think you’re getting the wrong data because the product is designed to give you the most accurate data of your beer!
Does Dry-Hopping Affect the Tilt Hydrometer’s Performance?
Dry-hopping is when the brewer adds hops late during the brewing process.
While the process has an INSIGNIFICANT effect on the hydrometer’s readings and performance, there are certain situations where you can say otherwise.
For example, if you brew beer like New England IPA and dry-hop it with a pound of dry-hops per 5-gallon batches, it will likely affect the Tilt hydrometer’s performance and readings!
There’s no need to worry about it! The performance will rarely get affected.
How Do You Turn On or off the Tilt Hydrometer?
The Tilt hydrometer will remain functional once used in your fermenter.
The Tilt WORKS during the entirety of the fermentation process and will continue UNTIL the fermentation is complete. The device does that because the process takes a lot of time.
If the Tilt hydrometer were to shut off randomly during the process, it would be a MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, and it wouldn’t be as popular as it is now!
If the Tilt hydrometer can stay on during the entirety of the fermentation process, how do you turn it off?
You turn off the hydrometer by letting the product stand up in a vertical position, and it will AUTOMATICALLY shut itself off! Yes, it’s that easy!
Tilt vs. Tilt Pro
How does the Tilt Pro differ from the origianl Tilt? The Tilt Pro features an improved bluetooth range designed specifically for high performance production scale stainless steel fermentation tanks.
So if you are brewing +10 gallons in a SS tank, go with the Pro version. Anything less, and the original Tilt will do the job just fine.
Improved Bluetooth range designed for high performance production scale stainless steel fermentation tanks.
Final Verdict – Is It Worth It?
The Tilt is PERFECT for tech-savvy homebrewers and home brewing activities! It gives the user more control over the fermentation data and trends they want to document and record!
The Tilt wireless hydrometer is a GREAT addition to brewers’ brewing toolbox and can make their work MUCH EASIER to accomplish for brewers.
With the help of brewing apps, google sheets, and high-quality management, taking specific gravity and temperature readings has never been easier!
Who knew active fermentation and fermenting beer could be fun and easy to do?
Conclusion
The Tilt digital hydrometer is one of the BEST tools for a homebrewer!
It is an excellent digital brewing tool that fully utilizes its functions and operations to give the user the MOST ACCURATE data from sg readings, terminal gravity, and temperature data!
However, this product is NOT IDEAL for the casual beer consumer since the product hails from reading fermentation trends and processes.
If you are a homebrewer that wants to have data on their beer and always give top-notch documentation and data, consider buying the Tilt wireless hydrometer!
Tilt's wireless hydrometer is compatible with your phone/tablet and works with both iOS & Android platforms.
Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy.