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Author Topic: gravity reading sample pulls  (Read 3275 times)

Offline deadpoetic0077

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gravity reading sample pulls
« on: December 12, 2016, 02:28:02 pm »
How do you all take samples for gravity? I use a glass carboy and I typically siphon a bit out into a test tube, but its a bit of a pain with having to keep some star san handy to do this and cleaning my auto siphon stuff every time. Just wondering if any of you guys have some brilliant ideas of how to get a gravity reading easier.

I was thinking like a long turkey baster may work... little quicker and easier possibly... and also maybe trying to drill out a spigot hole in the glass carboy for easier bottling/ transferring/ gravity readings.

Thoughts?


Offline Stevie

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2016, 02:35:32 pm »
Wine thief. Three piece plastic type. I keep a bucket of RO based star san on hand at all times. Turkey baster works fine as well, just not very long and requires more pulls.

DO NOT drill into the carboy. You will compromise its integrity and it will break on you. Even if you drill the hole successfully, someday it will shatter.

Offline denny

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2016, 02:59:49 pm »
dedicated plastic turkey baster
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Offline GS

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2016, 03:19:30 pm »
I ferment in plastic, and they all have spigots.

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Offline Nwsurfkid

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2016, 04:16:26 pm »
I don't worry about it. Let the system ride to expected attenuation...be the beer, feel the beer...become a jedi master, if you will....then rack, and take FG. Multiple pulls with a thief waste the precious....future mature carbonated malt beverage IMO.

If you are really concerned about  consistent FG over 3 days or stuck fermentation I would suggest getting a refractometer. It takes way less sample amount to get a reading and should give you that constant number you seek.  Just adjust the Brix number to account for the alcohol. Google it. Drink a beer.

Keep it simple...a good thing to remember...It is homebrew after all, and should still taste better then ABInbev.

A wine thief is your best bet. Don't drill a glass carboy...

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« Last Edit: December 12, 2016, 04:30:43 pm by Nwsurfkid »

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2016, 07:22:03 am »
Sounds like a wine thief is what I'm looking for... figures there's a tool exactly for what I need :P Thanks all!

Offline pete b

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2016, 08:33:15 am »
I would add that plastic bucket fermenters are much easier to take a sample from.
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Offline denny

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2016, 10:24:39 am »
I would add that plastic bucket fermenters are much easier to take a sample from.

One of many advantages over the carboy form factor.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2016, 11:11:30 am »
Sounds like a wine thief is what I'm looking for... figures there's a tool exactly for what I need :P Thanks all!

I have a thief.  It's sort of a PITA.  The turkey baster is much easier to sanitize and use, in my experience.

Yes, it's smaller and pulls less beer with each sample, but that has many benefits.  It much easier to use the baster if the fermenter is elevated as the thief is long enough to hit the ceiling or suspended piping (the ceilings in my basement are not 10 ft ceilings).
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Offline brewinhard

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2016, 05:24:21 pm »
+1 to a wine thief. I usually don't pull too many hydrometer samples. I typically just wait until I get ready to package to take a reading and adjust the recipe the next time I brew it if I don't achieve a "close-to" final gravity reading.

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2016, 08:19:11 am »
yea usually I only pull two samples three days apart at the very end to ensure its done. a Turkey baster would probably work too from what everyone is saying, so long as I can find a long enough one.

Still debating on wether to get a refractometer or not but TBH with them not being accurate with FG it doesn't seem like its worth the trouble.

Offline Stevie

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2016, 08:26:23 am »
Accuracy doesn't matter if you are only checking to see if the beer is done. Once confirmed, a hydrometer reading should be used to determine the FG.

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #13 on: December 15, 2016, 02:11:10 pm »
Accuracy doesn't matter if you are only checking to see if the beer is done. Once confirmed, a hydrometer reading should be used to determine the FG.

I guess that makes sense. good thought.

Offline bierview

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Re: gravity reading sample pulls
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2016, 02:45:01 am »
Wine Thief thoroughly sanitized.