extracting beer from fermenter to test for SG?

[heckofagator]

So I have my first batch - it's been in the fermenter for about 2 weeks now. I'd like to pull some out to test for SG in the hydrometer. Just to make sure I don't do something silly to introduce an infection.....

I'm planning to sanitize the turkey baster and will spray starsan around the top of the bucket and my hands. Then open the bucket top, take a baster full and then close everything back up? Should I try to get a sample from the middle? Or does it really matter?

Is that about as simple as it gets? I've been very careful not to open the bucket to this point, so again, I just don't want to do anything dumb now.

 

[firerat]

That sounds about right.

Sometimes I have to go back for seconds though to get enough of a sample to test. I really need a better baster.

After 2 weeks, it's likely done (or close to done depending on your recipe and what not) so the risk of introducing infection is minimal anyways. But good sanitation practices are always a plus.

 

[dnslater]

Sounds like you have a handle on it, but you are actually testing for FG- final gravity. Shouldn't matter where you take a sample as long as you aren't sucking up true from the bottom.

 

[hunter_le five]

That should work just fine.

Hell, if you're careful and follow proper sanitation procedures, you can just drop the hydrometer right into the bucket and get a reading that way.

 

[goovaerl92]

Yeah thats about it! Just make sure to take a sample from far enough in the fermenter in order to get the most representative sample you can.

Cheers!

 

[rodwha]

"Hell, if you're careful and follow proper sanitation procedures, you can just drop the hydrometer right into the bucket and get a reading that way."

This is what I do as well. I see no more chance for problems that using a turkey baster as they both need sanitized. I leave it in Star-San with my sponge sitting on top to completely submerge it and leave it for 5 mins or more.

 

[SquidPope]

Sounds like exactly how I do it. Here's a question for the more experienced brewers: when taking an FG reading after 2 or 3 weeks, do you prefer to pour the sample back into the fermenter, or drink a test-jar full of flat beer? Like Firerat said, as long as you're keeping things sanitary, the chance of infection should be small.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Your process should work just fine, and is what I used to do. However,if I were still taking fermentation samples today, I'd ammend my process by adding a short length of plastic tubing to the baster so I could go in through the airlock port instead of taking off the lid.

 

[firerat]

Sounds like exactly how I do it. Here's a question for the more experienced brewers: when taking an FG reading after 2 or 3 weeks, do you prefer to pour the sample back into the fermenter, or drink a test-jar full of flat beer? Like Firerat said, as long as you're keeping things sanitary, the chance of infection should be small.

I drink it. It's almost a ritual of sorts for me.

 

[heckofagator]

Your process should work just fine, and is what I used to do. However,if I were still taking fermentation samples today, I'd ammend my process by adding a short length of plastic tubing to the baster so I could go in through the airlock port instead of taking off the lid.

Hey, I like that idea. I might try that.

And yes, I'm drinking my sample. I was a little surprised at how bad the wort tasted, so I'm really looking forward to this sample, even if its flat.

 

[heckofagator]

You know, I forgot about the valve on the fermenting bucket. I suppose that'd be a good option, too, for filling the hydrometer cylinder?

 

[CooperBrew]

Get a wine thief, it makes it so much easier to test your gravity and you don't waste beer.

 

[dkevinb]

Sounds like exactly how I do it. Here's a question for the more experienced brewers: when taking an FG reading after 2 or 3 weeks, do you prefer to pour the sample back into the fermenter, or drink a test-jar full of flat beer? Like Firerat said, as long as you're keeping things sanitary, the chance of infection should be small.

I drink it. It's a good excuse to have beer for breakfast.

 

[feinbera]

Drink it, or even, gawd forbid, dump it. (drink it!)

Risking infecting all 640 ounces just to "save" three or four? No thanks!

If you do just pull your sample from the spigot at the bottom of your fermenter, you'll have to disassemble your blow-off tube or three-piece airlock (if you're using one of those, instead of an S-shaped airlock), so you don't suck blow-off fluid back into your beer.

 

[Staestc]

I drink it. It's almost a ritual of sorts for me.

I drank my sample or my first 5 gallon batch last night and it was great! It will now be a ritual of mine as well!