Can I put my hydrometer in my carboy for SG reading?

[dsaavedra]

Here is my situation:

I have 2.75 gallons of beer in a 6 gallon carboy. I pitched US-04 dry on a Thursday evening and by Friday morning it was fermenting and by Sunday evening all the krausen had dropped and it looked like activity had ceased in the beer. The krausen never got as high as I expected it to either. I've heard that US-04 is a fast yeast but I am a little worried it didn't ferment completely (I had the carboy submersed to the level of the beer in a tub of water which I tried to keep in the upper 50's, in an effort to keep the beer temp in the low 60's, maybe this was too cool?).

Since it's only 2.75 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy, I can't reach the beer with a turkey baster. I could either sanitize my autosiphon and tubing and fill up my test jar and take my hydrometer reading that way, or I could tie some fishing line to the top of the hydrometer, sanitize the hydrometer and line, and gently lower it into the carboy to get a general idea of where my SG is sitting.

It seems to me like there is more room for mishaps if I use the autosiphon (more surface area to sanitize, greater chance of infection, chance of oxidation by starting up the siphon, spills, etc. plus I'd lose a test jar full of beer!). It seems like it would be easier to just sanitize the hydrometer and line and lower it in. I realize I probably won't get a super accurate reading this way because I will be trying to read through the carboy and whatever residual bubbles are lingering on the surface of the beer but I just want an idea of where my SG is at, since I intend to let the beer age for a few more weeks before bottling anyway. I know that if my SG looks like its somewhere around 1.030 I'm in trouble but if its down around 1.020 that would be a bit better (target FG is 1.017).

So what do you think? Lower hydrometer directly into carboy or fill up a test jar?

 

[rodwha]

By attaching anything to the hydrometer it won't give an accurate reading.

I'm not sure how low S-04 (or any other for that matter) yeast can go before it wants to go dormant. It may have teetered on that line, but I'd think you're likely OK.

Were it me I'd let it ride. It's likely fine.

 

[carluchi]

Agreed, just leave it and bottle after 3 weeks

 

[PIGMAN]

Here is my situation:

I have 2.75 gallons of beer in a 6 gallon carboy. I pitched US-04 dry on a Thursday evening and by Friday morning it was fermenting and by Sunday evening all the krausen had dropped and it looked like activity had ceased in the beer. The krausen never got as high as I expected it to either. I've heard that US-04 is a fast yeast but I am a little worried it didn't ferment completely (I had the carboy submersed to the level of the beer in a tub of water which I tried to keep in the upper 50's, in an effort to keep the beer temp in the low 60's, maybe this was too cool?).

Since it's only 2.75 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy, I can't reach the beer with a turkey baster. I could either sanitize my autosiphon and tubing and fill up my test jar and take my hydrometer reading that way, or I could tie some fishing line to the top of the hydrometer, sanitize the hydrometer and line, and gently lower it into the carboy to get a general idea of where my SG is sitting.

It seems to me like there is more room for mishaps if I use the autosiphon (more surface area to sanitize, greater chance of infection, chance of oxidation by starting up the siphon, spills, etc. plus I'd lose a test jar full of beer!). It seems like it would be easier to just sanitize the hydrometer and line and lower it in. I realize I probably won't get a super accurate reading this way because I will be trying to read through the carboy and whatever residual bubbles are lingering on the surface of the beer but I just want an idea of where my SG is at, since I intend to let the beer age for a few more weeks before bottling anyway. I know that if my SG looks like its somewhere around 1.030 I'm in trouble but if its down around 1.020 that would be a bit better (target FG is 1.017).

So what do you think? Lower hydrometer directly into carboy or fill up a test jar?

Hydrometers are very fragile. You don't want to risk your entire batch by lowering it in there.

 

[cernst151]

Also, is 2.5 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy even going to be deep enough to get a reading on? If your hydrometer is resting on the bottom, or in the trub, you're not going to get a good reading.

 

[BrewTech117]

If you desperately wanted to read it siphon some out with sanitized and clean food grade tube? into hydrometer beaker