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**BigB** · 05-25-2010, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tamoore

Pitch the correct amount of yeast.
Leave it alone for three weeks, minding the temp.
When you're ready to bottle/keg it, check it once. If you did everything right, it'll be done.

+1 To this.

**ChshreCat** · 05-25-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewbelly

If I take a reading before primary and then 3 times after primary to check for completion...

That's about a half gallon of beer wasted!

4 hydrometer readings is taking a half gallon of beer?!? Get a smaller sample container and you won't need nearly as much beer. You can pick one up at your LHBS that's just big enough for the hydrometer to fit in it and not touch the sides. Then, when you take your sample, put the hydrometer in the tube first and add beer until it floats. No need to fill it to the top if it's going to float when it's only 1/4 full!

Gman2 · 05-25-2010, 06:43 PM

I use a turkey baster to fill up the thin hydromiter tube. with 3 to 4 readings you are not using more than 12 ounces at most. thats only 1 beer to make sure everything is ready. I think it is well worth it.

Scimmia · 05-25-2010, 06:51 PM

I use 100 ml for each sample, which is 3.38 oz. If you're taking 16 oz per sample, you need to look at your procedure.

**azscoob** · 05-25-2010, 07:06 PM

I use the hydro tube it came in, I have it marked to the point that it wont overflow when putting the hydrometer in, I take a sample and a reading, then put the tube with the sample back in the fermentation fridge, I figure there is yeast suspended in the sample just as in the carboy, so if it isnt done yet it will ferment further too, then I take my readings from that tube several more days to verify it is done, the first time I did this I cross checked against the carboy and had identical results, so now I only take one sample for OG when racking into carboy and one to check repeatedly for FG. YMMV but it works for me!

Zamial · 05-25-2010, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gman2

I use a turkey baster to fill up the thin hydromiter tube. with 3 to 4 readings you are not using more than 12 ounces at most. thats only 1 beer to make sure everything is ready. I think it is well worth it.

QFT but I do not use the hydro tube. I got a glass vase. It looks like this: http://www.tias.com/13370/PictPage/1923144371.html (I only used that link for the pic, I am not and have no idea of the reputation of that site.) Needless to say you can find these in just about any goodwill or craft shop for 3 dollars or less. This allows me to get a nice reading, in an easy to clean, container that has a bit thicker walls than a test tube. I know that the world market carries these in store often as well for $2.99.

**Sacdan** · 05-25-2010, 07:28 PM

You can buy a refractometer on Ebay for about $30. I recommend buying one. It only takes a drop or two of your beer.

**masonsjax** · 05-25-2010, 07:34 PM

From what I've read, a refractometer is only accurate for pre-fermentation readings and that once alcohol is involved, it's much less reliable.

Silby8919 · 05-25-2010, 07:45 PM

I use a test bottle. When you first put the batch into the carboy, save a little out & put it in a bottle. I usually plug the bottle with a paper towel. If it gets infected it doesn't matter. The readings will still be acurate.

**ChshreCat** · 05-25-2010, 07:54 PM

A satellite fermenter (holding off some of your wort to ferment in a smaller container) won't really tell you what's going on in your main fermenter. They can ferment at very different rates.