taking gravity readings

I'm struggling with technique for taking good gravity readings. Do all you guys actually draw off some wort or beer into the little cylinder that comes with the hydrometer each time you take a reading, or do you just float the thing in the bucket and read it there? How do you deal with getting a good read through the foam, etc. that is always present at the interface of the scale and the liquid?

I bet this is a dumb question, but then I'm told there are no dumb questions, just a lot of inquisitive idiots.

I put the hydrometer in the sample tube, fill it to within a couple of inches of the top, put a dixie cup over the top and set it aside to let any foam subside, then read the meter.

Like most things in brewing, all good things come to the brewer that has infinite patience

Cheers!

I'll try that, thank you. Yeah, I struggle with the "patience" thing.

Patience and not worrying about your beer will save you alot of heartache once you get your system locked in and gain enough confidence in what you are doing you wont even need your hydrometer heck I havn't even taken a hydrometer reading in the last 10 or so batches just RDWHAHB........

All of what has been said works really well. But a wine thief has made it so much easier. Highly recommend investing in one.

tv187u said:

All of what has been said works really well. But a wine thief has made it so much easier. Highly recommend investing in one.

Click to expand...

+1 for the thief

tv187u said:

All of what has been said works really well. But a wine thief has made it so much easier. Highly recommend investing in one.

Click to expand...

A cheap turkey baster from Wally world works great too.