What do you use to take your gravity samples?

Do you just use a measuring cup (sanitized), pull out what you need to fill the tube with the Hydrometer in it or is there a preferred method?

My 1st batch is still in the primary (just 3 days) but I was trying to set up my brewing area with all the equipment I needed when I started thinking about how to do this.

I use a cheap turkey baster. No fancy wine thief for me....just make sure you sanitize it first.

For buckets I use a sanitized 1c measuring cup. For better bottles I use my auto siphon as a huge syringe.

Hammy71 said:

I use a cheap turkey baster. No fancy wine thief for me....just make sure you sanitize it first.

Click to expand...

You mean a $7.99 wine thief? Fancy?

Using a a thief literally only takes two ounces of fluid, and introduces almost no oxygen to the beer. As a matter of fact, if you like to taste your samples, it's almost disappointing how little it sucks up

I used a baster once. Once. I bought a thief, and no way in heck I would ever do without one again.

I actually do have a thief :smack:

Do you pull the whole lid off for that or just take the air-lock off and use that hole?

p40whk said:

I actually do have a thief :smack:

Do you pull the whole lid off for that or just take the air-lock off and use that hole?

Click to expand...

Take the lid off. Just don't cough, spit, sneeze, poop, throw a cat into, throw cat poop into, throw your own poop into, or forget about it and decide to have tea and crumpets while it's off, and you'll be fine.

That being said, don't get nuts and start taking the lid off every day. If you're really worried that your beer hasn't reached FG yet, sit back and wait a few days. If you're still worried, wait more. If you have the slightest bit of worry that your beer might possibly not quite be done almost fermenting, sit your happy ass back and wait a few more days.

Cathedral said:

Take the lid off. Just don't cough, spit, sneeze, poop, throw a cat into, throw cat poop into, throw your own poop into, or forget about it and decide to have tea and crumpets while it's off, and you'll be fine.

That being said, don't get nuts and start taking the lid off every day. If you're really worried that your beer hasn't reached FG yet, sit back and wait a few days. If you're still worried, wait more. If you have the slightest bit of worry that your beer might possibly not quite be done almost fermenting, sit your happy ass back and wait a few more days.

Click to expand...

Seconded.

I also use a fancy $6.99 glass thief and it suits my purposes fine. A couple dips in the carboy and I have plenty to measure and sample.

I use a sterile serological pipet. I pull out 25ml, enough to take a refractometer reading and a small taste.

Any recommendations on where to purchase the wine thief from? My LHBS sells them for $15.95. That's a little pricey if you ask me.

I suck the wort into my mouth and spit it into the hydrometer tube.

I use a turkey baster if I am fermenting in a bucket due to the size of the hole. Otherwise, I use the plastic wine thief that you can put your hydrometer in to take a reading from a carboy.

joaoking said:

Any recommendations on where to purchase the wine thief from? My LHBS sells them for $15.95. That's a little pricey if you ask me.

Click to expand...

Check AHS I believe they still have them prices around $7. Even with shipping it'd be cheaper than your LHBS and they have always packed my products great.

NOTE: I use the glass thief cause I'm hardcore like that.

...anybody else just use the spigot on the bucket?

Nobody else

I have spigots on both my fermenters,it makes life so much easier. I spray Starsan up into the spout on the spigot & wipe it out with a paper towel,spritz again & take the hydrometer sample. Just take the airlock cap & centerpiece out first to prevent sucking airlock liquid into the fermenter.

I use a cheap $5 thief. 1.5 draws and I have enough to float my hydro.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I just sanitize the hydrometer and drop it right in the bucket.

dave8274 said:

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I just sanitize the hydrometer and drop it right in the bucket.

Click to expand...

That'll work.

Unless there's still some krauen. Or if,like me & you wear glasses. Seein clearly at sharp angles doesn't work so good.

If you use buckets, get lids with the larger stopper hole for the air lock.. then a cheap thief @8.99
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_67_363&products_id=1227

Spray the airlock stopper area with starsan, remove, spray thief with starsan, drop in bucket and pull sample.....remove thief. spray lid hole and airlock again,, put in place.. Drop the hydrometer in the thief and take your reading.

The process takes less time then it took me to type this.... and no screwing with removing the bucket lid or risk shaking up the trub / yeast cake in the bucket, exposure to O2, larger contamination exposure ect.

E_Marquez said:

If you use buckets, get lids with the larger how for the air lock stopper.. then a cheap thief @8.99
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_67_363&products_id=1227

Spray the airlock stopper area with starsan, remove, spray thief with starsan, drop in bucket and pull sample.....remove thief. spray lid hole and airlock again,, put in place.. Drop the hydrometer in the thief and take your reading.

The process takes less time then it took me to type this.... and no screwing with removing the bucket lid or risk shaking up the trub / yeast cake in the bucket, exposure to O2, larger contamination exposure ect.

Click to expand...

+1.

I've never liked the idea of prying off the bucket lid to get a hydro sample for the very reasons stated. This sounds like a very good workable alternative to installing a spigot on the fermenter bucket (my current solution). I haven't had an issue with a leaking fermenter spigot, but it certainly is possible.

Where did you find a bucket lid that had the larger stopper hole? Mine both have the little holes with a grommet for direct insertion of the airlock.

Large turkey baster here. Takes about 2-3 pulls. Also have a plastic wine thief that I absolutely hate. Only pulls a little beer with each attempt and loses a fair amount in transfer. It must just be a real crappy one or I'm just an idiot which is entirely likely

Malty_Dog said:

Large turkey baster here. Takes about 2-3 pulls. Also have a plastic wine thief that I absolutely hate. Only pulls a little beer with each attempt and loses a fair amount in transfer. It must just be a real crappy one or I'm just an idiot which is entirely likely

Click to expand...

Sounds like you're not using it right. You Gould easily be able to fill your thief, so it should be able to pull its own volume.

Also, if it leaks at the valve on the bottom, give it a shake to reseat the valve. Mine almost always drips after I get done filling it, but a single extra shake with the end OUT of the beer seals the valve.

Obviously if you have something else that works, feel free to use it. I don't work for the thief industry or anything, so I don't really care what you use, I just hate for you to disregard a common tool.

BigFloyd said:

Where did you find a bucket lid that had the larger stopper hole? Mine both have the little holes with a grommet for direct insertion of the airlock.

Click to expand...

First two buckets I bought had a large hole, next 3 I bought did not so I put um on the mil and machined a hole.

A hole saw with some clean up would work as well.. Just clamp the lid to a piece of wood as a backer

Here's a lid removal tool I showed in one of my gadget videos; http://www.midwestsupplies.com/pail-opening-tool.html
I use a cheap rubber mallet to install the lid & this to remove it. No more sore fingers!

I got a turkey baster from the dollar store. It works perfectly. In my opinion, spending a bunch of money on stuff defeats the purpose of making your own beer.

You also have to balance how much easier &/or quicker a given gadget can make your brew or bottling day against being minimalistic monetarilly. I always get reminded of how going too cheap can be a bad thing sometimes.
Also being older,making things as easy as possible is a good thing.

I just cup my hands together and dip into bucket, then funnel into beaker.
I use a stainless mini pitcher (think expresso) or baster.

a straw. And yes, I have a problem waiting for it to be done.

I throw a pyrex 1 cup measuring cup into a pot of boiling water for about 10 or 15 minutes, pull it out with gloves (careful to only touch the handle which is carefully NOT dipped into the beer), spray the cup and gloves with Starsan and grab me a cup-a-beer!

I don't return the beer to the fermenter. I just taste it after I'm finished with the hydrometer.

Here's my advanced 5 Step Process™

1) Remove lid
2) Insert hydrometer into beer
3) Look at reading
4) Remove hydrometer
5) Replace lid


And if I want to taste it, I have another 3 Step Process™ between steps 4 and 5
1) Dip glass into beer
2) Remove glass
3) Taste it

TyTanium said:

Here's my advanced 5 Step Process™

1) Remove lid
2) Insert hydrometer into beer
3) Look at reading
4) Remove hydrometer
5) Replace lid


And if I want to taste it, I have another 3 Step Process™ between steps 4 and 5
1) Dip glass into beer
2) Remove glass
3) Taste it

Click to expand...

With all of the creative answeres up to this point, I was begining to think I was doing it all wrong. I keep a spray bottle of starzan next to my ferm bucket, just spray the hydro and drop it it.

I ended up removing the air lock stopper, inserting a sanitized thief to get my sample then replaced the stopper.