Who's got a good sampling routine?

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RobbyBeers

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Who out there has a really good process for sampling?

...because I sure don't. I've tried a lot of the sampling tools out there, but they always seem a bit too fussy and too plasticky. I've also tried using a sampling spigot on my (bucket) fermenter, but I always had leaks. I often find myself whipping up cleaner and sanitizer on sampling days, and that's just a PITA.

Too many of my brew log entries have just two numbers: the OG and the FG...and sometimes not even the FG. I really need to start keeping better track.
 
If you use starsan you can keep it in an empty carboy, bucket whatever. I usually use a thief to draw a jar full out of that and then sanitize sampling stuff with it when I want to.
 
I take a little tasting glass, sanitize the hell out of it, and just dip it in the fermenter to pull a sample. A coffee mug works, too. You can clean it out and literally boil it in water before you take a sample, if you like.


I don't sample very often though. You say you have two numbers like that's a bad thing. There is no reason to be dicking around with your fermenting beer.
 
Thanks for the input.

If you use starsan you can keep it in an empty carboy, bucket whatever. I usually use a thief to draw a jar full out of that and then sanitize sampling stuff with it when I want to.

I know some people keep their thief aside in a wallpaper tray full of starsan. Maybe I could try that.

I take a little tasting glass, sanitize the hell out of it, and just dip it in the fermenter to pull a sample. A coffee mug works, too. You can clean it out and literally boil it in water before you take a sample, if you like.


I don't sample very often though. You say you have two numbers like that's a bad thing. There is no reason to be dicking around with your fermenting beer.

This gives me some ideas. If I'm using buckets primarily, I could probably just put a cup or a ladle down in there to sample.

I generally follow the "don't dick around" credo...but I recently had my first underattenuation problem, so I want to start keeping a little better track of the gravity.
 
I think people way over-sample. All comes from that guy Papazian saying you need to have the gravity constant for 3 days in a row before bottling....pfffft. I sample maybe once, just to get a FG for my notes. If fermentation is no longer going on and its close to where you think it should be, you are all set.

Edit to add: my sample setup. I use a wine thief and dip it into the sanitizer. I let the thief fill up then invert it to cover all the inside surfaces. Let santizer drain out, then pull sample and drop into hydrometer tube. Done.
 
I just do a simple sanitizing mix of starstan in a spray bottle, spray my thief down, swirl a little inside, dump it out and take a sample.

But I really only sample once, after about three weeks or a month of primary, then send it to my keg.
 
no theif here, i just smell it after about a month, off to bottle or keg, then the last bit before it gets to the yeast goes in my mouth so i can get an idea of what the heck it's doin! :)
 
I sanitize 5 feet of tubing, stick it in the carboy and suck. A hose clamp stops the flow and keeps the tube filled with beer until I empty it into my testing column. So simple and requires the smallest volume of sanitizer.
 
Does StarSan really sanitize instantly on contact? Currently, I fill a hydrometer jar with an Iodophor solution and sit my wine thief in there for 10 minutes before sampling. It's a pretty good system, but if I could eliminate that 10 minute wait I 'd be happy.

Slightly OT question: does anybody besides me stress out about letting air into the carboy when taking the airlock off to draw a sample? I try to do anything I can to minimize oxidation, so that bugs me. I also stress out about the big pocket of air that floats over my beer while I'm filling the bottling bucket. I've thought about floating a sanitized piece of foam over the surface of the beer--whaddaya think?

Probably I should just RDWHAHB.
 
I bought a bunch of disposable pipettes. I just take a small sample and check it on a refractometer. I just use the refractometer tool in BeerSmith to give me an approximation of the gravity. I can also tell from day to day if fermentation is still going on by whether the reading changes.
 
Thanks for all the input.

I'm sure that different people expend different amounts of energy fussing over their fermenting beer. I tend to be on the low-fuss end myself, but I'm making an effort to sample just a bit more to address a specific issue (tracking attenuation). Sooo...the "don't sample" advice is...of limited utility. ;)

I bought a bunch of disposable pipettes. I just take a small sample and check it on a refractometer. I just use the refractometer tool in BeerSmith to give me an approximation of the gravity. I can also tell from day to day if fermentation is still going on by whether the reading changes.

Now see, there's something I hadn't thought of before. Thanks.
 
I think there are metal "mud" trays at HD by the sheet rock tools. Might work if they don't rust.
The only metal trays I found at the HD store were formed on a brake so they wont hold liquid. Also they were a little short to get a racking cane in (my objective).

I was able to find a wallpaper tray at a Jerry's home improvement store. I'm sure Home Depot or Lowes would have them.

As far as sampling is concerned, I just use a turkey baster sprayed down with star san. (inside and out) It only takes three pulls in about thirty seconds. :)
 
Does StarSan really sanitize instantly on contact? Currently, I fill a hydrometer jar with an Iodophor solution and sit my wine thief in there for 10 minutes before sampling. It's a pretty good system, but if I could eliminate that 10 minute wait I 'd be happy.

Slightly OT question: does anybody besides me stress out about letting air into the carboy when taking the airlock off to draw a sample? I try to do anything I can to minimize oxidation, so that bugs me. I also stress out about the big pocket of air that floats over my beer while I'm filling the bottling bucket. I've thought about floating a sanitized piece of foam over the surface of the beer--whaddaya think?

Probably I should just RDWHAHB.

RE: the OT question
CO2 is heavier than air, so it doesn't all rush out when you pop the top on your fermenter. It's likely that there is less of a CO2 cushion by the time you go to the bottling bucket---some people spray their buckets with CO2 before filling (using CO2 from a kegging setup, or one of those small CO2 chargers).

I like the idea of sanitizing in the hydrometer cylinder. I'm thinking I might try to find a glass thief and a cylinder that are of compatible sizes, and just keep the thief floating in StarSan for the duration of the fermentation.
 
RobbyBeers said:
RE: the OT question
CO2 is heavier than air, so it doesn't all rush out when you pop the top on your fermenter. It's likely that there is less of a CO2 cushion by the time you go to the bottling bucket---some people spray their buckets with CO2 before filling (using CO2 from a kegging setup, or one of those small CO2 chargers).

I like the idea of sanitizing in the hydrometer cylinder. I'm thinking I might try to find a glass thief and a cylinder that are of compatible sizes, and just keep the thief floating in StarSan for the duration of the fermentation.

Thanks, RB. I don't keg, but if I wanted to use one of those CO2 chargers, I guess I'd pour the priming sugar solution in the bucket, drop my auto-siphon hose in there, put the lid on the bucket part way and spray the CO2 through the opening until I thought the air had been displaced? And then I'd start siphoning under the CO2, and close the lid completely when I'm done? I might try that.
 
What's with all this sampling and fussing over the FG ? I don't open my fermenter until three weeks when I'm ready to Keg/Bottle; no need to. Can't change anything anyway; Pitch enough Yeast and Keep your Fermentation Temps in your Range..you will always make beer. Give your Carboy/Bucket a swirl for a couple days after the Fermentation really begins to slow to finish it out and it will all be good

Why risk the contaimanation; 3/3 Rule.. three weeks in Fermenter/ Three Weeks in bottle/Kettle

Oh, and I take my tasting sample/FG sample with a Sanitizes Pyrex Measuring cup; just dip it into the bucket and pull out a cup. I check the FG; then keg/bottle... then drink the sample :mug:
 
What's with all this sampling and fussing over the FG ? I don't open my fermenter until three weeks when I'm ready to Keg/Bottle; no need to. Can't change anything anyway; Pitch enough Yeast and Keep your Fermentation Temps in your Range..you will always make beer. Give your Carboy/Bucket a swirl for a couple days after the Fermentation really begins to slow to finish it out and it will all be good

Why risk the contaimanation; 3/3 Rule.. three weeks in Fermenter/ Three Weeks in bottle/Kettle

Oh, and I take my tasting sample/FG sample with a Sanitizes Pyrex Measuring cup; just dip it into the bucket and pull out a cup. I check the FG; then keg/bottle... then drink the sample :mug:

If you are pitching enough yeast and maintaining proper temps, there is no reason to bother with the 3 week in the fermenter rule. But that is a discussion for another time, and to each their own...
 
Thanks, RB. I don't keg, but if I wanted to use one of those CO2 chargers, I guess I'd pour the priming sugar solution in the bucket, drop my auto-siphon hose in there, put the lid on the bucket part way and spray the CO2 through the opening until I thought the air had been displaced? And then I'd start siphoning under the CO2, and close the lid completely when I'm done? I might try that.

I wouldn't bother. Millions of gallons of homebrew have been racked to bottling buckets without the worry of not having an adequate CO2 blanket on top of them.
 
Who out there has a really good process for sampling?

...because I sure don't. I've tried a lot of the sampling tools out there, but they always seem a bit too fussy and too plasticky. I've also tried using a sampling spigot on my (bucket) fermenter, but I always had leaks. I often find myself whipping up cleaner and sanitizer on sampling days, and that's just a PITA.

Too many of my brew log entries have just two numbers: the OG and the FG...and sometimes not even the FG. I really need to start keeping better track.

5260-228x228.jpg
 
When chilling I have a small ball valve that allows me to take a sample on the way to the fermenter....

Sample1.jpg


After fermentation I push Co2 into my fermenter and take a gravity with a cobra tap before secondary...

Secondary1.jpg
 
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