Question about taking a gravity reading

So during my first brew I couldnt take a gravity reading before pouring the wort into my damijohn. Now my brew has been fermenting for a week, the yeast has dropped and im curious to take a reading.

My question is that my damijohn was much bigger then my 5 gallon brew, so there is a ton of headspace and no way of me getting out a sample without putting the thing on its side which would shake everything up.

Are there any obviously ways I could get a sample out easily and not disturbing it?

Thanks.

I've heard of people using a turkey baster.

yea, i wish if it was long enough.

Search around for a Fermtech Wine Thief. They work really well.

how far down can that baby reach

It's 19" long so it can probably reach all the way down to the bottom of a carboy (I usually stop about halfway to not disturb the yeast cake).

b33risGOOD said:

how far down can that baby reach

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The Fermtech theif is about 19-inches long, so you should be able to reach down about 18-inches into the vessle. You only have to be able to reach down far enough to float the hydrometer (it fits inside this type of theif) - you don't need to reach all the way to the bottom.

oooh, it fits inside? THat might be a problem because my glass carboy is dark green and sort of hard to see through.

Will have to look closer. good idea tho

b33risGOOD said:

oooh, it fits inside? THat might be a problem because my glass carboy is dark green and sort of hard to see through.

Will have to look closer. good idea tho

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You can lift the theif out to read it - you don't have to leave it in the carboy....

As an option - there are also three piece plastic ones. You might be able to purchase more that one and piece them together to make a longer theif

b33risGOOD said:

oooh, it fits inside? THat might be a problem because my glass carboy is dark green and sort of hard to see through.

Will have to look closer. good idea tho

Click to expand...

It has a valve on the bottom. You can stick your hydrometer in the thief, stick the thief into the carboy and lift it up to take your reading. Then when you have it almost all the way out, you can touch the valve to the inside of the mouth and let it drain out.

Alternately, you can use it to steal some beer from the fermenter to draw a sample for reading in a regular hydrometer tube (this is what I prefer to do currently).

EvilGnome6 said:

Alternately, you can use it to steal some beer from the fermenter to draw a sample for reading in a regular hydrometer tube (this is what I prefer to do currently).

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PLus this way you don't have to worry about your hydromater contaminating your beer. just one less thing. And don't return the sample. Just drink it or dump it.