Fermentation Issues

Hello,

I'm relatively new to brewing, and just made my 5th and 6th batches last week. I made a pumpkin ale on Monday, but didn't get any bubble activity on the first day. I waited and eventually there was very slow activity on the third day for a couple hours and that was it. There seem to be thick cream on the top (krausen?) and until a day ago there was pressure within the fermentor. It's a new bucket so maybe it isn't airtight.

My question is, what is the best way to check the gravity inside a bucket? It's an extract so it should be easy to tell if its done. However, when I put the wort in the fermentor, I didn't mix the last bit of top off water well enough and my og sample had a lot of water (I didn't notice since I just set it aside). I fear that if I take a sample off the top it'll have a low reading because it stratified.

Thanks

I would leave it alone another week or two at least. The gravity readings will be accurate and the fermentation process mixes everything quite well. Most people use a beer thief to take a sample, but I just sanitize the crap out of my hydrometer and stick it right in there.

Thanks! One thing I'm good at is waiting.

What would be a good way to draw the beer out without a beer thief?

mdatum said:

Thanks! One thing I'm good at is waiting.

What would be a good way to draw the beer out without a beer thief?

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Sanitize a turkey baster and pull some beer out withthat. Put it in the tube the hydrometer came in or in a tube made for that purpose and you are good to go. Drink the sample....Don't pour it back in the fermenter.