taking wort out of fermenter to check hydrometer reading

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Mogref

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My homebrew kit came with a hydrometer and a hydrometer tube. What's the best way to remove a little bit of the fermented wort out of the fermenter with the least amount of risk of contamination?

I suppose I could just pop off the lid and scoop some out but I was curious if there was another way. I just need enough to fill the hydrometer tube. Or should I just open the top and put the sanitized hydrometer right in the wort?
 
I have always checked mine right in the fermenter, whether it be a carboy or bucket. Just sterilize your Hydrometer and you should be good to go. I've never had any issues with infection. That's my way, but I think I'm probably in the minorty of people that use that method.
 
I have always checked mine right in the fermenter, whether it be a carboy or bucket. Just sterilize your Hydrometer and you should be good to go. I've never had any issues with infection. That's my way, but I think I'm probably in the minorty of people that use that method.

How do you get your hydrometer out of your carboy?
 
I prefer a turkey baster, but can also use a winetheif...this one is by fermtech...

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I used a turkey baster. Works for me.

I'm guessing yankeehillbrewer uses a plastic pail fermenter. It would be a HUGE pain to try and get a hydrometer out of a glass carboy.
 
You could just use your Siphon or bottle filler, like others indicated, Sanitize well!!
 
Would it be okay to just put the hydrometer into the carboy and let it sit throughout the final fermentation in the secondary? Any risks to that?
 
Would it be okay to just put the hydrometer into the carboy and let it sit throughout the final fermentation in the secondary? Any risks to that?

Your only issue with this is that krausen/hops/CO2 bubbles like to stick to the hydrometer, giving you false readings. Plus you would need a hydrometer for every fermenter you have - I don't want to buy 5 more hydrometers.

I vote for turkey baster.
 
Would it be okay to just put the hydrometer into the carboy and let it sit throughout the final fermentation in the secondary? Any risks to that?

Well, first you don't need readings in the secondary- fermentation should be long over before it's moved to the secondary. Second, if you do put it in a carboy that IS fermenting, the krausen will make it impossible to read. Third, how are you going to get it out? What if you lift the carboy to rack the beer and it "clinks" against the side and breaks? When you're racking, what about when it hits the bottom?

That seems like a bit too risky to me, with no benefit at all. Why not use a sanitized wine thief or turkey baster, and just pull out a sample when needed? No risk of broken glass in the fermenter, and more accurate readings.
 
Third, how are you going to get it out? What if you lift the carboy to rack the beer and it "clinks" against the side and breaks? When you're racking, what about when it hits the bottom?

When you rack the beer the hydrometer isn't going to drop like a rock to the bottom of the carboy. It will be a gradual decent as the liquid level drops. Furthermore, the trub should provide a soft landing for the hydrometer minimizing any possibility of the glass breaking.

To get it out, simply fill the carboy with water and the hydrometer will rise to the top once again where you can grab it and pull it out.

That said, leaving the hydrometer in the fermenter to avoid taking samples seems more work than it's worth to me. If you put it in at the beginning the krausen will gunk it up making it hard to read. I think it would also be hard to read through the gunky glass after the krausen has sank.
 
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