Couple of new brewer questions

What is the best way to get a hydrometer sample from the fermentor without contaminating my beer? I don't have a wine thief (I think that is what it is called)

Second, what is the best way to clean and sanitize recycled bottles, mostly Sam Adams bottles?

Thanks.

Get a wine thief. They are cheap and easy. Ultimately, the best way for this is to not worry about a gravity reading from the fermenter. If you let the beer age properly in the fermenter, you can be assured that the fermentation is complete by the time you are ready to transfer it to bottling or keg. Leave the beer in there for at least two weeks and then transfer to secondary or leave it in primary for another week or two, whatever your preference may be.

If my bottles are some that I purchased and consumed the beer myself, I rinse them out with hot water after I drink the beer and set them aside until I'm ready to clean. I then soak them in an oxiclean solution for an hour or so to clean them and get the labels off. After that I rinse them thoroughly with warm tap water. I sanitize the bottles with Starsan right before I'm ready to bottle. If the bottles came from any source other than my own consumption, I use a bottle brush with soap and water first, and then use the previously listed instructions...

Get a vinator for bottle sanitizing. They are awesome.

Many people use a wine thief or a turkey baster for sample taking reasons. I have both and use the turkey baster because it's easier to clean and does not drip as much as the wine thief (contamination). Additionally, the turkey baster is easier to sanitize and does not require as much contact with the beer as you only have to dip the tip in (that's what she said) to take a sample. I WOULD suggest taking gravity readings because otherwise you will not accurately know if fermenation is complete or stuck. After experience this might not be necessary but the only way to gain this experience is to actually do it.... otherwise you are just guessing when to rack or bottle.

As far as bottles. I do the same by rinsing them 3 times with hot water and shaking the crap out of them with the water inside. I too remove labels with oxyclean and this also works well if you forget to wash bottles after using. When it's bottling time I then rinse them in starsan 3 times quickly and turn them upside down in the beer box and start my process.

A turkey baster works well, I have a plastic 3 piece wine thief that comes a part and makes it very easy to clean.
For dirty bottles, I use oxyclean and vinegar to get the labels off. Rinse well and sanitize. There seems to be little I don't use oxyclean on, it makes cleaning a lot easier.

I use a turkey baster because it is easiest to clean. I just find it hard to clean the whole tube of the wine thief - if I had a bigger sink and could submerge it all at once that would be easier though.

-turkey baster = generally easier to clean. can be purchased anywhere
-wine thief = only need to dip into the carboy once to get enough wort for a sample.

WorryWort said:

-wine thief = only need to dip into the carboy once to get enough wort for a sample.

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I got a glass thief from AHS and it's so thin that I'd have to take 2 or 3 pulls to get a reading. Is it the norm to fill the tube the hydrometer comes in to take a reading?

mikefranciotti said:

I got a glass thief from AHS and it's so thin that I'd have to take 2 or 3 pulls to get a reading. Is it the norm to fill the tube the hydrometer comes in to take a reading?

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I find it's easiest to have the hydrometer tube filled to the brim once the hydrometer is in there. Having the fluid level above the lip of the hydrometer testing tube makes it so much easier to see where the top of the meniscus actually is.

An autosyphon will work for a thief if you have one, although it makes more bubbles in the sample.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

A turkey baster works well, I have a plastic 3 piece wine thief that comes a part and makes it very easy to clean.
For dirty bottles, I use oxyclean and vinegar to get the labels off. Rinse well and sanitize. There seems to be little I don't use oxyclean on, it makes cleaning a lot easier.

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bingo! I just use a clear plastic turkey baster that I have sanitized with some star san in a bucket that is usually sitting around with bottles in it to remove the labels or paint.