hydrometer issue

I was wondering if I could just sterilize my hydrometer and drop it in the carboy just after I pitch the yeast. I would take the note of my OG, and then just leave the hydrometer floating in the beer till it's done.

This way I could see gravity of the beer every day of fermentation.... and it would be much easier because I wouldn't have to take samples and all this...

The krausen will make it too dirty to read.

Think of the Hops stuck to the side of the fermenter after fermentation...now picture that wrapped around your hydrometer.

If you drop it in you will face issues such as bubbles clinging on it or when the foam comes up you'll never see it. Best bet is to get a wine thief to get sample or use a dedicated beer turkey baster to pull samples

+ 1 on the wine thief or turkey baster.

Glass carboy would be a devil to get out.

I've done 38 batches and I have never had a beer not be finished after 3 weeks. Not saying it is perfect but if there is a question about when it is finished fermenting 99% of the time (100% for me) 3 week will be fine.

Much simpler to set the first sample with the hydrometer next to the fermenter. Just put a little yeast in the tube, or draw the sample after pitching. That's what I do.

david_42 said:

Much simpler to set the first sample with the hydrometer next to the fermenter. Just put a little yeast in the tube, or draw the sample after pitching. That's what I do.

Click to expand...

But that only is a good gauge of the yeast's attenuation, what the beer ill be finished at, NOT when it will be done. A few ounces will finish fermenting a lot faster than 5 gallons.

This is what I use, and it works with both buckets and carboys



And



Here's what I do....

1) With a spray bottle filled with starsan I spray the lid of my bucket, or the mouth of the carboy, including the bung. Then I spray my turkey baster inside and out with sanitize (or dunking it in a container of sanitizer)r.

2) remove lid

3) Draw Sample

4) fill sample jar (usualy 2-3 turky baster draws

5)Spray bung or lid with sanitizer again

6) Close lid or bung

6) take reading

It is less than 30 seconds from the time the lid is removed until it is closed again.

Probably less if you have help.

You can also use a wine theif, and some folks put the hydrometer into the wine theif rather than drain it to a sample tube.

or buy an actual wine thief, which will let you pull a sample out. i find that turkey basters dribble a lot and make a big mess with the drips.

I primary in buckets, so I do just sanitize the hydro, drop it in, take reading, and remove.
I do the same thing to test FG before going to secondary (or keg, depending on the style and needs)

malkore said:

or buy an actual wine thief, which will let you pull a sample out. i find that turkey basters dribble a lot and make a big mess with the drips.

Click to expand...

See I had the opposite effect...

I started with a theif, and put the hydrometer right in it after drawing a sample. But I just had a hard time reading it in there. Usually there was too much foam on the top line.

I seem to get less foam when drawing with my baster. I just got an awesome SS baster to use, instead of the plastic one I've been using.


Plus I get more dribble it seams from my winetheif then my turkey baster. I think because, anticipating the dribble I upend the baster quickly when I draw the sample, then move it to the collection jar.

But either the wineteif or turkey baster is just a matter of personal preference.