How do you draw your hydrometer samples?

I use my autosiphon with a syringe type action by plugging the top of the cain with my finger, or I use a measuring cup..

Cracked, busted turkey baster

Just installed another spigot on another ferment bucket. I feel this will help w/ hydro samples & tastings along the way. No opening the bucket. No sanitizing anything. Draw a lil out the tap, take a reading, drink, be happy. Or lost & confused :}

Revvy said:

Some folks like a wine thief, but I found that it dribbled just a much if not more than a turkey baster.

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This is what I use and have no issues with it. It works well in bucket or carboy.

I done take samples at all from the fermenter. What I do is after I pitch my yeast and transfer to the fermenter I take a sample then in a bottle and use it as a satillite fermenter and take readings off that. It has always matched the fermenter when I move to bottling

I use a refractometer for my OG.

Then when i want to see if my fermentation is complete i use the refractometer again for 3 day (it doesnt give accurate readings with alcohol but you can see if the gravity is moving) All it takes is 4 little drops from a sanitized plastic pipette. You can even buy sterilized pipettes.

At bottling i use the hydrometer when i am racking to the bottling bucket. I fill up the sanitized hydrometer test jar and i am done.

I use a turkey baster. I only check the gravity when I rack to keg or to secondary for extended aging/dry hopping.

Malticulous said:

I use a cheap plastic thief that come apart in three pieces.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/3-piece-thief-plastic.html

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This is what I use. Works great in my 6 gallon glass carboy.

I've spent a few minutes searching for it and haven't found much, but I'm wondering if there's not a giant syringe that might work well for this task? You know, like something used in equine medicine or givin' whales shots or something like that. Hmm... :cross:

This would work really well with some small tubing—it would draw off nearly a cup in one pull! Too bad you'd probably have to buy in bulk from a dude named "Mr. Snake Wang."

crushingblackdoom said:

Just installed another spigot on another ferment bucket. I feel this will help w/ hydro samples & tastings along the way. No opening the bucket. No sanitizing anything. Draw a lil out the tap, take a reading, drink, be happy. Or lost & confused :}

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How do you clean/sanitize the spigot after beer/wort comes out of it?

I used to siphon for my samples but now I just tip the carboy over, fill a glass and drink it. er, I mean, test it... Then I spray the opening of the carboy with sanitizer and replace the airlock.

I use a sanitized coffee mug. Works great.

Hellosluggo said:

I've spent a few minutes searching for it and haven't found much, but I'm wondering if there's not a giant syringe that might work well for this task? You know, like something used in equine medicine or givin' whales shots or something like that. Hmm... :cross:

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Hellosluggo said:

This would work really well with some small tubing—it would draw off nearly a cup in one pull! Too bad you'd probably have to buy in bulk from a dude named "Mr. Snake Wang."

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An auto-siphon works exactly as you are suggesting, and it pulls the perfect amount for a hydrometer flask..

Stauffbier said:

An auto-siphon works exactly as you are suggesting, and it pulls the perfect amount for a hydrometer flask..

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Yup, I was thinking about that, wondering how well it would work... But wouldn't it be cool to find some big, cartoony, Three Stooges-style syringe to use?

When I used to work with underwater electrical connectors we used a lot of polyurethanes and epoxys - one of the industrial supply places sold syringes in the caulking tube sizes.

Hellosluggo said:

But wouldn't it be cool to find some big, cartoony, Three Stooges-style syringe to use?

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Anything in Three Stooges-style is cool!

normzone said:

When I used to work with underwater electrical connectors we used a lot of polyurethanes and epoxys - one of the industrial supply places sold syringes in the caulking tube sizes.

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I think I've seen those before...
That would be nice, because you could attach a piece of tubing to the tip and insert it into the bung/grommet hole without removing the bung/bucket lid.