First brew today

I just got done brewing my first batch of beer. It is sitting down in the basement air lock in place waiting to ferment.

I did lots of reading, lots of researching, and talked to several home brewers. I read John Palmers book 2 maybe 3 times and several sections more than that. After all that I came to the conclusion to just follow the recipe exactly how it is written. So thats what I did for the most part.

The only part of my brewing process that I wasn't in the recipe was using a wort chiller. The chiller worked great but I will not waste all the water again. I used some of it to water the lawn but lots of it just went down my driveway. I pay for city water...I am going to be getting a pump.

I also aerated the wort like Palmer suggests by pouring back and forth between brew pot and fermenting bucket. This created lots of foam. I assume the foam is normal.

The only question I have is what is useful for getting a reading with the Hydrometer? Dropping it into the bucket worked but the foam made it very difficult to read.

It sounds like you were well prepared and your process should be good. I usually use a wine thief to take a sample/hydrometer reading and it works well.

If you don't have anything else to use, dropping it in the bucket works, but it is hard to read. I like the thief, it's easy to use, and it's a great way to sample the beer after fermentation. I just drain it into a small glass and taste.

Congrats on your first batch, sounds like it went well.

Dropping it in the bucket works, and for added help, give the hydrometer a spin. This will sometimes help remove the bubbles in the very near vicinity of the hydro.

I use a turkey baster and a sample cylinder. Bonus of the sample cylinder is you can taste your green beer. Just never pour back into the fermenter!

Didn't your hydro come with a tall, thin plastic tube? Fill up the tube, drop in the hydro.

arturo7 said:

Didn't your hydro come with a tall, thin plastic tube? Fill up the tube, drop in the hydro.

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It did. I wasn't looking at it like that I was only viewing it as a hydro holder.. I will use it when it comes time to measure FG.

bryanjints said:

It did. I wasn't looking at it like that I was only viewing it as a hydro holder.. I will use it when it comes time to measure FG.

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use a sanitized turkey baster or thief to get your sample into the tube.

KayaBrew said:

use a sanitized turkey baster or thief to get your sample into the tube.

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Whats a thief?

bryanjints said:

Whats a thief?

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Fermtech Wine Thief :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies

I guess thats the same thing I got with my kit. The directions say to use it when bottling I think. How would I draw the sample out?

Just dip it into the beer, let it fill, spin the hydrometer in when dropping it into the tube, and take your reading. Make sure you're holding the thief straight up. I usually hold it by the top flange and let it hang over the glass I plan on draining it into to take the reading, making sure that the hydrometer isn't stuck against the side of the tube. I then push the tip on the bottom of the glass to drain.

foxual said:

Fermtech Wine Thief :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies

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Allow me to hijack a bit because I have related questions.

1) Looking at that thief, how can you stop the liquid from running out the bottom after you dip it in? Or is it just a given that some will spill out during the process of going from the thief to the hydrometer tube?

2) If you are using a carboy you can't just dip the hydrometer tube in since it won't fit (or at least mine won't). So can't you just use a siphon hose and even use your mouth to draw the beer out? It's not going back in the fermenter so isn't the danger of bacteria not an issue?

pretzelb said:

Allow me to hijack a bit because I have related questions.

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No you can't hijack this thread. j/k

pretzelb said:

1) Looking at that thief, how can you stop the liquid from running out the bottom after you dip it in? Or is it just a given that some will spill out during the process of going from the thief to the hydrometer tube?

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The thief has a little plastic plunger in the bottom. Mine drips a little, so that's why I hold it over the glass, to catch the few drips. To drain it, just push the plunger up or sideways, and it'll drain.

pretzelb said:

2) If you are using a carboy you can't just dip the hydrometer tube in since it won't fit (or at least mine won't). So can't you just use a siphon hose and even use your mouth to draw the beer out? It's not going back in the fermenter so isn't the danger of bacteria not an issue?

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My thief fits in my carboys without a problem. In fact, if you are using carboys, I definitely recommend the thief. So much easier, and less risky, than syphoning.

homebeerbrewer said:

The thief has a little plastic plunger in the bottom. Mine drips a little, so that's why I hold it over the glass, to catch the few drips. To drain it, just push the plunger up or sideways, and it'll drain.

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Oh, I see. I didn't know about the plunger. It kind of looked like my easy siphon so I assumed it was the same but now that you say that I can kind of see the plunger in the picture. Plus it makes much more sense for it to work that way.

That does sound like a must have tool. I will have to pick one up.