Checking gravity

[thony14]

So when Is a good time to check gravity? I have a brown ale fermenting and i'm not using a secondary(11 days now)...just wondering, i'm starting to get antsy! ooo and the starting gravity was 1.043.
Thanks
Anthony

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Leave the beer alone for at least 3-4 weeks if you want better quality beer. Otherwise, most beers are usually done within two weeks if you can't wait.

 

[Frank99]

You can take a gravity reading anytime you want as long as you're careful not to contaminate the batch. I've been leaving my batches in the primary for 4 weeks pretty consistently with very good results.

 

[breez7]

You should be at your terminal gravity by now. You can take a reading and even a taste! to see if it needs some more time. But like they said, be sanitary.

 

[thony14]

When taking out the beer before checking the gravity should I do it as fast as I can to avoid letting to much oxygen into the carboy?

 

[breez7]

its not going to matter much. I am more concerned about something floating into the beer, dust with bugs and stuff.

 

[thony14]

oooo I see... what would you recommend is the best way to do it?

 

[brewit2it]

oooo I see... what would you recommend is the best way to do it?

Wash your hands, sanitize your sample taker, spray the stopper with star sans if you want, pull out stopper, take sample, put stopper back in. It's not rocket science

 

[Nova5]

Find a way to stick a 1/4" tube into it and extract some through it. IF you arn't going to return the sample to the fermenter then you can just sanitize the bottle wand, attach the hose to the wand, stick it in through the airlock holeand suck on the hose. the wand's tip that stops flow you pull the bottle off it will act as a backflow preventer and not allow your sucked up beer back into the fermenter. get a siphon going and fill the sample container most of the way, pull the wand out, reinsert the airlock. invert the want and press the tip, drain the hose/wand into your container and take your reading. Of course when done don't waste it. Drink it!