hagbardceline
Well-Known Member
Just wondering if I sanitize everything can I dump the beer I pull out for hydrometor readings back in the carboy?
Hydrometer Readings: Can they be dumped back in?
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Yes. I never do it anymore, simply because of the risk/return tradeoff (such a small amount of beer to worry about). But I have done it in the past.
user 84304
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Well, as with everything in life, you certainly can make that choice. Keep in mind it's a VERY crucial decision though. In my opinion, even the slightest chance of infection is reason enough to lose a few ounce of beer, rather than ruin the full batch.
Never had an infected batch yet, knock on wood. I attribute that to be extremely careful about sanitation and part of that might be that I don't put samples back in.
Just my opinion, but for a beginner especially. I'd recommend NOT doing that.
Cheers!
Never had an infected batch yet, knock on wood. I attribute that to be extremely careful about sanitation and part of that might be that I don't put samples back in.
Just my opinion, but for a beginner especially. I'd recommend NOT doing that.
Cheers!
OP
OP
hagbardceline
Well-Known Member
Ok, I've never dumped it back before and I don't think I'll start!
I wouldn't even think of doing it, it's just too much of a risk. I just drink them instead.
I clean & sanitize my hydrometer before use. I always dump the 1st one back in,since it's just sweet wort anyway. And it's been sanitized,expose to air for a short time,& has been fine every time. But that's the only time it goes back in. The rest are from 2 weeks on,so I drink them to see how things are going. Good way to tell if it needs more time to clean up,in the case of 2nd FG test.
"All Hail Discordia" Freeman Celine, by the way. So you brew beer on the Leif Erickson? 
^^^???
Really Really obscure literary reference.
I agree with all of the above, except I've heard a couple people who do 1-gallon batches make a convincing case to sanitize carefully and then return the sample. For any larger batches, the risk/reward is so far out of whack, you'd be crazy to try and return the sample to the fermenter (especially since IMO there is benefit in tasting the sample, too)
I don't have the patience for 1-gallon batches (though I do 3-gallon batches pretty frequently when I am trying an experiment). But for those who do, there could be reasonable debate on this topic.
For those brewing 5-gal, or even 3-bal batches, there's no real debate IMHO. Yes you can, but don't.
I don't have the patience for 1-gallon batches (though I do 3-gallon batches pretty frequently when I am trying an experiment). But for those who do, there could be reasonable debate on this topic.
For those brewing 5-gal, or even 3-bal batches, there's no real debate IMHO. Yes you can, but don't.
Well,as for myself,I see no benefit in tasting un-fermented wort,so after cleaning/sanitizing the hydrometer,back in it goes. But from 2 weeks on,no way.
OP
OP
hagbardceline
Well-Known Member
"All Hail Discordia" Freeman Celine, by the way. So you brew beer on the Leif Erickson?
Yes, the golden submarine!
RyanDe680
Well-Known Member
When I am batch sparging and taking readings from there, I pour those samples back in since it is pre-boil.
Post-boil, I just either drink my sample or toss it. Just one more element that may risk contamination, however small that risk may be.
Post-boil, I just either drink my sample or toss it. Just one more element that may risk contamination, however small that risk may be.
johnnyspade
Well-Known Member
Drink it up!
I love reading old novels,etc from Victorian/colonial times. Guess I missed that one. Anyway,after being cleaned & sanitized,I've never seen any infections,since it's clean & exposer is minimal. But only on the OG sample.
onipar
Well-Known Member
I actually do the same with the newly boiled wort. My thinking is this: I sanitized everything up the wazoo (not literally of course
), I just aerated by mixing it like crazy (so there's plenty of contact with the air at this point), and I *just* added 3 gallons of top off water which is straight from my tap, and unboiled.Pouring the sample back in at this point doesn't seem like much of a risk to me. And most importantly, I'm about 1 minute away from pitching the yeast, which should be the first thing to take hold as long as they are viable.
I realize there are a few things about my procedure many of you wouldn't do anyway (like using unboiled tap water to top off), but that's my reasoning for better or worse.
After that, like unionrdr, I *never* pour back into the bucket. I always taste the samples from that point on.
cadarnell
Well-Known Member
i do put my pre boil ones back in the boil... but i just drink the ones from the fermenter ... i look forward to tasting them ... i probably drink about one beer per batch tasting the hydro samples ... it's just one beer ... no need to worry about that small an amount IMO
Thanks for clearing that up. I just meant that I like reading old books. Wasn't hip to this one being of newer vintage,since it was referred to as an obscure reference.
That cover looks like something I'd have gotten from the Science Fiction Book Club.
If you feel like you're wasting a lot of beer with the hydrometer samples, you can always get a smaller tube for your samples. I found a pretty narrow 125 ml tube, which does the trick and only needs 90-100 ml to get an accurate reading.
I use the tube my hydrometer came in. Doesn't take near as much as some of those monstrosities I see at the LHBS. I swear some of those look like they hold 1.5 beers at least.
pauljmccain
Well-Known Member
I use a Fermtech wine thief... sanitize and rinse in and out, then stick it in, drop in the sanitized hydrometer, and then you just tap the stopper on the inside of the carboy to release the liquid back. I can never drink a whole sample's worth so I usually just put it back in. 5 batches now with lots of gravity readings, no problems.
Willum
Well-Known Member
I dump the pre-boil sample back into the boil kettle. I don't know if that counts, but all other samples I drink, including the unfermented wort after the boil. On a side note I also chew a little bit of each of the grains before I mash in. I think it helps me to understand the final product better. I have eaten to much 2 row this year
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