Hydrometer readings, recycle?

[dpeanut7]

When taking a hydrometer reading, is it customary to dump the beer back into the bucket/carboy (providing the thief, jar, hydrometer are thoroughly sanitized, of course)? I'm just worried that if I'm taking hydrometer readings all of the time, and dumping, I'll lose too much beer.

 

[sweetcell]

don't dump - drink! taste the beer and learn about how it changes with fermentation, and have a reference for comparing pre- and post-bottling/kegging.

you can dump the sample back it, but it carries a *slight* risk.

 

[gcdowd]

I wouldn't dump it back in, why risk it? Drink it or dump it. You should only need to take a few samples. I wouldn't even take my first one until 2.5-3 weeks.

 

[homebrewdad]

When taking a hydrometer reading, is it customary to dump the beer back into the bucket/carboy (providing the thief, jar, hydrometer are thoroughly sanitized, of course)? I'm just worried that if I'm taking hydrometer readings all of the time, and dumping, I'll lose too much beer.

Most experienced homebrewers just drink the samples. Even with sanitation, you have a potential "whoops" vector here when you reintroduce that beer to the carboy, and those couple of ounces of beer are really not worth the risk of ruining five plus gallons.

As for taking samples "all the time" - don't. Let your beer ferment for two - even three - weeks before you take a sample. Take one more a couple of days later, it will almost certainly be the same. No more need for gravity readings, your beer is done.

As a bonus, your yeast have had some time to clean up after themselves, giving you fewer off flavors and better overall beer.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Dont worry about losing a little bit of beer from hydro readings. Test it, taste, pour downt he drain, but I would advise against dumping it back in. Way to easy to pick up a bug doing that.

 

[daksin]

+1 to tasting it. Don't put back in. Another +1 to don't take many samples- just let the beer sit for a long time.

 

[JonM]

+1 to all the above. And you can put your samples in the little tube/case the hydrometer comes in. No need to fill up a big sample jar/tube and use up more beer than necessary!

 

[JonK331]

I take two readings every batch. Once before fermentation and once after. No real need to do more than that. Just be patient. And drink the samples.

 

[Special Hops]

When taking a hydrometer reading, is it customary to dump the beer back into the bucket/carboy (providing the thief, jar, hydrometer are thoroughly sanitized, of course)? I'm just worried that if I'm taking hydrometer readings all of the time, and dumping, I'll lose too much beer.

Drink it.

And take less samples. I week 3 weeks before I check it. If its done I keg it. I usually only take one ready at the end.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Drink it.

And take less samples. I week 3 weeks before I check it. If its done I keg it. I usually only take one ready at the end.

THIS!

I mean, I take OG as well, but ya know...

 

[jsmcclure007]

I love the interim tastings from the hydrometer samples. Great to taste the changes. I also don't check very often. I used to be compulsive but basically my gravity has dropped at the end of the first week. Now I do an OG and a FG at 3 weeks seems to do the trick

 

[Special Hops]

THIS!

I mean, I take OG as well, but ya know...

Yeah I take OG too. I meant I generally only take one reading once it's done fermenting.