I am a relativley new brewer. I just brewed up a batch of milk stout using a brewers best kit. I of course took a hydrometer reading before I pitched my yeast to see what my OG was. My question is this. Could I take a sample of the pitched sort and keep that say in a covered test tube so I wouldnt have to open up the bottling bucket to extract a new sample? Wouldnt the sort in the test tube ferment at the same rate as that in the bucket, assuming similar conditions? Would that sample be reliable to determine final gravity? I am just trying to minimize opening the bucket and possibly introducing infections. Thoughts and opinons are most welcome.