Leave last hydrometer sample on counter

[physics911]

Does anyone else leave their last hydrometer sample on the counter to act as an analog for what's going on in the fermenter? I usually take a sample after I have pitched the yeast and leave it on the counter with the hydrometer in.

I don't do it to make decisions from what I see going on, but just think it is cool to have a micro climate of the fermenter on the counter to watch. I know you can do the same thing watching a glass carboy, but I ferment in buckets, and it being on the kitchen counter I see it more often. It has been quite informative to watch the process with my last several batches.

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

I leave it on there because I forgot about it. Usually it ferments. Then, gets infected, then gets smelly. Then I get yelled at.

I'm not sure it is always a great representation of what is happening in the bucket.

 

[ballsy]

I don't use samplers...just drop er in the ol ferment bucket after 14-21 days (after a dousing of star san o course), get the reading, drop in my dry hop sack and pop the lid back on! And no, 3 yrs later I have yet to get an infection from doing it.
Back on subject, I guess it would be kinda cool to watch the hydrometer slowly fall with time not that it would correlate with anything going on in the bucket...

 

[dstockwell]

Nope, take sample before pitching, then sample goes back in.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I get rid of mine ASAP. Otherwise it ends up getting on me, the floor, and sometimes a broken hydrometer . . .

 

[A2HB]

I dump my pre ferment sample everytime, theres too much crap floating around in the air to let it sit out too long and once ive taken my gravity reading I have no further use for it.

Post fermentation sample gets drank everytime as well

 

[Jaybird]

BEFORE a refractometer I have left them there and they have fermented with the wild yeast in the air and to be honest a couple have been very tasty.

Cheers
Jay

 

[Nico93]

i always drink it

 

[Auger]

I don't always drink the sample, and when I don't, this usually happens:

I leave it on there because I forgot about it. Usually it ferments. Then, gets infected, then gets smelly.

 

[Auger]

BEFORE a refractometer I have left them there and they have fermented with the wild yeast in the air and to be honest a couple have been very tasty.

Cheers
Jay

An interesting thing would be do do this, and if you get one that tastes decent, throw it into a starter and use that for a test batch of homegrown sour.