Newbiwies trust your hydrometer example.

[gunner65]

I have a prime example of why not to use the airlock for fermentation indicator. I brewed my second batch last Saturday and by Wednesday the airlock had slowed significantly and the krausen had started to shrink and drop out. I checked the gravity on Thursday and it was nowhere near complete. I checked today and it is getting very close. There is very little to no activity in the airlock at this time. Bubbles every two to three minutes. TRUST YOUR HYDROMETER. Even though it is nearly complete I will hold it in primary at least five days past the third day of the SG reading going unchanged. being as I am a compliance engineer I love having a calibrated scale to work with.

 

[kryznic]

I keep reading this over and over again. I brewed my first batch tonight. I have a nice brandy new hydrometer and test tube ready to roll. (cuz I broke the meter that came with my kit earlier)

 

[Beernik]

Or you can just wait 10 days before making your first check. Every time you pull a sample, it's that much less beer that ends up in the bottle or keg.

 

[setag9]

Or you can just wait 10 days before making your first check. Every time you pull a sample, it's that much less beer that ends up in the bottle or keg.

The instructions that came with the wine thief I just bought say that it is okay to put the sample back as long as everything was sanitized properly. It even includes a handy dandy push button on the bottom for easy dispensing. Thoughts?

 

[maddriverman]

Yeah...well I hate taking beer from my bucket,what do ya say to that? I did buy a beaker, but it wasnt deep enough:fro:

 

[152Sumo]

The instructions that came with the wine thief I just bought say that it is okay to put the sample back as long as everything was sanitized properly. It even includes a handy dandy push button on the bottom for easy dispensing. Thoughts?

I hate to jack the thread, but, I would never put a sample back. I have two reasons: I don't want to risk contamination, and more importantly, I want to taste it. I even drink the wort sample on brew day. It tastes like crap, but i enjoy tasting the beer at different stages.

 

[mr_bell]

I hate to jack the thread, but, I would never put a sample back. I have two reasons: I don't want to risk contamination, and more importantly, I want to taste it. I even drink the wort sample on brew day. It tastes like crap, but i enjoy tasting the beer at different stages.

Agree, don't put it back.

 

[Beernik]

I also agree, don't put it back. Besides infection risk there is oxygenation risk.

 

[IceFisherChris]

oxygenation risk.

Then you shouldn't even be opening the fermentor...

 

[Beernik]

Do you make a habit of pouring stuff in your fermentor every time you open it? If not, the comparison isn't valid.

Whether you pour it back in or if you run the sample down the side of the fermentor wall, you are entraining air when you put the sample back in.

Pouring the sample back in carries all the same risks as racking. Now I'll rack to a secondary. I'll even rack to a tertiary if I'm doing a fruit beer. Racking once or twice is an acceptable risk to me. But I'd never recommend racking every couple days.

 

[gunner65]

I guess I will continue to take the risk. Its what the pros do.

 

[jturie]

Then you shouldn't even be opening the fermentor...

From what I read, theoretically the beer is protected by a layer of CO2 when you open the fermenter. You need to splash things around a might to get oxygen into the liquid. But.....I really really try not to open it up unless I'm ready to rack. After 2-3 weeks, fermentation should be done.

 

[Beernik]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking taking samples. I'm knocking taking excessive sampling and pouring it back in.

My advice to new brewers is: don't fiddle around with your beer unless you are sure it's time to do something to it. Yes it's tempting to crack the lid and look at the krausen. Yes it's tempting to pull samples every 2 days. Yes it's tempting to open a bottle a week after you bottled it. But why do it?

The "pros" have long records of the beers the brew. They don't pull samples before they expect fermentation to be completed. If you don't expect the last 5 or 10 beers you've brewed have finished fermentation in less than 7 days, why pull a sample before day 7?

Sure the odd 1 or 2 beers you make will finish at day 3 or 4. But unless you do it all the time, why fiddle with it? What do you gain? A couple days. Does your beer have a deadline? If not, don't fiddle with it. Let it be for 7 days. You don't risk anything by waiting. If you have reached your expected attenuation, you don't have to wait another 3 days to pull another sample. You can do what ever you were planning to do to it.

And "pros" may be use a refract instead of a hydro because it requires a smaller sample. And 99% of them are brewing at least 31 gallons (1 barrel) at a time. Even if they pulled a 12oz sample, it's miniscule compared to the total volume. Why would they pour it back? If anything they drink the sample to make sure the taste is right.

 

[gunner65]

OK I will never check again thanks for showing me the error of my ways.

 

[ArcaneXor]

OK I will never check again thanks for showing me the error of my ways.

You can put the samples back into the fermenter, no problem. As long as you are sanitary, there isn't anything to be afraid of. The tiny bit of oxygen that'll make it into the beer will be handled by the yeast.

 

[Beernik]

OK I will never check again thanks for showing me the error of my ways.

Did you even read the second sentance of my last post? It said, "I'm not knocking taking samples."