Pulling samples vs. hydrometer straight into fermenter

[brewhan]

I'm fermenting some lager in a fermenter with no tap on the bottom (I was advised that taps introduce bugs).

Should I be simply opening the lid and placing my (sanitized) hydrometer in the brew to take readings?

Or should I be siphoning out a small sample to test?

Or (possibly a silly question) could I remove my airlock and simply pour some of the brew out into a testing flask, through its rubber grommit? (I'm brewing in a small 10L fermenter, which isn't too hard to lift.)

Also, my hydrometer would very nearly reach the bottom of my small fermenter, and might run into some of the gunk down there - would this affect readings?

Thanks for looking

 

[alcibiades]

you could put your hydrometer directly into the fermenter as long as you are really careful about sanitation. it just might be a bit hard to read.

removing your airlock and pouring out is not advised because 1) you will rouse your yeast sediment on the bottom 2) you risk oxidizing your beer by shaking it up like that with the hold open and 3) you wont get much liquid out anyway, as their is no air inlet to assure flow


hydrometer stuck in gunk will very much affect readings. its needs to be free floating.

 

[beerthirty]

I use a turkey baster. Not being from the US, I will explain. It is a syringe and bulb used to suck up cooking juices to bathe the food in during cooking. About 2 bulb fulls will fill the hydrometer vial. It is easy to sanitize and is much neater than trying to dip the vial.

 

[northernlad]

I use a turkey baster. Not being from the US, I will explain. It is a syringe and bulb used to suck up cooking juices to bathe the food in during cooking. About 2 bulb fulls will fill the hydrometer vial. It is easy to sanitize and is much neater than trying to dip the vial.

Just because a guy is from New Zealand he doesn't know what a turkey baster is?

 

[shamrockdoc]

those crazy Kiwis and they're crazy toilets with the water going all left and stuff

 

[brewhan]

Thanks for your responses!

Actually, we possibly don't call them turkey basters over here - I know the thing you mean though.

So then is it normal to pull samples by suction - by way of siphoning, turkey basters etc.? Is this better than trying scoop a sample out with a glass measuring jug, provided I've done my best to sanitize it?

Would it be ok to remove my airlock and siphon the sample out with a small tube through its grommit? The lid on my fermenter is quite inconvenient to remove.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If you can get a tube through the grommet, I think it would work. I'm not sure what size grommet you have, but the ones I have are too small.

BTW, what do you call a turkey baster over there?

 

[JohnMc]

Or consider the turkey baster's more elegant cousin; the wine thief.
http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/p/5432
https://morebeer.com/view_product/6177

 

[stevea1210]

i would not put your hydro in your fermenter. Hydros are very fragile, and break easily. If it breaks while in your fermenter, you have broken glass throughout your beer, not good.

I recommend the wine thief that JohnMc posted about to remove wort from the fermenter.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Or consider the turkey baster's more elegant cousin; the wine thief.
http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/p/5432
https://morebeer.com/view_product/6177

+1

I use one too, great tool. I'll pull a sample with the thief, take a reading by dropping the hydrometer into it, and then empty into a small glass and taste. Kills two birds with one stone.

 

[Bubba_Mustafa]

Here in the states, we call them turkey baster thing-a-majigs "artificial inseminaters"

 

[Beer_Guy]

You could put the first test sample into a small soda bottle. Just cover the top with foil and place it next to the fermenter (so temps will be the same). Then take subsequent readings from there.

Edit: Disregard this info. Thanks Beerthirty. I do not do it, but had heard of it. Now I never will.

 

[beerthirty]

Satellite fermenters have proven to be inaccurate due to differences in volume, and temp swings due to volume. IIRC there are a few more reasons but I'm too drunk to recall at this time.

 

[brewhan]

Thanks for all that info! I think I'll get a wine thief then.