Sample Valve vs Regular Ball Valve

[agentbud]

I am thinking about adding a sample valve to my brewtech brewbucket. I hate having to rotate the drain valve up then back down each time I want to take a sample so I figured a dedicated valve further up the side might work better (ie - I wouldn't have to rotate it). When I look at some of the common brew sites and search for "sample valve", it brings up these special valves named exactly that but are anywhere from $40 up to over $100 for just a stinking valve. Is there anything special about these valves vs using just a plain 3/8 ball valve similar to the one shown below to take samples with?

 

[marc1]

I am thinking about adding a sample valve to my brewtech brewbucket. I hate having to rotate the drain valve up then back down each time I want to take a sample so I figured a dedicated valve further up the side might work better (ie - I wouldn't have to rotate it). When I look at some of the common brew sites and search for "sample valve", it brings up these special valves named exactly that but are anywhere from $40 up to over $100 for just a stinking valve. Is there anything special about these valves vs using just a plain 3/8 ball valve similar to the one shown below to take samples with?
View attachment 763713

I don't have one of these, but can you explain why you need to rotate the arm every time you take a sample?

Why not just leave it at whatever position you expect to need it in when you transfer for packaging?

Or leave it in sampling position until it is done fermenting and ready for transfer, and then rotate it.

 

[agentbud]

I don't have one of these, but can you explain why you need to rotate the arm every time you take a sample?

The drain valve has an angled racking arm on the inside that needs to stay pointing down during fermentation so that settling material does not fall into it and clog it. When it is time to take a sample, it needs to be rotated up so that you pull clean beer and not the sludge at the bottom. The rotation of those valves is a pain.

 

[marc1]

The drain valve has an angled racking arm on the inside that needs to stay pointing down during fermentation so that settling material does not fall into it and clog it. When it is time to take a sample, it needs to be rotated up so that you pull clean beer and not the sludge at the bottom. The rotation of those valves is a pain.

Can you leave it sideways? That way nothing will fall in, and you can take samples without sludge. Then you'd only have one angle adjustment to make at transfer time.

Might be easier than drilling your kettle and putting a separate valve in it. Unless the adjustment is infuriating, and then, for sure, get another valve.

 

[agentbud]

its pretty close to the bottom so even sideways it can possibly suck up stuff. this is what it looks like when up, so you can image that sideways is still down in the cone

 

[marc1]

its pretty close to the bottom so even sideways it can possibly suck up stuff. this is what it looks like when up, so you can image that sideways is still down in the cone

View attachment 763717

In that situation I would turn it to just above where I expected the trub to be and leave it there. Any yeast that manages to fall into it would get cleaned out during sampling, so it wouldn't have a lot, would it? Some yeast and whatnot in a hydrometer sample isn't that big of a deal.

Or, could you attach a floating dip tube to the arm? I use a CBDS with hop screen in my Kegmenter, and it's great.

 

[hotbeer]

What does trub and yeast matter when you are taking a sample? It'll just fall to the bottom of the sample jar when you let is sit for a little bit. And most of the time, an SG when the sample is cloudy with trub and yeast is the same or close enough to what I measure after it's settled out.

 

[agentbud]

Ok, back to the original question. Is there any difference between the ones labeled as a "sample valve" vs a normal small ball valve when used for the purpose of taking a sample?

 

[youngdh]

Can you leave it sideways? That way nothing will fall in, and you can take samples without sludge. Then you'd only have one angle adjustment to make at transfer time.

Might be easier than drilling your kettle and putting a separate valve in it. Unless the adjustment is infuriating, and then, for sure, get another valve.

That’s what I do, leave it sideways.

 

[hotbeer]

Ok, back to the original question. Is there any difference between the ones labeled as a "sample valve" vs a normal small ball valve when used for the purpose of taking a sample?

Probably by advertising them as "sample" valves, that allows them to ask more for them. A sampling valve might also have less flow rate than what a more normal for it's size fitting might allow with a normal valve.

If you aren't happy using the valve you already have, then don't concentrate on names so much as how the valve is constructed. Can you disassemble it completely to clean and sanitize?

I'm a little iffy on ball valves in general as they trap a certain amount of liquid in the ball when you shut them. However I suppose that's not so much a big deal if everything in the ball is cleaned and sanitized before use.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I have two of these buckets and do not turn the valve up to sample, never thought about doing that. I just open the valve wide open, pull a ¼-½ cup of beer out then pull a sample. You can see when the beer starts running clear never more then ½ cup. All that being said, I rarely take samples anymore, it's just not that interesting to me. When I go to keg that is the sample I measure and record. If the beer is not "done" I adjust from there. I have an imperial stout that was not at the final gravity I wanted when I kegged so I have the keg sitting in a closet at room temp to get it come down a little more. I need the fermenter for my next brew and don't want to keep it tied up any longer.

 

[WesBrew]

I have a somewhat similar "sample valve" on my conical. It works pretty good by turning a knob instead of a lever. Same issue though, i had to add a racking arm so trub wouldn't settle in the opening. Mine is angled up in the cone , so you might not have that issue.

 

[J2W2]

I ferment with the same SS Brewtech Brew Bucket. I position the racking arm just past horizontal when I do the initial setup, just to keep falling material from landing in the opening. I've been able to pull samples from that position without much issue. It may initially pull a little trub, but I only open the valve enough to create a slow flow - I figure the more suction it creates, the more likely it is to pull things in. If I do get some material, I close the valve, dump the small sample I've pulled, and pull another. If the initial sample isn't clear, the second one almost always is. The only time I rotate the racking arm is when I'm getting ready to drain it. I usually rotate the arm all the way down and pull a small sample. If it pulls trub, other than a small amount at the very first, I'll rotate the arm up a little and try again. basically trying to leave as little "good" beer behind as possible.

The only time I've had to move the racking arm in an "up" position, past horizontal, was my current batch. It's a clone of Pliny Double Dry-Hopped, and had a dry hop addition of 15 ounces of pellet hops in the primary. I had to rotate the arm up to clear the hop sludge so I could drain it into my secondary. It made me a little nervous as I could feel the valve getting a little loose from rotating counter-clockwise. It never leaked, but I think I might have been getting close.

SS Brewtech sells the valve, racking arm and fittings for $34 (plus shipping). If you really want to add a sample valve, you could pick up one of those. Your hardware would match, and you'd have some spare parts. Valve with racking arm.