Gravity Readings & Sanitation

My first batch of American Brown Ale is sitting in the fermenter, and the yeast are doing a great job. So far, so good.

My question is about Gravity readings from this point forward. I've been reading through the forum and a common troubleshooting option appears to be to take a gravity reading if you're concerned about fermentation.

Im not concerned about the fermentation right now, but sanitation has been drilled in to my head and I'm wondering how often you all check the gravity of the beer in your fermenter?

Doesn't opening up the fermenter and checking the gravity raise the risk of contamination of the final product? I was thinking of just waiting a few weeks before checking it at all. Any thoughts?

Thanks. Love it here!

Brett

Opening the fermentor will increase the risk, just because the fermentor was opened. Good sanitation procedures, and not having the fermentor in a high risk area, i.e. dust, etc., will reduce the risk to acceptable levels.
Having brewed for quite some time now, I open the fermentor twice. First time is at about day 12 to 15 for the first SG reading, and then about day 21 to confirm FG before getting ready to bottle.
I have found the best beer is one that has been given the optimum conditions to finish all on its own.

Thanks! That's about the time table I was planning on following. Everything seems fine, so I'll just give it a couple weeks and test, and then test it again shortly after to confirm its readiness for bottling.

Yes it increases the risk, but as long as it's not in an overly dusty or breezey area, your risk of introducing anything will be minimal. And I wouldn't say that checking gravity is a troubleshooting option..I find it to be pretty much a necessity. I take gravity readings at 3 different times.. First on brew day right before I pitch the yeast..this is to get a reading for my OG (original gravity). Second is when I think fermentation is complete..usually when the yeast has visibly slowed and the internal temp has dropped be a couple degrees. Not that I use it as a guide, but at this point the airlock has slowed to almost no bubbles..this is usually at about day 14-17. Then after about 2 more days, I the last reading just to make sure it hasn't dropped since reading #2. Then it's either time to bottle or left to clean up for another few days. It all ends up being about 21 days until bottling.

Perfect!!

There are a few different ways to draw out samples for gravity readings. If you have a bucket, you can open the lid and use a turkey baster to draw out a sample, then put it into a hydrometer test tube for the hydrometer reading. Turkey basters won't work as well on a carboy, because they usually aren't long enough to reach the beer. A wine thief can be used for this..it is longer than a turkey baster. Or you could setup your siphon and racking cane to draw out a sample, but I always find that this draws out too much beer. The turkey baster can pull a smaller, more precise sample.

I just make sure to clean and sanitize my turkey baster before it touches the beer. I don't really sanitize my test tube or hydrometer, as the beer doesn't return to the primary after this..I drink some or dump it. **DO NOT return your sample back to your fermenting vessel**

If you remove a bung and airlock, give it a quick sanitize before you put it back on.

I am one of the few people left who secondaries most of their beers. I primary 3 weeks, take a gravity reading just before racking to secondary. This is the first time I take a sample, if it is where I expect it to be I rack to secondary. If it is not right (which is rare), I try and figure out what to do before I rack the beer.

I leave the beer in my (primary) buckets, and leave the lid on, until I'm ready to keg or bottle them.

For a hydrometer and taste test, I snake a 1/4" vinyl tube down the grommet hole and suck/siphon enough beer out. You can start the siphon with a hard suck by mouth, as long as you don't let it run back, just pull the tube out of the beer when you have enough. Try with a bucket of water first. Or suck with a turkey baster, making and adapter from a small piece of wider tubing that just fits around the 1/4" tube and the tip of the baster.

When you finally need to lift the lid, sanitize the whole lid area very well. Spray the underneath rim area liberally with Starsan. Twice.

I use small washcloths soaked in Starsan to wipe those critical areas. Like the bucket rim after the lid has been removed.

I feel like when you look up ingenuity in the dictionary, there should be a picture of a home brewer. LOL. Great stuff. Thanks.