Big wine thief and smaller bucket

[kenpotf]

How do you get enough wort in your wine thief when the thief is taller than the bucket? I've been dipping mine in the wort several times to "build" up the volume in the thief, but it doesn't seem like I ever get enough to be able to use it for my hydrometer. I end up dumping the sample into a test tube to test from there, but I have to usually take a couple more samples before I get enough liquid in the test tube.

Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

A sanitized turkey baster?

 

[ChrisL_]

Dunk the thief up and down a few times, it will fill right up in no time.


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[kenpotf]

Dunk the thief up and down a few times, it will fill right up in no time.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

That's what I'm doing now...

Do you have to get it completely out of the wort for it to fill up, or can I dunk it up and down in the wort for the same effect?

 

[kenpotf]

A sanitized turkey baster?

Wouldn't that be better if I were transitioning to the hydrometer test jar every time? I'm trying to avoid taking so much wort from the bucket I'd like to put the hydrometer directly into the thief...

 

[cjgenever]

I put my hydrometer in the thief to avoid overfilling and use the thief as my hydrometer tube. I lower it slowly to the bottom. I then lift it up a bit to avoid trub and stroke it up and down. Fast enough to get the job done, but avoid oxygenation.

Don't stoke it up and down too fast or it may overflow out the top unexpectedly.

 

[biochemedic]

Don't stoke it up and down too fast or it may overflow out the top unexpectedly.

Something tells me that this will eventually end up in someone's signature line.....

 

[kenpotf]

Something tells me that this will eventually end up in someone's signature line.....

Hehe... Yeah, I've been pretty careful how I've said things

 

[Yooper]

Wouldn't that be better if I were transitioning to the hydrometer test jar every time? I'm trying to avoid taking so much wort from the bucket I'd like to put the hydrometer directly into the thief...

Yes, but it sounded like the wine thief wasn't working well for you.

You don't need to take many readings, so 'losing' 3 ounces of beer doesn't seem like too much to me, but it's really up to you. I take one reading before I package, and drink that sample out of the test jar, so it's not really a big deal to me.

 

[flars]

How large is your sample holder? If your sample holder is a lot larger in diameter than the hydrometer, it is to large. I use the plastic tube the hydrometer came in for holding the sample.
One of the hydrometer tubes even came with a base to hold it upright. This was the first one I purchased in 1987.

 

[kenpotf]

Yes, but it sounded like the wine thief wasn't working well for you.

You don't need to take many readings, so 'losing' 3 ounces of beer doesn't seem like too much to me, but it's really up to you. I take one reading before I package, and drink that sample out of the test jar, so it's not really a big deal to me.

Thanks Yooper. I'm in a bind now where I'm having to take more samples to make sure the yeast is still working or not. I'm about 10 points shy of where I need to be, so I was wondering if there was a better way of doing this. I used my refractometer last night which was really concerning. I measured 1.025 the night before, but I measured 10 brix last night which translated to something like 1.040, so I'm not sure which to believe. The refractometer is calibrated, but I noticed I can also calibrate the hydrometer via BS that changes values based on the temp of liquid (I think).

I'm also wondering if I should repitch just to be on the safe side. I don't know what the drawbacks of repitching are outside of costing more money. I was concerned about the smackpack that I used anyway. I created a starter, but the packet didn't swell for 4 hours. I pitched the starter anyway, refrigerated after 24 hours, and then ended up leaving the starter on the counter for almost 9 hours the next day. It fermented down, and if my refractometer is correct, SG was at 1.062 and has fermented down to 10 brix (1.040) or hydrometer 1.025. According to Brewer's Friend, the brix should be reading around 5 for 1.025...

Thank you!

 

[kenpotf]

How large is your sample holder? If your sample holder is a lot larger in diameter than the hydrometer, it is to large. I use the plastic tube the hydrometer came in for holding the sample.
One of the hydrometer tubes even came with a base to hold it upright. This was the first one I purchased in 1987.

My tube is a flimsy plastic that has two pull out plugs on either end. I doubt it would hold liquid, but I also bought the cheapest hydrometer I could find at the time. I have the Fermtech wine thief that measures 19", and the hydrometer that I'm using is only around 12" or a little shorter. It makes it hard to get enough liquid to have it actually float and not hit the bottom of the measuring vessel. I almost have to fill the hydrometer jar completely full to get the hydrometer to float. I just ran across a thread where other people use their auto siphon to take a sample. I never thought of that...

 

[flars]

My tube is a flimsy plastic that has two pull out plugs on either end. I doubt it would hold liquid, but I also bought the cheapest hydrometer I could find at the time. I have the Fermtech wine thief that measures 19", and the hydrometer that I'm using is only around 12" or a little shorter. It makes it hard to get enough liquid to have it actually float and not hit the bottom of the measuring vessel. I almost have to fill the hydrometer jar completely full to get the hydrometer to float. I just ran across a thread where other people use their auto siphon to take a sample. I never thought of that...

The auto siphon will work. More work to sanitize than a turkey baster though. With the auto siphon a second person to hold it out of the trub would be good. Clips are sold to hold it to the side of the bucket or carboy. Just for ease of use I would go with the turkey baster.

 

[kenpotf]

Will a turkey baster pull enough sample in one draw to fill the hydrometer jar?

 

[flars]

Will a turkey baster pull enough sample in one draw to fill the hydrometer jar?

My turkey baster will fill two out of three tubes for an SG reading. Double dipping, not taking as much on the second dip, will do the job for the other one. The oldest requires the most volume.