easy way to get sample?

[balazs]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I was under the assumption that refractometers can only measure the gravity correctly before fermentation takes place.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I was under the assumption that refractometers can only measure the gravity correctly before fermentation takes place.

You can use them with a conversion if you know what the original gravity was.

 

[King of Cascade]

As one of the "experienced" brewers on here, I personally think it's arrogance to think that we're in charge of the process, and the yeast aren't, AND that yeast are predictable.

There is nothing "typical" in brewing...every fermentation is different, and should not be used to compare one with another...especially if you are a new brewer just starting out.

No two fermentations are ever exactly the same.

When we are dealing with living creatures, there is a wild card factor in play..Just like with other animals, including humans...No two behave the same.

You can split a batch in half put them in 2 identical carboys, and pitch equal amounts of yeast from the same starter...and have them act completely differently...for some reason on a subatomic level...think about it...yeasties are small...1 degree difference in temp to us, could be a 50 degree difference to them...one fermenter can be a couple degrees warmer because it's closer to a vent all the way across the room and the yeasties take off...

Someone, Grinder I think posted a pic once of 2 carboys touching each other, and one one of the carboys the krausen had formed only on the side that touched the other carboy...probably reacting to the heat of the first fermentation....but it was like symbiotic or something...

With living micro-organisms there is always a wildcard factor in play...and yet the yeast rarely lets us down. So it is best just to rdwhahb and trust that they know to what they are doing.

I tell brewers not to assume the worst with the yeast, realize that they've been making beer since long before our great great great grandfather copped his first buzz from a 40 of mickey's out back of the highschool, so they are the experts.

Yeasts are like teenagers, swmbos, and humans in general, they have their own individual way of doing things.

Take the silly 1-2-3 rule for example, if people think that all beers are going to be done in 7 days, is a ridiculous notion that does more harm than good.

If you arbitrarily move your beer, like to follow the silly 1-2-3 rule, you will often interrupt fermentation. Because sometimes the yeast won't even begin to ferment your beer until 72 hours after yeast pitch, so if you rush the beer off the yeast on day 7 then you are only allowing the yeast a few days to work.

Besides, fermenting the beer is just a part of what the yeast do. If you leave the beer alone, they will go back and clean up the byproducts of fermentation that often lead to off flavors. That's why many brewers skip secondary and leave our beers alone in primary for a month. It leaves plenty of time for the yeast to ferment, clean up after themselves and then fall out, leveing our beers crystal clear, with a tight yeast cake.

That's why I say to never go by airlock activity.....or a calender...there's just too many variables that can affect either or those thing.

Dude, you have been a member since Dec. 2007 and have over 20,000 posts, that is a 23 a day post average. If you posts are anything like this reply you are not brewing enough and just passing on junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs. Turn off the computer and brew a little bit bro….
Get some hands on experience and learn what your yeast does. If you want any suggestions or tips on brewing feel free to PM me so we don’t high jack the OPs thread.

 

[danculwell]

Dude, you have been a member since Dec. 2007 and have over 20,000 posts, that is a 23 a day post average. If you posts are anything like this reply you are not brewing enough and just passing on junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs. Turn off the computer and brew a little bit bro….
Get some hands on experience and learn what your yeast does. If you want any suggestions or tips on brewing feel free to PM me so we don’t high jack the OPs thread.

...wow

 

[King of Cascade]

...wow

Oops…did I cross the line? Am I not supposed to talk to Revvy like that? Sorry revvy, forgive me. I don’t know what I’m talking about.

 

[danculwell]

Oops…did I cross the line? Am I not supposed to talk to Revvy like that? Sorry revvy, forgive me. I don’t know what I’m talking about.

No it has nothing to do with who you said it to. Just what you said. I just never realized that post count has an inverse relationship with either brewing experience or knowledge. I better stop responding to this thread. I would hate to not be able to brew next time I want to be it from forgetting how or by too high a ratio of posts per day.

 

[danculwell]

Also I don't think you hurt Revvys feelings. I'm pretty sure he's just a bot with an advanced text parsing algorithm and a database of brewing information. He was probably invented by my high school science teacher.

 

[brewingkitty]

why not use the pipette that comes with the reractometer?

 

[bucfanmike]

why not use the pipette that comes with the reractometer?

The pipette wont reach, 5 gallons in a 6.5 gal bucket combined with the very short pipette.

Ok Guys OP Here.. I think we can let this thread die, dont know how we got where we did off such a simple starting question, I ended up mixing 1 gallon of starsan, used that and a plastic wrapped straw. Both of my beers appear to be done, which was kinda a moot point as they have been in primary 2+ weeks. Im giving them another week anyway to finish cleaning up and the off to the kegs they go.

Thanks so much for those who gave some great on topic info.

Mike

 

[Revvy]

Dude, you have been a member since Dec. 2007 and have over 20,000 posts, that is a 23 a day post average. If you posts are anything like this reply you are not brewing enough and just passing on junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs. Turn off the computer and brew a little bit bro….
Get some hands on experience and learn what your yeast does. If you want any suggestions or tips on brewing feel free to PM me so we don’t high jack the OPs thread.

Let me see what my current pipeline is and you tell me if I'm brewing enough? Most of the times I brew I am also posting something about it on here. so there's plenty of documentation. This was shot and posted on may 10th. If I recall correctly everything but number 5 and 6 are now bottled and drinking.

Caption from when it was posted- My Fermentation Closet: #1 Grain test Pale Ale 1 (dry toasted) #2 German Apfelwein (hard cider @ 3 months) #3 Grain test Pale Ale 2 (soaked in sugar solution then toasted) # 4 Grain Test Pale Ale 3 (soaked in water then toasted) #5 1-gallon Date Wine #6 Old Ale Brewed on New Years, then oaked for a week and racked to a tertiary to bulk age).

Like I said most of that is already bottled.

Besides this I also have bottled a blonde ale that I am now drinking, that I split the batch in half, bottled one as is and racked the other half over peaches and lactose for my girlfriend, which is JUST drinkability now.

Also 7 weeks ago I brewed a new version of my Wit using the new carabrown malt and English Ginger orange marmalade. That I just started drinking this week as well.

In another week I am going to be bottling a new version of my Chocolate Mole Porter, that I brewed three weeks ago, the one that I won a Bronze Medal at the world expo of beer for the Spiced Herb Veg category this winter, and brewed again just for contests this summer.

I start vacation in another week, and usually manage to brew 2-3 batches during that time.

Sadly I am carless right now and staying at my girlfriend's place an hour away from my gear so I can be closer to my job at the medical school. SO I haven't really brewed much in the last month or so.....My apologies.

I also am beginning to give historical brewing demos at Revolutionary/French American War re-enactments around the state, which is tied into the research I am doing for a book I am writing on the pre-prohibition breweries of Michigan Thumb, which already has found a publisher, despite having not written so much as one word yet.

So I'm sorry if it doesn't appear that I brew enough. I'll try to do better next time, but like I said, I've been an hour away from my gear the last three weeks. Though I need to brew an 1860's cream ale recipe for my Vintage Base Ball team's weekend at the world series of Historical Base Ball in August. And have written on here about the 5 year aging Barleywine I am going to brew in August to age til my 50th birthday. I've talked about that on here too.

I also have a state job at a University, which has me sitting on a computer for 7-8 hours a day, and affords me the opportunity to post on here helping new brewers and correcting bad advice.

The nice thing about it being the 21st century is that with a smartphone and wireless connection, I can post on the crapper if I feel like it.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Dude, you have been a member since Dec. 2007 and have over 20,000 posts, that is a 23 a day post average. If you posts are anything like this reply you are not brewing enough and just passing on junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs. Turn off the computer and brew a little bit bro….
Get some hands on experience and learn what your yeast does. If you want any suggestions or tips on brewing feel free to PM me so we don’t high jack the OPs thread.

The OP is satisfied with the answers he has received so please pardon an OT post...

I am certainly no brewing expert.

But what value do you feel you added to this thread? The OP asked how to take a sample, your response was to tell him not to. Isn't that kinda like telling the doctor it hurts when you bend your finger, and him telling you not to bend it?

No offense to the OP, but do you REALLY expect someone who is looking for advise on something as routine as getting a sample to be an expert on yeast?

I was under the impression that commercial breweries used their labs for sampling, analyzing, and testing... didn't realize they just "know their yeast" so there is no need for all that.

And I don't think you hurt anyone's feelings... I think most can recognize the difference between knowledge and arrogance.

 

[oceanselv]

The nice thing about it being the 21st century is that with a smartphone and wireless connection, I can post on the crapper if I feel like it.

TMI

Seriously Revvy, your posts are informative. I am not a new brewer and have read several books, including DeClerck, and have learned some very helpful hints from your posts.

 

[Revvy]

TMI

Seriously Revvy, your posts are informative. I am not a new brewer and have read several books, including DeClerck, and have learned some very helpful hints from your posts.

Thanks for your high praise! :rockin:

 

[iijakii]

I was under the impression that commercial breweries used their labs for sampling, analyzing, and testing... didn't realize they just "know their yeast" so there is no need for all that.
.

Two words: Pillow talk

 

[stubbornman]

LOL @ "just brew more and know your yeast."

obv troll is obv?

**waits for KingofCascade to site my join date/post count as reason why I know nothing**

 

[Revvy]

LOL @ "just brew more and know your yeast."

obv troll is obv?

**waits for KingofCascade to site my join date/post count as reason why I know nothing**

LOL.

Hey look at this picture.....

According to the caption it says; "Quality Laboratory at Coors
Coors Brewery Tour - January 17, 2009"

And this one labeled "Fatty acid determination in beer in brewery laboratory."

"Brewer in laboratory with beer samples for stability tests"

Laboratory assistant testing tannic acid etc in brewery lab

You mean breweries have labs?

 

[babalu87]

And this one labeled "Fatty acid determination in beer in brewery laboratory."

[homersimpsonmode]Oooooooooooooh

Fatty Acids [/homersimpsonmode]

Is that Kielbasa?

 

[Revvy]

[homersimpsonmode]Oooooooooooooh

Fatty Acids [/homersimpsonmode]

Is that Kielbasa?

I don't know...actually before I read the caption I was thinking it was dookey.

But yeah I wonder if it was Kielbasa, beer and brats do go together don't they?

 

[iijakii]

I don't know...actually before I read the caption I was thinking it was dookey.

But yeah I wonder if it was Kielbasa, beer and brats do go together don't they?

She needs to leave the lab and let me get to know her kielbasa. Mmmm

 

[babalu87]

I don't know...actually before I read the caption I was thinking it was dookey.

But yeah I wonder if it was Kielbasa, beer and brats do go together don't they?

Theres plenty of dookey in this thread................

The one closest to us looks like a coffee roll

 

[lustreking]

Dude, you have been a member since Dec. 2007 and have over 20,000 posts, that is a 23 a day post average. If you posts are anything like this reply you are not brewing enough and just passing on junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs. Turn off the computer and brew a little bit bro….
Get some hands on experience and learn what your yeast does. If you want any suggestions or tips on brewing feel free to PM me so we don’t high jack the OPs thread.

How can one learn what yeast does without taking measurements? Should one just accept junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs?

 

[King of Cascade]

Sorry for my delayed response…I was brewing. Not sure about Coors but InBev has over 100 brands and brews hundreds of millions of barrels per year. If you stack all the 12 packs they make in a year of just one brand from one regional brewery on top of each other they will touch the moon. Sure they have a lab but you have to be crazy to think they check their beers throughout fermentation (as the OP suggested) they know were the beer will end up then check once to make sure.
I just wanted to throw out some information on the risks of checking you gravity every day but if you don’t want to try it, then don’t. Don’t make post trying to discredit it (OHIO-ED) just because you read on the internet that this is how its done.
BTW- lame analogy…if it hurts to bend your finger why bend it…doctors right.

 

[King of Cascade]

How can one learn what yeast does without taking measurements? Should one just accept junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs?

Fermenting in glass or clear plastic helps.

 

[King of Cascade]

How can one learn what yeast does without taking measurements? Should one just accept junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs?

and brew more

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Sorry for my delayed response…I was brewing. Not sure about Coors but InBev has over 100 brands and brews hundreds of millions of barrels per year. If you stack all the 12 packs they make in a year of just one brand from one regional brewery on top of each other they will touch the moon. Sure they have a lab but you have to be crazy to think they check their beers throughout fermentation (as the OP suggested) they know were the beer will end up then check once to make sure.
I just wanted to throw out some information on the risks of checking you gravity every day but if you don’t want to try it, then don’t. Don’t make post trying to discredit it (OHIO-ED) just because you read on the internet that this is how its done.
BTW- lame analogy…if it hurts to bend your finger why bend it…doctors right.

OP did not suggest checking SG throughout fermentation... His brew has been in primary 2 weeks and he asked how to get a sample. Your response was to tell him not to measure.

Do you work for Coors or InBev? That may explain their crappy beer (sorry couldn't resist )
No one here is trying to produce millions of barrels a year, so ours might tend to get a bit more attention.

No one suggested checking the gravity every day.

Not sure what you are referring to that I tried to discredit???

 

[lustreking]

How can one learn what yeast does without taking measurements? Should one just accept junk that has been regurgitated from the interwebs?

Fermenting in glass or clear plastic helps.

and brew more

You kind of missed the point, but that's cool. :cross:

 

[malkore]

I guess I feel knowing your yeast is more important then checking numbers

does the yeast talk to you then? neat trick.

Just because a yeast CAN hit a certain abv/attenuation doesn't mean it always does. Its a living creature, not a chemical with known outcomes that cannot vary batch to batch.

Until I become a yeast whisperer, I'll continue to rely on science and gravity/brix readings to tell me the truth about my beer.

 

[King of Cascade]

does the yeast talk to you then? neat trick.

Just because a yeast CAN hit a certain abv/attenuation doesn't mean it always does. Its a living creature, not a chemical with known outcomes that cannot vary batch to batch.

Until I become a yeast whisperer, I'll continue to rely on science and gravity/brix readings to tell me the truth about my beer.

And you will continue to unnecessary risk infection by opening your lid and sticking objects in the wort. Just simply stated to the OP to check the gravity once at bottling and not risk infection by taking multiple readings.

 

[iijakii]

And you will continue to unnecessary risk infection by opening your lid and sticking objects in the wort. Just simply stated to the OP to check the gravity once at bottling and not risk infection by taking multiple readings.

You are claiming people are spreading around "false information they read online", while you're spreading Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt about infections.