FG Check

[josh940711]

What do people that use a Carboy use to check Fg. I have a hydrometer but what do you put the beer in to check. I'm afraid that if I just check in the Carboy I will lose my hydrometer. Thanks

 

[jhudson3030]

use a beer thief...just google it

 

[NewWestBrewer]

turkey baster

 

[josh940711]

I use a turkey baster to get the beer out but I tried to use my maple syrup hydrometer cup to drop the hydrometer but it bottoms out. I think I need the beer thief. I think I might have one not knowing what it was for. Thanks

 

[dkolts21]

I bought a beaker at my brew shop for like $5.

 

[josh940711]

Cool thanks I'll check that out

 

[jwalker1140]

The Fermtech Wine Thief works well because you can pull some beer into the thief, drop your hydrometer into it and then immediately move the beer back into your carboy. A 1ml pipette works well if you ever decide to switch to a refractometer.

 

[davygoat2]

+1 on the thief, I learned that pushing it to the bottom let's you sample the trub
If it's in primary, loose hops or woodchips in secondary.
it tilts enough to trigger the tip to fill the thief enough for the Hydrometer.
I'm not so sure about the refractor yet. Many threads exist on how wort isn't well mixed, IE priming sugar, so I am currently more comfortable with a larger sample.
And in the case of the difference between a Hydrometer and a refractor.
The sample size is vastly different

 

[flars]

I use a turkey baster to get the beer out but I tried to use my maple syrup hydrometer cup to drop the hydrometer but it bottoms out. I think I need the beer thief. I think I might have one not knowing what it was for. Thanks

Did your hydrometer come inside a plastic tube? The plastic tube becomes your sample holder. Do not put your sample back into the fermentor. Drink it to see how your brew is coming along.

 

[jwalker1140]

I'm not so sure about the refractor yet. Many threads exist on how wort isn't well mixed, IE priming sugar, so I am currently more comfortable with a larger sample.
And in the case of the difference between a Hydrometer and a refractor.
The sample size is vastly different

Not to go off-topic, but there are a couple things about this that don't make sense to me.

When you check your FG (which is what the OP asked about), you need to do that before you add your priming sugar.

And the only possible scenario I can think of where sample size may be an issue is if we're talking about taking an OG reading from a partial boil extract batch where the wort doesn't get fully mixed with the 'top up' water. (But then, I would also argue that taking an OG reading from an extract batch really isn't necessary in the first place since you aren't converting anything.) Once fermentation gets going, that beer is going to be so well mixed that the sample size won't be an issue.

Over the years I've done enough parallel measuring throughout the brewing process with my hydrometer and refractometer to convince me that there's no meaningful difference between the accuracy of two, but to each his own and all....

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

Did your hydrometer come inside a plastic tube? The plastic tube becomes your sample holder.

Ingenious! Never thot of that.

 

[ajf]

Did your hydrometer come inside a plastic tube? The plastic tube becomes your sample holder. Do not put your sample back into the fermentor. Drink it to see how your brew is coming along.

If I use the plastic tube that the hydrometer came in, the hydrometer sticks to the tube and gives me readings that could be up to 4 points off. Try it with some water, take a reading, and then tap the hydrometer lightly, let it settle and take another reading, then lift the hydrometer a few millimeters, let it settle again, and take a third reading. In my case the three readings vary by about 4 points.

-a.

 

[kiari_dogo]

Tie some fishing line on the hydrometer so you can easily bring it back up.

 

[The_Bishop]

That will change the readings due to the weight of the line.

 

[kiari_dogo]

Hmmm... I can see how that might affect it but I've done it with and without the line and I get the same readings.

 

[flars]

If I use the plastic tube that the hydrometer came in, the hydrometer sticks to the tube and gives me readings that could be up to 4 points off. Try it with some water, take a reading, and then tap the hydrometer lightly, let it settle and take another reading, then lift the hydrometer a few millimeters, let it settle again, and take a third reading. In my case the three readings vary by about 4 points.

-a.

The very first hydrometer I purchased came with a plastic base to hold it upright. I could never find anything exactly level to set it on. It would always be against the side of the tube. Now I just hold it at eye level and have it slowly revolving as I read it.

Hold it to long though and another temperature reading may be needed.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

Tried it with water and seems fine with a reading of ~1.00. It does stick to the sides but when it does I just tap the hydrometer to free it and tilt the holder slightly until it floats freely. Certainly beats my current oversized test jar that's 15 inches tall and 3 wide.