Gravity readings
- Thread starter ghosthef
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
I sanitize the hydrometer & tube before taking the test sample. The OG one goes back in,since it's sanitized & ok every time I've done it. FG sample gets smelled & drank to see how things are coming along. As long as everyhing used for the sample is sanitized,dumping it back in (OG one anyway) is fine.
I generally drink mine. But uniondr is right, if you sanatize everything you can pour it back in (I did that on the first few I did). But I find taste is a good way of telling where it is also, so up to you. Just sanatize anything that goes into the beer/wort and if you drink any don't put anything left from that back.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
- Messages
- 6,841
- Reaction score
- 857
After taking my OG, I pull the hydrometer out and cover the cylinder with foil. This sits on the counter for a few days. If it starts to ferment I know that there's a chance that my sanitation was not good. Maybe something wild dropped in during chilling. Whatever, it's not a big concern as long as the main batch starts before the sample. It's just a point of reference in case there's an issue with the finished beer. FG reading always get drank.
Nightshade
Well-Known Member
I always drink my samples, I like to taste the progress from start to finish.
I use a refractometer most of the time so nothing goes back. When I use my hydrometer nothing goes back. I doubt anything would happen at the OG sample but later on it is too great a risk. So, for me nothing ever goes back into the fermenter. I taste the samples but I don't like drinking grain sugar water (at the OG stage) and I don't really like drinking warm flat beer (before carbonation).
jungatheart
Well-Known Member
I carbonate the sample and drink it to get an idea of what it will taste like.
Similar threads
- Poll
