How do you take a gravity reading? infect your brew much?

[RPh_Guy]

plenty of info on line about this and processes for homebrewers. Also, there are a few threads here as well.

I only see people pasteurizing bottles. That's not something I'd recommend because of explosion risk, especially with a contaminated beer.

This is all I can find like what you're talking about:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-lambic-beer-has-continued-fermenting.351816/
And the guy didn't have good results.

 

[skw]

For brewers that bottle, this is an unsafe generalization. Some very common yeasts like S-04 can easily flocculate and stall before reaching FG, even after fermenting like crazy.

That's why I always do a fast ferment test: http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Fast_Ferment_Test

This way, I typically need to only take one gravity reading, on bottling day. I let my beer sit until all signs of fermentation are gone (and the some, depending when I find the time to bottle). Then I take a gravity sample from the spigot, confirm that gravity is the same as what I got from my fast ferment test, and bottle. I don't have to sanitize anything in this case to take my gravity reading.

Should, for some reason, I not get the gravity reading I expect, I siphon the beer into my (already sanitized) bottling bucked as I would have to do anyway, and it gets extended secondary time there. I use Speidels both for bottling and fermentation, so next time around the primary fermenter becomes my bottling bucket.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-with-pics.193295/

 

[RPh_Guy]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-with-pics.193295/

Right, that's pasteurizing after it's bottled and naturally carbonated.
Not something I personally would recommend, especially in this case because of:
Explosion risk (possibly higher).
Unknown number of PUs needed.
Possible negative affect on beer quality from heating.
Fresh sugar, oxygen, and warmth are still provided to the contaminants for however long it takes to carbonate.

Pasteurizing results in a logarithmic reduction in microbe population, but doesn't necessarily eliminate all viable microbes. For example, pasteurized milk still goes sour over time because of bacteria.

 

[ncbrewer]

I use a coffee cup, spritzed with sanitizer and just scoop the beer out of the bucket.
Never had a problem.

Same here. And have the lid open for the shortest possible time. I don't take multiple samples during fermentation to check progress, since it lets some air in. One sample two days before bottling and another on bottling day.

 

[JohnSand]

I only test gravity when I package. I generally ferment for three weeks, take a sample using a sanitized measuring cup when I open the fermenter. If it's high I close it and warm a couple of days.

 

[George MacDonald]

thank you everyone for the very useful and practical feedback. I think I should go and look if I can buy a wine theif...

 

[Queequeg]

Apply a CO2 over pressure then open the tap.

 

[deadwolfbones]

I ferment in SS BrewTech stainless buckets and take samples from the valve. I use my refractometer and the Brewer's Friend calculator to figure out the SG.

 

[jrgtr42]

Up till now, I've used my hydrometer. I don't like wasting that much on the sampling jar, so I sanitize the hydrometer and gently spin it to get the reading. I do the same to get FG, and leave it in there until I bottle a couple days later.
I've never had an infection I can trace to this. I've only had a couple infections, and I could easily trace where they came from.
I just got a refractometer, so I'll be just using a couple drops from here on out.