How to measure Pre-Boil Gravity

[cank]

Have I missed this somewhere? Everything I have read just says to do it but does not explain how.
I just did my first all grain brew and wasn't sure how to take a gravity reading pre boil. I was thinking I might break my hydrometer if I put it in the 160 deg wort or melt the wax at the bottom and I didn't want to mess up my testing jar, so I took a sample and let it sit in a pitcher until it cooled, then I took the reading.
Is that what most people do?

By the way, LOVING ALL GRAIN!!!

 

[BasementBrewer89]

Use a thief to snag a sample out, run the outside of the thief under cold water to get it down closer to 20 degrees C. Plop your hydro in and dump that sample back the pot! All gonna get boiled anyhow

 

[501irishred]

Have I missed this somewhere? Everything I have read just says to do it but does not explain how.
I just did my first all grain brew and wasn't sure how to take a gravity reading pre boil. I was thinking I might break my hydrometer if I put it in the 160 deg wort or melt the wax at the bottom and I didn't want to mess up my testing jar, so I took a sample and let it sit in a pitcher until it cooled, then I took the reading.
Is that what most people do?

By the way, LOVING ALL GRAIN!!!

Yep, you got it! Pain in the arse, but even if you didn't break the hydrometer, your readings wouldn't be accurate even with an adjustment table. I recently broke down and got a refractometer and LOVE it! makes taking pre and post boil measurements SO much easier. I can even check sparge runoff now:rockin:, where before it never made much sense, as by the time the sample cooled down enough the damage was done (or not).

 

[Mirkin]

Your hydrometer will be fine in temps up to about 75'c so around 170-180F (?) then there are calc tools that adjust reading for temp.
I usually pull a sample out as soon as my sparge has been added to the kettle, let it sit with thermometer while I make sure I'm set and ready for boil to start, then note temp of sample, pour into hydrometer jar take reading and check on Brewmate's calculator check if I'm on target or decide if i need more wort from mash and a longer boil, adjunct or more water if mash has been too efficient.

A refractometer would be super, but even a rough stab with hydrometer is a good indicator. I've been plonking mine current hydrometer in hot wort for for over 12months with no problems. Never broken my own hydrometer, of the 4 I've had I've lost 1 to wife, 2 to kids and the damned cat has even broken one.

 

[501irishred]

True enough, but if temp is above ~80, I put 0 faith in the reading even adjusted out. I've never broke one due to hot wort, but have gone through "several". Only I can look in the mirror to find the culprit for each and every one.....

 

[feinbera]

I'll typically pull a sample, throw it in a tall, skinny glass, throw that glass into a big plastic cup of water and ice, and forget about it until it gets down to around 60* F, then pour it over to my sample jar and take a reading.

This typically takes less time than it takes for the rest of the wort to hit a full rolling boil, and is certainly ready before the boil is done, at which point, as Basement Brewer said, chuck it back in the kettle in full confidence that any nasties that may have drifted into the sample will be boiled to death.

 

[diS]

I pour my sample in bottle with cap (to eliminate evaporation) and put it in cup of ice.
Shorter way is to take few drops and use refractometer to take reading.

 

[cank]

OK. Thanks guys. I didn't think of putting it back in the boil pot when I was done, but other than that, sounds like I did OK.

Too bad my efficiency was way low