Hydrometer Heeeellllllpp! 1 st batch in carboy!

[CBUDGO]

All, how can I take a hydrometer reading in a 6.5 gal carboy?? I'll lose the thing entirely. How can I get it out once it's in there??

Thanks

 

[prpromin]

you'd be better off drawing a sample with a thief and using a tube to check the gravity. If you are using an extract kit, you could just go ahead and assume you are right on with OG since those are near impossible to miss - unless you did something odd with your process.

 

[Golddiggie]

You pull a sample OUT of the carboy. Use either a beer thief or a sanitized turkey baster (make sure it's 100% clean first, or get one just for brew)... If you already took the OG, then just wait until it's done, pull a sample, test, taste, then decide...

BTW, you can pretty much ignore any fermentation time frames listed on the instructions for your first brew. Give it the time it needs to be done/ready for next steps. I'd also advise the long primary model over racking to a brite tank (more risk of infection/contamination with racking). Read up on the beginner's section of the boards too.

 

[gallowjc]

You need a graduated cylinder so that you can take a sample with either either a turkey baster or thief and use your hydrometer in the graduated cylinder. Also allows you to taste your beer!

 

[Golddiggie]

You need a graduated cylinder so that you can take a sample with either either a turkey baster or thief and use your hydrometer in the graduated cylinder. Also allows you to taste your beer!

It doesn't need to be a graduated cylinder... Most homebrew supply shops/stores will sell a tube, with a base, that you can use (has no markings on it at all). Or use the tube the hydrometer came in, just be sure to hold it so that the hydrometer doesn't hang up on the side...

 

[RiffMagnum]

All, how can I take a hydrometer reading in a 6.5 gal carboy?? I'll lose the thing entirely. How can I get it out once it's in there??

Thanks

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00186ADYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is your best option. I use plastic buckets, so i'm not sure how carboy owners do it.

 

[Golddiggie]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00186ADYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is your best option. I use plastic buckets, so i'm not sure how carboy owners do it.

I use a refractometer, pulling a sample from what goes into the fermenter (a modified sanke keg for me) on brew day. I simply put that into the fridge when I get home and take a reading from it later. I do the same when moving the finished beer to serving kegs, reserving a small sample (about 1/2oz) that gets tested later. For me, this is far easier than trying to gather a sample for a hydrometer, or using some other modified thief to get the test sample.