Hydrometer Reading From A Carboy
- Thread starter eighteez
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This is what I use, and it works with both buckets and carboys. I replaced the plastic one a year ago with an extra long stainless baster from a kitchen ware store and it is awesome. But the plastic one from any grocery store works fine.
And
Here's what I do....
1) With a spray bottle filled with starsan I spray the lid of my bucket, or the mouth of the carboy, including the bung. Then I spray my turkey baster inside and out with sanitize (or dunking it in a container of sanitizer).
2) Open fermenter.
3) Draw Sample
4) fill sample jar (usualy 2-3 turky baster draws
5)Spray bung or lid with sanitizer again
6) Close lid or bung
6) take reading
It is less than 30 seconds from the time the lid is removed until it is closed again.
Probably less if you have help. And unless a bird flies in your place and lets go with some poop, you should be okay.
And
Here's what I do....
1) With a spray bottle filled with starsan I spray the lid of my bucket, or the mouth of the carboy, including the bung. Then I spray my turkey baster inside and out with sanitize (or dunking it in a container of sanitizer).
2) Open fermenter.
3) Draw Sample
4) fill sample jar (usualy 2-3 turky baster draws
5)Spray bung or lid with sanitizer again
6) Close lid or bung
6) take reading
It is less than 30 seconds from the time the lid is removed until it is closed again.
Probably less if you have help. And unless a bird flies in your place and lets go with some poop, you should be okay.
knotquiteawake
Well-Known Member
Google "wine thief" thats what I use, just a little plastic one.
broadbill
Well-Known Member
It works just like how you were able to trap some milk in your straw when you were a kid. When you put your finger over the top of the straw, the milk stays there because you are preventing air from entering the straw to displace the milk as it runs out.
A wine thief is basically a glorified straw.
Hope this was clear.
I started with a winetheif when I got my kit, but I found that it didn't work for me. The tip leaked for one thing. And though some folks stick their hydrometers in the theif, and read it from there I found that the tiniest bit of oxygenated foam caused the hydro to stick to the sides. And even trying to transfer it from the theif to the test jar above was a pita...so I switched to the turkey baster and find that it's 100% easier for me. But like most everything in brewing their is no right answer, just what is "right" for your process.
Since basters are like 1 buck even at a dollar store, you could play around with it, and if you hate it (some hate the little bit that dribbles out or that you need to draw a couple basters full if you have a shorter one) you can always get a theif.
Nope, I just use search to find a thread I posted it in. And copy and paste them.
knotquiteawake
Well-Known Member
I use 6 gallon carboys for my 5 gallon batches (headspace = no overflow), did you have to find some kind of extra long baster?
I don't recall ever having an issue with the better bottle I often ferment in. I believe the ormal size reached just fine. But like I mentioned in the first post, subsequently I have bough a stainless one that is a couple inches longer than the plastic ones. I got it a resteraunt/chef's supply store.
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