Taking Gravity Readings - Tips & Techniques

[Tenenet]

Hello

I want to dry hop my beer and, after reading around the forums, I've decided to do so in my primary. It seems this is a good way to avoid contamination and avoid oxidation. Plus it seems easy enough. I recommendation seems to be add the hops when fermentation is nearing completion which is indicated by a few days of gravity readings near target.

So my questions:

• How do folks take their gravity readings from a plastic fermenter without exposing the beer to too much oxygen?
• I've seen some mention of using the bottling spout for getting a sample if you have one on your primary but it seems to me you'd get too much sediment towards the end of fermentation. Is my assumption correct?
• If you need to keep taking gravity readings, do most folks keep a bucket of star san laying around for a few days to drip the thief/container/hydrometer/etc in or mix up a fresh batch each time?
• I saw some people put the sample beer back into the fermentation vessel after taking their readings, particularly when using a thief, is this considered an acceptable practice?

I know I know I'm probably overthinking it but I like to understand as much as possible as I believe that's part of the fun.

Thanks
Sam

 

[Sammy86]

Hello







So my questions:

• How do folks take their gravity readings from a plastic fermenter without exposing the beer to too much oxygen?
  
• I've seen some mention of using the bottling spout for getting a sample if you have one on your primary but it seems to me you'd get too much sediment towards the end of fermentation. Is my assumption correct?
  
• If you need to keep taking gravity readings, do most folks keep a bucket of star san laying around for a few days to drip the thief/container/hydrometer/etc in or mix up a fresh batch each time?
  
• I saw some people put the sample beer back into the fermentation vessel after taking their readings, particularly when using a thief, is this considered an acceptable practice?
  

I know I know I'm probably overthinking it but I like to understand as much as possible as I believe that's part of the fun.



Thanks

Sam

Hello Sam, from another Sam!

I take my gravity readings generally on day 14...open up the fermentor pull a sample with a heavily sanitized turkey baster and close it up. Haven't had an issue yet :knocks on wood:

Don't have a spigot on my fermentor so can't help you there.

Yes, you can keep a batch of Star San in a bucket and and use it as long as the pH doesn't drop should be good to go. However, you don't want to be opening and closing the fermentor over and over again. Patience is a virtue in brewing so most common practice on HBT is first check in of gravity is at 10-14 days. A lot of the time brewers hit their intended FG and cold crash. However, if you don't leave it again for another couple of days and then check again.

As for the sample goes I would drink it or dump it...no need to risk contamination and you get to taste your beer!

Hope this helps!

 

[Tenenet]

Thank you for the info!

 

[arnobg]

Hello

I want to dry hop my beer and, after reading around the forums, I've decided to do so in my primary. It seems this is a good way to avoid contamination and avoid oxidation. Plus it seems easy enough. I recommendation seems to be add the hops when fermentation is nearing completion which is indicated by a few days of gravity readings near target.

So my questions:

• How do folks take their gravity readings from a plastic fermenter without exposing the beer to too much oxygen?
• I've seen some mention of using the bottling spout for getting a sample if you have one on your primary but it seems to me you'd get too much sediment towards the end of fermentation. Is my assumption correct?
• If you need to keep taking gravity readings, do most folks keep a bucket of star san laying around for a few days to drip the thief/container/hydrometer/etc in or mix up a fresh batch each time?
• I saw some people put the sample beer back into the fermentation vessel after taking their readings, particularly when using a thief, is this considered an acceptable practice?

I know I know I'm probably overthinking it but I like to understand as much as possible as I believe that's part of the fun.

Thanks
Sam

[*]How do folks take their gravity readings from a plastic fermenter without exposing the beer to too much oxygen?

I use a spigot on all of my fermenters. I didn't used to do this because of fear of an extra part that could harvest buggies and cause infection, but a lot of people use one and it hasn't been an issue. Never once had an infection with good sanitation practices. In this case you never have to open the lid unless dry hopping...which you could do in the keg if you're kegging.


[*]I've seen some mention of using the bottling spout for getting a sample if you have one on your primary but it seems to me you'd get too much sediment towards the end of fermentation. Is my assumption correct?

Incorrect. Just place it above the normal sediment line. For me I placed the bottom of the spigot around the 0.75-1.0 gallon mark. Once you've emptied it down to that level if you want to get more beer out you can gently tip the bucket like you do when siphoning.


[*]If you need to keep taking gravity readings, do most folks keep a bucket of star san laying around for a few days to drip the thief/container/hydrometer/etc in or mix up a fresh batch each time?

Not needed with a spigot.....Just spray some starsan up in the spigot before opening the valve and after closing. See my point for using a spigot yet?


[*]I saw some people put the sample beer back into the fermentation vessel after taking their readings, particularly when using a thief, is this considered an acceptable practice?

It isn't worth the risk. Why put it back in just to save a couple ounces of beer? I like to chill it and sample it after taking a gravity reading.

 

[RM-MN]

There isn't a real rush to do the dry hop. You want the fermentation to be complete so escaping CO2 doesn't carry aroma off with it. I'd suggest you wait for at least day 14, maybe as long as day 21 or a little longer. Pull your sample, measure its gravity, then drink it. By drinking it you get a hint on how the beer is doing and what it might turn out like. Don't bother pouring the leftover sample back, that could introduce contamination. When your chosen dry hop period is near over (often 3 to 7 days) you'll take another hydrometer sample and if it matches the one you took before dry hopping that verifies that fermentation is over and you can bottle.

 

[flars]

As long as your solution of Star San remains at a pH of 3.0 or less it is good to use. (Unless you try to use it as a cleaner and chunks of gunk are floating in it.)

You don't actually need to cold crash a beer unless you're impatient. Another week in the primary will accomplish the same clearing. Having one or two more fermentors to fill takes care of impatience.

Two gravity readings are usually enough. First about 10 to 14 days and another a few days later as @Sammy86 said.

 

[Tenenet]

Incorrect. Just place it above the normal sediment line. For me I placed the bottom of the spigot around the 0.75-1.0 gallon mark. Once you've emptied it down to that level if you want to get more beer out you can gently tip the bucket like you do when siphoning.

My bucket came with a spigot and I've seen other buckets that have a spot for the spigot. In both cases they are near the bottom of the bucket. I thought this was therefore standard configuration. Must be mostly for bottling. I can see however how your setup makes more sense.

There isn't a real rush to do the dry hop. You want the fermentation to be complete so escaping CO2 doesn't carry aroma off with it. I'd suggest you wait for at least day 14, maybe as long as day 21 or a little longer. Pull your sample, measure its gravity, then drink it. By drinking it you get a hint on how the beer is doing and what it might turn out like. Don't bother pouring the leftover sample back, that could introduce contamination. When your chosen dry hop period is near over (often 3 to 7 days) you'll take another hydrometer sample and if it matches the one you took before dry hopping that verifies that fermentation is over and you can bottle.

Shall do thanks.

As long as your solution of Star San remains at a pH of 3.0 or less it is good to use. (Unless you try to use it as a cleaner and chunks of gunk are floating in it.)

You don't actually need to cold crash a beer unless you're impatient. Another week in the primary will accomplish the same clearing. Having one or two more fermentors to fill takes care of impatience.

Two gravity readings are usually enough. First about 10 to 14 days and another a few days later as @Sammy86 said.

I'll try to keep patient. I got another bucket to start a new batch so no rush to clear that one out. Thanks.

 

[Calder]

Cheap plastic turkey baster. Just sanitize the part that goes into the beer to get the sample.

Drink the sample. I think I learn a lot more about the beer from drinking the sample than I do from the gravity measurement.

I keep a gallon of StarSan around all the time. It is in a tub with a loose lid. Lasts a few months. Use it to sanitize anything I need.