why drink the sample?

[toularat]

Hi. When you take a hydrometer reading, why do you drink that sample? Since everything is sanitized, why can't you pour it back in the batch?

just wondering. . .

 

[the_bird]

It's a good practice to develop an understanding of where your beer is throughout the process - what unfermented wort tastes like, what uncarbonated, green beer going into the bottles/keg tastes like, etc. Good information to have in case you've got concerns or problems in the future (like, you're worried that you accidentally added an extra quarter-ounce of hops, you don't freak out just because the sample you pulled post-boil is really bitter).

 

[PCasey]

I really enjoy drinking the samples, especially my cranberry wine. mmmmmm.....

 

[olllllo]

Sanitized? Maybe
Exposed to wild airbourne yeast? Probably.
Risk? Yours to take, but not mine.

 

[Pogo]

toularat -

Most importantly...

Returning the gravity sample back to the fermenter offers absolutely zero health benefits to one's internal organs and processes!

Cheers!

Pogo

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

I don't bother sanitizing my hydrometer or jar when I take samples...

 

[Revvy]

I don't bother sanitizing my hydrometer or jar when I take samples...

Me neither...only what I use to draw out the sample...

Then I tip it back after the reading an enjoy!!!

The bird said it best, I think;

It's a good practice to develop an understanding of where your beer is throughout the process - what unfermented wort tastes like, what uncarbonated, green beer going into the bottles/keg tastes like, etc. Good information to have in case you've got concerns or problems in the future (like, you're worried that you accidentally added an extra quarter-ounce of hops, you don't freak out just because the sample you pulled post-boil is really bitter).

 

[BierMuncher]

Because it's there...

 

[JWHooper]

I only sample enough to get a buzz.

So far my cherry wine samples the best by far.

 

[nostalgia]

I only sample enough to get a buzz.

"Gosh, I don't understand why I only get 12 bottles from a 5 gallon batch of beer. All I did was take a few hydrometer samples..."

I taste mine because I like to know how the beer is progressing. I drink the rest because it's beer. And it's already in my hand.

-Joe

 

[JWHooper]

If you do it right, you don't have to bother with the labor and expense of bottling at all. All you need is a 44 oz. wine thief and some pretzels.