Wine/Barrel Thief?

[matt_m]

Didn’t think it would require asking but reviews are really mixed. What’s a good barrel thief? I see long stainless basters that get bad reviews for not working well, plastic ones that seem cheaply made, and glass ones that get bad reviews for easily breaking. I found a Pyrex one but shipped it would have been well over $100.

If probably prefer stainless, glass, plastic in that order.

Considering I’ve known since I was about four how to use a straw to do this it doesn’t seem that hard lol.

 

[Konadog]

If and when I need to use one, I have always used a 3 piece plastic thief. What I liked about it was that it's super easy to clean, or be sure it's clean.

 

[Golddiggie]

How much liquid are you looking to pull at a time? You could simply get a length of stainless tubing that your thumb fits over the end of and use that. It's easy enough to buy 1/2" OD stainless tubing. Or get something larger (5/8" or 3/4") and try that. Get a 12" length to test with.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I think my very first homebrew kit came with a plastic thief. Probably the 3 piece one?

I hadn't thought about just using a length of tube. Makes sense.

 

[matt_m]

That’s a good idea, I might even have some. Google tells me that 1’ would be around an ounce which should be good for sampling.

 

[Golddiggie]

The glass thieves are, basically, tubes with pinched ends and a spot at the top for your fingers to grab easier. If you really wanted the pinched end, I'm sure you could work with a shop to get that done (rolled or something). IMO, for simple sampling, it's probably not as important.

 

[hottpeper13]

When I needed to use my 3 piece on a Lambic barrel , I got the clear plastic one that I can put the hydrometer in, then empty into a glass for sensory.

 

[Qhrumphf]

If you're talking specifically for a barrel, go with a vinnie nail.

 

[SeeMont]

Do you have a plastic auto siphon with the one way valve on the end? Using just the outside tube, lower it in to your keg or carboy and move it rapidly up and down, It will fill itself up. Works like a charm

 

[Golddiggie]

Do you have a plastic auto siphon with the one way valve on the end? Using just the outside tube, lower it in to your keg or carboy and move it rapidly up and down, It will fill itself up. Works like a charm

So pumping it in and out of your beer?? Sounds both dirty (not as in actual dirt) and a potential oxidization risk to me. IMO/IME, you want as little movement as possible when pulling samples with a thief type item.

 

[matt_m]

I don’t own a siphon. Last one cracked and I really don’t have a need.

 

[SeeMont]

So pumping it in and out of your beer?? Sounds both dirty (not as in actual dirt) and a potential oxidization risk to me. IMO/IME, you want as little movement as possible when pulling samples with a thief type item.

It's super easy, moving it about a half an inch. You won't get any more oxidation, they barrel / carboy is already open with hopefully a layer of CO2 on top. Try it.

 

[Deadalus]

How much liquid are you looking to pull at a time? You could simply get a length of stainless tubing that your thumb fits over the end of and use that. It's easy enough to buy 1/2" OD stainless tubing. Or get something larger (5/8" or 3/4") and try that. Get a 12" length to test with.

That won't work well, the liquid falls out, the suggested opening is too big. It'll work with a racking cane but it still tends to fall out if you bump it and you don't get that much so it's a pain. They are traditionally shaped with the cone end for a reason. I have a 3 piece plastic one, easy to take apart and clean. If you are using a hydrometer with a fat tube, which is what is sold as a replacement many times, it won't fill it all the way up. So don't buy a fat replacement tube, wastes more beer if you take a lot of readings too. I also have one that looks like a fat bottling wand, works about the same as the wand. I think it fits a hydrometer but ridiculously, it is not sized for a 6.5 gallon carboy, the tip didn't reach the bottom so it doesn't work. A glass wine thief is just asking for trouble while you are focused on not breaking your hydrometer. There is a SS wine thief with a squeeze bulb on the end, looks like a turkey baster, but not particularly well rated as reviews say the hole is too big and it dribbles. Which is kind of what a regular turkey baster does. It's cheap about $8. I thought I saw a 3 piece SS one once but I'm not finding it so I could be mistaken.

 

[matt_m]

Saturday while in Indy I stopped at Great Fermentations. They had this baster that is stainless with a 15-1/2" long tube which is perfect for my 5 gallon barrel. My big thumb covers the big end with the bulb removed and in practice it works great. I pulled a 1oz sample no problem. If you had a smaller thumb, add a drilled stopper and it would work well.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Use a 316 stainless smooth shank nail (very inportant that it's that combo, 4d is normal but bigger works too though perhaps not for such a small barrel, if you Google "vinnie nail" you'll quickly find the right part on McMaster Carr in bulk for next to nothing, some homebrew shops sell em for way too much money, but can be got from other sources as long as it's the right part) about 1/3 way up the barrel head. Start with a slightly smaller drill bit most of the way through the head then hammer the rest of the way (i don't like drilling clear through as some do unless it's an empty barrel I was gonna steam/sulfur/pasteurize/something anyway, and starting with hammer right away you risk splitting it). Then you can use a pair of vice grips to pull the nail, take a sample out the hole, and reinsert the nail when you're done.

No thief needed. No opening the barrel (unless you pull so much volume as to pull a vacuum that it no longer flows out the nail hole). Less oxygen exposure and more sanitary. No real need to use a thief on oak.

Obviously that won't work for a carboy. I have used the plastic thief that's similar to an auto-siphon with a check valve at the bottom, as mentioned above. They work well. I hate the three piece ones. A metal baster is also a very good option.