Handy Bit Of Kit For Getting Hydrometer Samples

[Bribie G]

SWMBO dragged me into Robin's Kitchen today and naturally I was scanning every item in the store to see if it could be pressed into service as a home brew accessory :lol: , and bingo:



If your'e a floor fermenter like me, as opposed to a bench fermenter, then pulling hydro samples is a PITA and there's many I time I just haven't bothered. However this 'glass baster' intended for basting chooks whatever is the ducks nuts not to mention the chooks. It's normally $10 but there's a 20% off storewide sale on at the moment. I just tried it and it takes two sucks and squirts to fill a normal plastic hydrometer cylinder. Definitely taken up its place in my tray of useful things in the brewery.

 

[bradsbrew]

Looks like it would be good for taking samples pre and post boil during a brew as well. If it takes the heat of a roast it should handle boil temps. Will have to go for a lunch time trip to the local westies me thinks.

Cheers Brad



OT Howd you go with that oak stout Bribie?? Be kind know

 

[Thirsty Boy]

they can be tricky for taking samples of really hot wort

you suck in the sample and then all the air inside the baster heats up and it trys to blow back out again.... Its what I use, but you just need to watch yourself the first few times you try it or you might cop a burn.

I might try and find the glass ones - the plastic ones are good and cheap, but not nearly as sexy or easy to clean.

 

[ozpowell]

they can be tricky for taking samples of really hot wort

you suck in the sample and then all the air inside the baster heats up and it trys to blow back out again.... Its what I use, but you just need to watch yourself the first few times you try it or you might cop a burn.

I might try and find the glass ones - the plastic ones are good and cheap, but not nearly as sexy or easy to clean.

I have one and use it for just that, Thirsty - just very carefully.

Actually, I also used it on Sunday to clean this up before attaching a blow-off tube :

 

[Bribie G]

......................................
Cheers Brad

OT Howd you go with that oak stout Bribie?? Be kind know

:icon_offtopic: I supped the entire bottle whilst cooking and I don't remember too much afterwards :icon_cheers: Very smooth and hit the spot right on, although I didn't actually pick up much oak - how much did you put in and for how long?. Nice stout weather at the moment, had a jug or three of toucan Coopers Stout/Coopers dark yesterday round at The Big Burpers' place and got well hammered as well :unsure:

 

[pdilley]

With that baster, put sanitiser in it including down in the bulb itself if you want to be cautious. Suck up a sample and invert the baster and let the sample flow down into the bulb. Put your thumb over the open end and grip the tube with the rest of your fingers and shake up and down violently for a few seconds to degas the sample before squirting it into your hydrometer tube for taking a reading.

Price beats the plastic wine theif (baster without a squeeze bulb on the end) so I will have to check them out especially for glass at that price!

Is Robin's Kitchen a chain store or local only?

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Bribie G]

Oh, they are actually QLD and Northern NSW as far down as Port Mac, I had always assumed they were nationwide because you can't get away from them up here, but apparently not. However the device should be available from most kitchen stores.

 

[warra48]

There seems to be one in my neck of the woods.
Will check it out tomorrow.
Another bit of bling for the brewery.

 

[Kai]

Yanks seem to love turkey basters or wine thiefs (thieves?) because they ferment in carboys so often. However on a 'regular' fermenter I'll always remain reluctant to pop the top off just to grab a gravity sample.

 

[reVoxAHB]

Yep. I use an all glass wine thief for pulling samples.

Just the 12" standard thief like this:

$5.99 in the States.. I reckon they'd be worth $40 here.

reVox

 

[Henno]

I've been considering one of these for a different purpose. How would it go for stepping up starters? I only have a 2L erlenmyer and need to make a shit load of yeast for a double batch of pilsener. Could I use one of these to suck the wort off the stiff yeast after it has settled (turned stir plate off for a while) and then add some fresh wort on top of it?

 

[kabooby]

Yep. I use an all glass wine thief for pulling samples.

Just the 12" standard thief like this:


$5.99 in the States.. I reckon they'd be worth $40 here.

reVox

Where did you get that one revox? I use a turkey baster but it's not so good for my glass carboys because it doesn't reach the wort

Kabooby

 

[Kai]

I've been considering one of these for a different purpose.

:unsure: