Hydrometer Samples, What Do You Do.

[dougsbrew]

hi there, i was wondering what most brewers do with their hydrometer samples.
ive heard that some sterilize equipment and return to the brew,
whilst people like myself chuck it, as to not risk infection.
i just measured sample amount - 90cc. every three samples is a pot of beer.

 

[Bizier]

I usually take a good mouthful and swoosh it around and spit out to see how the beer is coming along, sometimes, if I'm really keen on picking something up I will repeat until there is no more. Sometimes, I will refridgerate to settle the yeast and see how it tastes again. Every time, no matter what, I attempt to make my GF taste it for the record, I am often met with hostility.

ED: I have experienced enough of the effects of live yeast in my stomach to never want it again, so I expel.

 

[tones0606]

i wouldnt like to put it back in fermenter due to risk of infection.
I always drink mine

hi there, i was wondering what most brewers do with their hydrometer samples.
ive heard that some sterilize equipment and return to the brew,
whilst people like myself chuck it, as to not risk infection.
i just measured sample amount - 90cc. every three samples is a pot of beer.
View attachment 44366

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

hi there, i was wondering what most brewers do with their hydrometer samples.
ive heard that some sterilize equipment and return to the brew,
whilst people like myself chuck it, as to not risk infection.
i just measured sample amount - 90cc. every three samples is a pot of beer.
View attachment 44366

Drink it to get an idea of what the beer will be like.

Slightly OT - how are you going with the temps and your temp control (and how it's affecting your beer). Since the flood, the two beers I've produce have been abysmal, because every time it gets cool-er, it gets hot again. Apparently it's supposed to be up to 35 this week.

I've bought a fridgemate from ebay to fix it, but wondering how you're doing it.

Goomba

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

I drink most of them unless the gravity is still high, bit to sweet for me. Good point about the losses, never really looked at it like that :blink:

 

[dougsbrew]

Drink it to get an idea of what the beer will be like.

Slightly OT - how are you going with the temps and your temp control (and how it's affecting your beer). Since the flood, the two beers I've produce have been abysmal, because every time it gets cool-er, it gets hot again. Apparently it's supposed to be up to 35 this week.

I've bought a fridgemate from ebay to fix it, but wondering how you're doing it.

Goomba

OT - i keep my fermenter in esky with water and ice blocks. temp hovers around 13-15 generally.
beers are turning out ok.

 

[asis]

How many samples do you take? I generally only take 2 or maybe 3 if its a yeast etc I haven't used and don'y know what to expect.

One pot is bugger all in the scheme of things. :icon_cheers:

 

[stuchambers]

I always taste it.

 

[geoffd]

got fed up with washing sample tube, I just wipe the hydro with an alcohol swab & read in the fermenter (before aerating), & do the same before bottling.

BTW, I have no issues with returning the sample to fermenter, assuming the sampling tube was sanitised.

 

[Brad Churchill]

I always drink it.
Sometimes sit it in the fridge for a bit before I drink it.

 

[hsb]

Drink it for sure, you are testing it, what it tastes like is as important as how the ferment is going.
No way would I put it back in, it's a tiny amount in the scheme of things and not worth the hassle. Drink it!
I see it as wastage, same as trub, dead space in vessels etc..

You could always source a narrower tube in a bid to save a few CC of beer juice, or splash out on a Refractometer.

 

[petesbrew]

Drink it. That way you know how's it's coming along.
You'll really know that way if it's infected.

 

[shadders]

90cc. every three samples is a pot of beer.

Why oh why would you risk ruining the other 80 pots of beer for the sake of 90ml? Not too mention having to go through the sanitation rigmarole just to take a reading? To put it in perspective if your average batch costs you $20 in ingredients that 90ml is worth about 8c.

I drink mine and tip the rest, unless it's end of primary or pre-kegging time in which case I take a 600ml coke bottle sample, measure it, bung in freezer for 1/2 hr then carb it up with a cap for a nearly instant sample of the final product. Never sanitise hydrometer or jar, just a quick rinse under warm water so they don't get sticky then squirt some sanitiser up the spout of the fermenter tap.

 

[Pennywise]

Every time, no matter what, I attempt to make my GF taste it for the record, I am often met with hostility.

So it's not just me then :lol: My missus near on swings a bat at me when she see's me commin' with the hydro sample

 

[RobW]

Sanitise the hydrometer and container and after you take the OG reading cover it with some sanitised alfoil and put it next to the fermenter.
Then just take repeat readings from the initial sample as fermentation progresses.
When you think it's done take a fresh sample to be sure or a (corrected) refractometer measurement.

Don't put it back in the fermenter.

 

[tallie]

+1 drink it :chug:

I dump the hydro sample into a small chilled glass after taking a reading. That usually gets it down enough to get a good idea of how the final beer is coming along.

Cheers,
tallie

 

[HeavyNova]

I drink it. I only ever take 1 or 2 samples so no biggy losing <200ml.

 

[HappyClem]

have a sip, swill then spit back in. add back to fermenter. Hey, the aztecs made beer with chewed corn, so why not? hardly any wastage this way.

 

[Steve@PMF82]

Once it comes out it does not go back in.

I enjoy tasting the progress - usually at pitching time - near suspected end - and at bottling time.

If its tasting good i will usually drink most of the 150ml it takes to do the reading.

 

[Amber Fluid]

I wont risk putting it back in FV and I really hate waste whether it is 8c or not. So I drink mine then it's not wasted and no risk of infection :icon_chickcheers: