Taking Sample For Hydrometer

[neilb]

Seems like such a stupid question but I haven't seen anything that mentions it.

When taking a sample for you hydrometer how do you protect/preserve your sanitized fermenter? Do you cover the airlock? Remove it? Leave it in?

I have the coopers kit so the fermenter has a tap on it. Obviously when taking a sample its going to want to suck air in as I take a sample - just confused on how to proceed in a sanitized manner with this.

Same applies with bottling - remove the lid? remove the airlock? neither?

Thanks!

 

[jimmy01]

Hi Neil

Welcome to the AHB site

I use an airlock and when I take a hydrometer reading from the tap I draw the brew off slowly, sometimes stopping, to let the pressure in the airlock equalise, in order to prevent the fluid being drawn into the brew.

A lot of brewers don't use airlocks, and instead use cling wrap or place a bottle cap over the airlock hole. I tend to use an airlock to prevent insects getting into the brew.

Other brewers open the fermenter lid and draw off a sample using a sanitised syringe or turkey baster. Personally I prefer not to disturb the CO2 layer over the brew.


With bottling I loosen the lid to allow air in but leave it in place to prevent dust insects getting in.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[brettprevans]

yeah buddy just take the airlock out. youve got major bad luck if you get an infection from the 30sec its out. obviously you wouldnt want to take your lid in the middle of a sandstorm thats been blowing across a sewage treatment plant! but in your own home a little bit of exposure isnt going to hurt. likewise with bottling, just take out the airlock. with bottling youve got more chance getting an infection from the bottle itsself than from air getting into your fermentor


EDIt: beaten

 

[neilb]

Thanks guys. Thats what I'll do. My first brew looks like its done - 2 days at ~25 degrees and 3 days at 20 (corrected once I read this site!). I'll take some readings tonight and tomorrow.

I have so many questions about homebrewing now I've started

 

[EK]

I use the cylindrical style airlocks myself (this style). When taking a sample, I lift the top part out enough so that air can flow freely into the fermenter and the airlock fluid won't be drawn in, I draw a sample off from the tap, slowly so that it does not froth up in the test jar. I have not had any problems in doing this, even when I draw off samples on several consecutive days.

As the volume in the test jar is small and it was drawn off slowly, the air coming in through the airlock is a gentle flow. This means that the CO2 on top of the wort should not be greatly disturbed and there should be a layer of CO2 covering the beer and the air shouldn't touch it...at least that's the theory.

 

[reVoxAHB]

I use an all-glass wine thief to pull my samples. As citymorgue pointed out, you'd be pretty unlucky picking up an infection in the 30 seconds that your beer in not airlocked. I ferment in glass carboys with rubber bung and 3 piece airlock, so it's as simple as popping the lock off to the side, grabbing the sample with sterilized thief, and airlock back on. The whole process might take 5 seconds?

I probably wouldn't recommend a plastic turkey baster, unless it's used only for your brewing and you're absolutely certain it's sterile (you've removed the top squeeze bulb from stem, good soak in solution, etc. )

In your situation with having a tap on your fermenter, I would just pull the airlock out so the small hole is open and can function as a breather hole as first choice, then just grab your sample/bottle from tap. To be on the safe side, give the airlock then open hole (and grommet and surrounding area) a good mist of diluted iodophor solution. That will help take out surrounding nasties, if any are lurking about.

Back when I used to bulk-prime (before moving into kegs) I would rack my beer off into a food grade bucket w/priming solution, then bottle (rack) from the food grade bucket (to bottles). The food grade bucket never had a lid on it, which meant my beer was exposed to open-air (in my kitchen) for up to 45 minutes and even then, I never picked up an infection- did it this way for years, in fact. I point this out, as you shouldn't be concerned with something as small as your airlock hole being open for the duration of your duties.

reVox

 

[neilb]

Just took a reading thanks to the advice here. Came out to 1010 on the hydrometer - definately noticed how much air bubbles on the hydrometer affects the reading, it started at 1020 before I span it. OG was 1040.

Looks very watery and smells like cider. Definatley a bit more watery than the photo of Coopers Lager! Does have quite a lot of carbonation though. I'll check the gravity tomorrow and probably bottle - hopefully it will condition up a bit. Don't know if I could drink it in its current condition.

Definately looking to move away from the "brewers sugar" for next time. I'm already thinking of trying a Muntons kit with a can of extract next time rather than the brewers sugar approach.

 

[neilb]

My brew is bottled. Hopefully the conditioning will lose the cider smell/taste (one can dream).

As I said above I really want to move away from the sugar adjuncts for next time. I'd like to brew a stout or something darker. Was looking at a package for Coopers Irish Stout - comes with 500g dextrose and 500g LDME (both Coopers obv).

How much of an effect would the 500g of dextrose have on the brew? I really don't want any nasty tastes coming in apart from those from my own mistakes!

If I was to go either all DME or LME how much would I use? 1KG?

Thanks

 

[v8r]

dextrose will ferment fully to alcohol only, no taste. personally i use full malt additions, plus some dex if i think it needs an extra alcool kick.

on the sample issue, i just crack the seal on the lid of the fermenter, enough for it to draw air. no need to take the lid right off, usually 1 turn will do..