Where do people suggest taking SG readings, from the top or bottom of a fermentor. I only ask as I am cuurently brewing from a kit with, I think it was 500g of dextrose and another 500g of detrose with a malt mixed in. The bag of hops I received from the shop on this ocassion were loose as opposed to being in a tea bag form! I normally take readings from out the tap of my fermentor and aim for 1012 and this generally takes no more than 7 days (I live in the warmer climate of Queensland) This current brew which is frustrating me has been sat in my fermentor now for 14 days and has been constant at 1020 for the past 7 days? I have just bit the bullet through fear of contamination and opened the lid and took a reading from out the top of my wort and found a reading of 1013 - I am think that I am getting higher readings from the base due to larger amounts of dextrose and with the hops being loose on this ocassion - there may well still be 'suspension' in the brew? (Apologise for my terminology but I am still relitively new at this game!) Or maybe my brew is still fermenting?? I plan on transfering to a holding cube to clear for a few days before kegging...any advice and help would be grately appreciated!
Taking SG Readings
- Thread starter bigpaul
- Start date
Help Support Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum:
Danscraftbeer
Well-Known Member
Sometimes if there is lots of sediment you tip out the first test tube full and take a second reading from the tap.
This can clear the tap and get a better reading. Did you shake the wort well at the beginning after pitching the yeast?
I always boil to dissolve and pasteurize any sugars or malts then cool. I've never just tipped in dry.
Made a stainless steel plug to seal the airlock grommet and shake the fermenter for 4 minutes after pitching the yeast.
Mixes everything properly also oxygenating the wort that's beneficial, or essential for good yeast performance.
This can clear the tap and get a better reading. Did you shake the wort well at the beginning after pitching the yeast?
I always boil to dissolve and pasteurize any sugars or malts then cool. I've never just tipped in dry.
Made a stainless steel plug to seal the airlock grommet and shake the fermenter for 4 minutes after pitching the yeast.
Mixes everything properly also oxygenating the wort that's beneficial, or essential for good yeast performance.
Thanks for your reply - I generally disolve the sugars in boiling water and pour in the tin of malt which will be into cooling, boiled water and get the residues from the can with boiling water - once all well and truely stirred I top up with cold water, continuously stirring!! I did on this ocassion add the hops just by sprinkling on the top tho normally stand a tea bag in hot water for 10 mins or so before adding which is why I believed there may still be residue floating around . I assume this is what you mean by shaking the wort? Never add the yeast untill the wort is at the correct temperature! Perhaps next time I will shake the fermenter before adding the yeast but I'd imagine that 29 litres would be quite heavy!! However on this and every other ocassion when I have checked the fermenter the next morning after adding the yeast it has been 'bubbling' away in a fashion that can only be described as aggressive!!!
Just been outside and thrown first test tube away...2nd test tube reads 1014, may settle for this after 2 weeks of fermenting and remember to throw 1st test tube away in future!!
Just been outside and thrown first test tube away...2nd test tube reads 1014, may settle for this after 2 weeks of fermenting and remember to throw 1st test tube away in future!!
Don't need to throw out a whole test tube full - just the equivalent volume of what's in your tap - because that's where the gunk gets trapped. Note that circulation of the beer by the yeast during fermentation should be enough to thoroughly mix the ingredients (once fermentation is nearly complete) so taking the sample from the top or bottom (subject to no gunk) should be about the same.
manticle
Standing up for the Aussie Bottler
Don't throw it. Let it settle in a glass for 30 mins and taste (or taste straight away) so you can learn about flavours during fermentation and how they change.
Vini2ton
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 30/4/14
- Messages
- 618
- Reaction score
- 251
When I take my first sample of a brew, I turn the tap on full for maybe 100 ml or so to flush the tap of crap. Then I open it more slowly to fill the tube so that the sample doesn't take so long for any foam to settle and I can get a clear reading of SG and a good idea of colour. Then I let it settle a bit and pour it into a wine-glass (don't ask me why), have a big sniff and then skoll it. Burp and ponder.
Danscraftbeer
Well-Known Member
You can sit in a chair with the fermenter on its side on your lap and rock it left and right and backwards and forwards no trouble at all.bigpaul said:
Or just as it sits on the floor or bench and tilt/ shake quite vigorously no probs. I do it up to 50lt in a 60lt fermenter, after pitching the yeast.
