Hygiene when checking the SG

[troublebrewing]

Perhaps I'm doing this wrong, but when I check the SG of the wort/beer, it seems best to take a sample of the liquid in a tall measuring 'thing' - the one with numbers on the side so you know how much is in it (ignoratn or what?!).

Anyway, I don't see how you can stop getting your fingers in the wort when dipping the 'thing' in. Am I missing something? Short of washing your hands in the sterilising liquid, how can good hygiene be maintained when taking a sample?

I have not up any samples back into the wort at sany stage, believing that this is poor quality control.

TB

[PieOPah]

There are a couple of options for this.

One choice is to buy a Turkey Baster from your local super market. Sanitize this before use and draw your sample.

The other option (which is easier imho) is to connect a tap to your fermenter. This means you can easily runn off a sample whenever you want. This also makes racking much much easier.

[steve_flack]

I'm presuming you don't have a tap on your fermenter. In this case you could use a wine thief (Link)

You're right in assuming that sticking your hand in it is a bad idea.

[Andy]

Or dip the sanitised hydrometer directly in the beer and don't bother with the sample jar. Depending on the state of the yeast head then this might be difficult to read the hydro but if you gently swirl the hydro around a small area to clear the yeast head around it then a reading can be obtained.

[fivetide]

I have a tap on my fermenter, but because I don't fancy chucking the sample back in again, I tend to keep my hydrometer in sterilising fluid, rinse this, then test the wort in the fermenter.

It's probably terrible practice, but you know, I've been to those ancient recreated villages and they brewed beer in straw huts full of pigs and urchins...

[steve_flack]

I've been to those ancient recreated villages and they brewed beer in straw huts full of pigs and urchins...

...and it tasted crap

...either that or the micro down the road brewed it for them!

[troublebrewing]

Good ideas there - I tried putting the hydrometer in it, but as you say the even mildly frothy top made reading difficult.

If I fitted a tap you can bet it would leak!

Maybe the baster would be the best option right now.

Thx all.

TB

[PieOPah]

I don't fancy chucking the sample back in again

Drink the sample..... It gives you an idea of how your beer is progressing and improving....

[fivetide]

Sure, but once my fermentations stuck I was basically taking SG readings every 24hrs, and the lack of any head made it easier to just chuck the hydro in the wort. I do take a drinking sample on occasion. I'm terrible for doing it during clearing at the moment, but hell, it tastes allright, why not

[troublebrewing]

I had a tiny tiny sip (honest!) of one of the samples a few days ago and my god it was _bitter_.

I have yet to check the SG tonight, and hopefully decant it into the keg with somelight spray malt - will that take the edge off it?

It's the Conkerwood from Munton's, so I am expecting a deep, wide, dark, thickly kind of brew.

TB

[PieOPah]

The priming sugar won't take the edge off, but leaving it to mature for a couple of weeks might mellow the flavour somewhat.

[troublebrewing]

On the question of length of keepability, will it last until third week of June?

ie, about 5/6 weeks? Should mellow by then, I hope.

[fivetide]

By all accounts it should be the business by then, surely?

[PieOPah]

As long as it is stored correctly then 5/6 weeks is a great time to leave a brew to mature. You don't really want to be drinking much sooner than this in the first place (although many of us - myself included - find the temptation too much and have normally finished by then!)

[troublebrewing]

Well, I want to keep this brew for my son's first birthday (those that are over 18 that is!) around that date. So I think I will start another one in the next few days, or possibly a week or two. I can't believe 40 pints will be drunk that day, anyway, I just want people to have a taste of something I made.