Taking your FG reading without a tap

[eblis]

I've got a bucket with Coopers Mexican Cerveza brewing but I haven't got a tap at the bottom to take a reading.

I think the fermentation has finished after 9 days (no bubbles for 4 days) so has anyone got any tips on how to take a reading without disturbing the carbon dioxide layer on top of the beer?

 

[StubbsPKS]

Very carefully used a sanitized turkey baster to collect enough of a sample to fill your trial jar. At least, that's what I do on the FVs I have without taps.

 

[eblis]

Very carefully used a sanitized turkey baster to collect enough of a sample to fill your trial jar. At least, that's what I do on the FVs I have without taps.

How about if I take out the airlock and put in some sanitized piping and suck it up with the turkey baster?

 

[Mike1981]

Very carefully used a sanitized turkey baster to collect enough of a sample to fill your trial jar. At least, that's what I do on the FVs I have without taps.

+1 :thumb:

 

[Green Ninja]

Yup, turkey baster. Got mine from Sainsburys at £3 I think

Terry.

 

[StubbsPKS]

You don't really need to be all THAT careful. I mean, oxygen in your beer is definitely bad, but it should build up a new layer of CO2 if you disturb this one.

You'll want to take the readings on 2 or 3 days and if they're the same, the beer is done fermenting.

Most people here (myself included) leave the beer for 10-14 days even if it reaches the expected FG in 3 days. This allows the yeast to do a bit of cleanup after themselves and remove some off flavors and just generally makes for a nicer final beer.

In your case what I would do is to take the reading now, take it again tomorrow and if it's the same I would probably bottle/keg it at the weekend.

Good luck and let us know how you get on :

 

[The Ginger Ninja]

I wouldn't worry that much about disturbing your beer. As long as everything that goes near it is clean and sterilized then theres no problem.

+1 for the turkey baster

 

[eblis]

Thanks for the advice, i'll let you know how I get on. :

 

[Edd]

I've used a turkey baster before now no problems.

Your could just leave the hydrometer in the brew, that's what I do.

Mind you I only have one brew on at a time.

 

[Wendy1971]

we just sterilise the hydrometer and bung it straight in the fv if its actively fermenting it will replace the lost bit of c02 in no time. Wouldn't :thumb: worry about it anyway never hurt any of our beers

 

[Moley]

Yup, turkey baster. Got mine from Sainsburys at £3 I think

You woz robbed

I think I may have paid about 79p from Wilko, I certainly had change from a quid. :thumb:

 

[DaveMack]

I have 5 hydrometers , i always put one in the FV at the start of a brew ... it stays in there till the brew has finished doing what its got to do .

 

[Hollow Legs]

+1 for Wendy1971, as long as you sterilise the hydrometer first no probs (as stated by Wendy), I've also sterilised the trial jar before and dunked it in to get the sample (just remember to sterilise your hands first) not had any probs so far

 

[eggman]

I leave mine fermenting for a week or so then i just stick my sanitised hydrometer in the brew and leave it there until it's done. Just remember to give it a spin to shake off any bubbles that could give an incorrect reading :

 

[Green Ninja]

Yup, turkey baster. Got mine from Sainsburys at £3 I think

You woz robbed

I think I may have paid about 79p from Wilko, I certainly had change from a quid. :thumb:

Story of my life Ade.

Ho hum :-(

 

[eblis]

OK I've just gone to take a reading to see if it was the same as yesterday and its started bubbling about every 2 minutes.

Yesterdays reading was 1014 and today it was 1012, do you think I should leave it for a couple more days to see if it stops?

 

[doghouse gav]

I'd leave it untill you get the same reading a few days in a row. :