Oxygen when using a turkey baster to collect samples

[Alimac019]

Hey folks,

In the past to collect samples for gravity readings, I tended to sanitise a glass and scoop out the beer, but I always felt worried about contamination and disturbing the beer.

I recently invested in a turkey baster to collect my samples. I collected one yesterday and it took 2 or 3 good squeezes to get enough beer for my sample, and I noticed that with each squeeze it forced quite a lot of bubbling action up to the surface.

My question is whether I should be worried about this as it may be introducing oxygen which can negatively impact the beer? Am I safer going back to the sanitised glass or should I not worry about a few bubbles?

Thanks!

 

[BeerisGOD]

alimac

ill be honest I only used my turkey baster once and noticed the same as you with the bubbles
when you say samples is this for taste testing or for hydro readings?

I now just dunk my hydro in the wort which if done carefully doesn't risk oxidation.

hope this helps.

if it is just for tasting I would leave you're beer alone till bottling day its only going to taste better the longer its left alone.

 

[The Idiot]

I use a turkey baster. I take it apart and spray the inside of the bulb and the inside and outside of the tube with Starsan and leave it for a few minutes. I then put it back together and squeeze the bulb to expel all the air. I only release it when the tube is below the surface of the wort, so it sucks up a full load without adding any air. I find two goes fills a test cylinder.

 

[The Idiot]

I now just dunk my hydro in the wort which if done carefully doesn't risk oxidation.

Makes it hard to get an accurate reading, however.

 

[mickthetrick]

i dont think you will have any problem with oxidization. there will be enough Co2 in your beer to expel the small amount of oxygen. ive used one for a good few years now to no ill effect.

 

[Alimac019]

Simply for hydro readings.

My hope was that not enough oxygen would be getting introduced to make any sort of negative impact.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I got a wine thief, which works really well, and gave the turkey baster to SWMBO.

 

[Bigjas]

+1 for the wine thief. Works really well and easy to clean.

Jas

 

[mickthetrick]

Simply for hydro readings.

My hope was that not enough oxygen would be getting introduced to make any sort of negative impact.

i very much doubt that. i wouldn't worry at all. you will put a lot more oxy into it when transferring or bottling than you would using any turkey baster and that normally doesn't cause a problem.

 

[BeerCat]

I had a glass wine thief but was very easy to break and did not suck up enough even for the hydrometer case to fill.

 

[Soton]

Maybe it's time to get s refractometer

http://m.banggood.com/0-32-Brix-Wor...ter-Beer-Fruit-Sugar-Wine-Brew-p-1021897.html

You could also try aliexpress and eBay, I think I paid snot £10 with delivery for mine

 

[DoctorMick]

I use a turkey baster. I take it apart and spray the inside of the bulb and the inside and outside of the tube with Starsan and leave it for a few minutes. I then put it back together and squeeze the bulb to expel all the air. I only release it when the tube is below the surface of the wort, so it sucks up a full load without adding any air. I find two goes fills a test cylinder.

That's how I used to do it too, don't ever remember much bubbling.

As others have said tho, the amount of oxygen going in is unlikely to cause a problem.

 

[The Idiot]

Just to clarify, I squeeze the air out of the bulb before putting the tube into the wort. Effectively I squeeze the air out, then while keeping the bulb compressed on my fist I lower the tube in, and then relax my grip on the bulb which sucks the wort up. I never put any air into the wort!

 

[Spapro]

Just to clarify, I squeeze the air out of the bulb before putting the tube into the wort. Effectively I squeeze the air out, then while keeping the bulb compressed on my fist I lower the tube in, and then relax my grip on the bulb which sucks the wort up. I never put any air into the wort!

I do the same with my turkey baster to get a sample. Squeeze the bulb while the end is out the wort, keep the bulb squeezed, dunk the end into the wort and release the bulb so wort is sucked up.

You will only get air into the wort if you queeze the bulb while the tip is in the wort and there is no need to do that.

 

[terrym]

Makes it hard to get an accurate reading, however.

But good enough for a home brewer :thumb:.

 

[Bigcol49]

I had a glass wine thief but was very easy to break and did not suck up enough even for the hydrometer case to fill.

Hi!
The technique I use is to immerse the wine thief into the beer, allow it to fill and put a thumb over the end to transfer to trial jar.
It does require more than one "trip" to fill the jar.

 

[BeerCat]

Hi!
The technique I use is to immerse the wine thief into the beer, allow it to fill and put a thumb over the end to transfer to trial jar.
It does require more than one "trip" to fill the jar.

Worth having one. Will last forever unless your like me.

 

[sven945]

I use a 100ml syringe that works well for me. The rubber seal (I'm sure it has a technical name) has started sticking recently so I just rub some Vaseline around it and it's fine. I have a jug of starsan that I pull through it and push out to make sure it's sanitised. I also use it to pull the beer through to start a siphon.

 

[MyQul]

I'm another who does exactly the same as The Idiot, both with the star san and squeezing the bulb before submerging to draw a sample.

 

[Fil]

first time i used a turkey baster i inserted and squeezed and watched the bubbles and had a face palm DOH! moment,
thankfully it was early on in the brew and had no detrimental effect.

ever since i simply check myself before i draw and squeeze insert and suck... most my FVs have taps which makes the sample drawing easy as long as the tap spout gets a flush out after each draw otherwise the risk of something getting a foot hold and spoiling the brew as its transferred is increased.