Beer Forum

I currently use a Spiedel 60L plastic fermenter and am trying to figure out the best way to draw a sample without introducing O2. It's basically a lightweight plastic bucket with a secure lid with a hole for the airlock and a spigot. I have drawn samples from the spigot but that always draws air in through the airlock. I have taken samples by removing the lid but I know this also lets in a lot of air. I have thought about getting a wine thief to use in the airlock hole but the liquid is usually 11"=12" below the level of the lid and it seems to me like opening that would also allow air to get in. How do you guys get samples to test gravity, flavor, aroma, etc without exposing your beer to O2?

I don't sweat it, but you could purge with CO2 while you're sampling

During active fermentation I wouldn't think that a little air getting in there would matter since the yeast will scrub out any oxygen that gets in there so long as they are active. Once things are all done, I think they only way to avoid getting oxygen in there is to purge after sampling with CO2. The volume you are taking out is going to get replaced with something, so clearly it is either air or something you put in there.

NateBrews wrote:During active fermentation I wouldn't think that a little air getting in there would matter since the yeast will scrub out any oxygen that gets in there so long as they are active. Once things are all done, I think they only way to avoid getting oxygen in there is to purge after sampling with CO2. The volume you are taking out is going to get replaced with something, so clearly it is either air or something you put in there.

+1

Or push with CO2 if you can. One of these can make it a little easier - just go really low pressure like 2 psi.


first push a short tube for co2 into the one hole just long enough to get into the headspace. Then push a racking tube into the beer through the other hole (get into the liquid past any krausen) and hook a siphon hose to that - beer will come out of this once it is under pressure.

This is basically how your corny keg works. gas in, beer out.

BDawg wrote:

NateBrews wrote:During active fermentation I wouldn't think that a little air getting in there would matter since the yeast will scrub out any oxygen that gets in there so long as they are active. Once things are all done, I think they only way to avoid getting oxygen in there is to purge after sampling with CO2. The volume you are taking out is going to get replaced with something, so clearly it is either air or something you put in there.

+1

Or push with CO2 if you can. One of these can make it a little easier - just go really low pressure like 2 psi.


first push a short tube for co2 into the one hole just long enough to get into the headspace. Then push a racking tube into the beer through the other hole (get into the liquid past any krausen) and hook a siphon hose to that - beer will come out of this once it is under pressure.

This is basically how your corny keg works. gas in, beer out.

Great idea. I wonder if they fit a speidel though?


Edit: checked today. Nope, carboy top is much bigger than speidel