15 replies to this topic

[No Party JKor]

The other day I pulled a thick yeasty sample from my wee heavy and it was looking like it was going to be a while before I was able to read it, so I decided to try running it through a coffee filter to clear the yeast out. It took longer than I expected to filter through (1/2 hr or so) but the result was a crystal clear sample. It's definitely unnecessary, but I like having a clear sample. I think I'm going to keep using this method.

[Mya]

I am not saying you are insane or anything, but that is pretty anal

[pete maz]

Huh, interesting idea. Maybe you could run it thru one of those reusable screen coffee filters, and get most of the larger solids & foam out that way. It'd be a lot quicker, but obviously wouldn't be crystal clear.

[No Party JKor]

I like seeing what the fermenting beer looks like without all the gunk in it. I didn't expect the coffee filters to be fine enough to clear it out, but they really do a great job.

[No Party JKor]

Huh, interesting idea. Maybe you could run it thru one of those reusable screen coffee filters, and get most of the larger solids & foam out that way. It'd be a lot quicker, but obviously wouldn't be crystal clear.

Yeah, I'll probably try that as well, as my coffee maker has one of the gold mesh filters.

[zymot]

Years ago, tre was an epic thread on the board of green about this subject.Bottom line, yeast does not affect the OG reading of a sample any more than poodles in your swimming pool affects the density of the water in teh swimming pool.I did a search but could not locate the original thread.

[Mya]

I like seeing what the fermenting beer looks like without all the gunk in it. I didn't expect the coffee filters to be fine enough to clear it out, but they really do a great job.

I suppose it at the very least will give you an advanced look at the finished appearance

[No Party JKor]

I'm not worried about it affecting the gravity, I just thought it was cool the sample came out really clear and I decided that I kinda like that. Also, you don't get the super yeasty flavors when you drink the sample, so you get a better idea of where the beer really is, taste-wise.Yeast will affect the gravity at some point, but it rarely gets to that level for homebrewers unless you're trying to take the gravity of a thick slurry for some reason.

[Stuster]

Years ago, tre was an epic thread on the board of green about this subject.Bottom line, yeast does not affect the OG reading of a sample any more than poodles in your swimming pool affects the density of the water in teh swimming pool.I did a search but could not locate the original thread.

What a great thread that was. Hopefully not gone to the great threadheap in the sky. Perhaps filtering poodles out of your wort sample might help though. At least they won't drink it all before you get to check the OG.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

What a great thread that was. Hopefully not gone to the great threadheap in the sky. Perhaps filtering poodles out of your wort sample might help though. At least they won't drink it all before you get to check the OG.

I believe I was on the "trub and yeasties" in suspension don't affect gravity readings and yes, it was heated. How did it end up getting settled?

[ChefLamont]

Seeing and tasting the hydrometer sample is something I miss since going to a refractometer. However, with the ease of it, I will make the sacrifice.

[zymot]

I believe I was on the "trub and yeasties" in suspension don't affect gravity readings and yes, it was heated. How did it end up getting settled?

I couldn't find it. It appears to have been lost to one of the crashes.As I recall. Some of us were convinced that only molecules dissolved in the liquid affect the gravity reading and that trub and yeast do not count as dissolved.Others could not get around seeing all that stuff and thinking that it has to help push up a hydrometer.Here we have the perfect chance to do a dynamic experiment.JKovaros can take an OG reading with the yeast stuff in the sample, filter per his normal process, take a second OG reading and compare the numbers.I bet they are the same.zymot

[MolBasser]

Years ago, tre was an epic thread on the board of green about this subject.Bottom line, yeast does not affect the OG reading of a sample any more than poodles in your swimming pool affects the density of the water in teh swimming pool.I did a search but could not locate the original thread.

This.MolBasser

[Mya]

This.MolBasser

that thread was indeed epicalmost as epic as the CO2 thread

[ChefLamont]

It was no Huggie-weizen though.

[japh]

Seeing and tasting the hydrometer sample is something I miss since going to a refractometer. However, with the ease of it, I will make the sacrifice.

I still take a larger sample with my refractometer. Tasting is half of the measurement!