BeerBorg

Starting to take gravity readings instead of waiting the three weeks...

Went from a 1.046 to 1.014 in 7 days for a simple Canadian Blonde, this sound normal?

Also is it cool to just put the sanitized hydrometer right into the ale pale to get a reading?

That looks to be about right. Check it again in 7 more days and let things clear and settle a bit.
I know plenty of folks that just drop a sanitized hyrdometer into the bucket but I use a wine thief. It only takes a bit of beer and you can get a good taste as well.Of course, anytime you open the lid, you have a slight risk of a problem though I wouldn't stress about it.
I don't even check mine until after 2 weeks but that's me.

I would still have to remove the top as my fermentation bucket doesn't have a spigot.

Wine Thief?

jimmypirate wrote:I would still have to remove the top as my fermentation bucket doesn't have a spigot.

Wine Thief?

A thief or wine thief lets you remove some liquit from the top...

I use this one... 'The Thief' by Fermtech

I sanitize it, drop a sanitized hydrometer into it, then insert into my fermenter.

There is a pin valve on the bottom end that holds the liquid in, and if you press the pin against the side of the fermenter (or glass if you intend to drink the sample, I often do!), it lets the liquid back out, still safe as it was always in the sanitized thief!

They are like $9...



Product Description
"The Thief". Large plastic wine thief takes one large sample tor testing, hydrometer may then be placed in thief to take reading; sample then may be returned to carboy by gently touching inside of carboy.