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skyfire322

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When I was grabbing my last sample out of the carboy, I used the standard wine thief and found it to be a little awkward/messy when getting it angled just the right way (around the neck portion) without dribbling it around the floor.

At that moment the light bulb went off. What if I got a large (100ml) syringe, cut off small section of tubing, and just fed it through the hole of the bung?

Has anyone tried this or something similar before?
 
When I was grabbing my last sample out of the carboy, I used the standard wine thief and found it to be a little awkward/messy when getting it angled just the right way (around the neck portion) without dribbling it around the floor.

At that moment the light bulb went off. What if I got a large (100ml) syringe, cut off small section of tubing, and just fed it through the hole of the bung?

Has anyone tried this or something similar before?

Im 100% with you on the syringe thing, i hate using wine theifs, there awkward and drip, in fact im not even sure the correct way to use a wine thief, syphon using your mouth? With all the sanitary rules we follow that doesnt work for me, i have a racking system that holds 12 carboys in 2 rows so unless i remove the carboy off the rack (which i dont like doing unless i have too) tipping the carboy is not an option for me. I dont even remove the carboys to rerack, i use a vaccuum pump and vac rack it to an empty carboy on the rack, i also bottle from the rack so i never have to lift the full glass carboys. I use a 60cc syringe, its clean, no drips, pulls a good sample, and there cheap and any pharmacy, under $1 each.
I tryed the 100cc as well but the beauty of the 60cc is the syringe body fits inside the top of the carboy. Two pulls off a 60cc is enough to fill your hydrometer test tube, one pull is enough to fill 2 shot glasses for a taste test, one for you and one for your better half. :)

IMG_3924.jpg
 
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I'm surprised I don't see my cheat here. I use my bottle filler wand, spring loaded, and without touching the tip slide it into the carboy upside down, push the tip for a second and it usually fills all the way up. hold it over your glass and push the tip again and it runs right out.
Mike

I like that idea. Now we understand your forum name.
 
I'm surprised I don't see my cheat here. I use my bottle filler wand, spring loaded, and without touching the tip slide it into the carboy upside down, push the tip for a second and it usually fills all the way up. hold it over your glass and push the tip again and it runs right out.
Mike

I never would have thought of that! Great idea!
 
A high quality wine thief will have a non-drip stopper at the end, just like a filler wand. My thief:

2014-01-13-13-50-51.jpg


2014-01-13-13-41-05.jpg
 
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