Description

Hydrometer for wine, beer and cider

The hydrometer is a simple but accurate device. It is essential in brewing if you want to check the progress of fermentation or determine the potential alcohol content.

Commonly made from glass, they have a wider base which holds a weight and a taller thin column with markings. A hydrometer simply measures the amount of sugar that is in a solution. The higher the it sticks out of the solution, the more sugar is present. The scale will usually start at 0.890 – at the top indicating no sugar in the solution. They can go as high as 1.150 – near the bottom indicating a lot of sugar in solution.

How to take a Hydrometer Reading

For taking a hydrometer reading, float it in the liquid either directly in the fermenter or in a sample inside a tall thin jar (trial jar) for ease of reading. Note the level of the liquid against the scale; people more commonly know this reading as the specific gravity (SG). Place the top on the bottom of the case and use it as a trial jar for the hydrometer.

Using the scale to adjust recipes

If you are making beer from grains (all grain brewing), using a hydrometer at the beginning to determine the SG will indicate whether you have sufficient sugars present to achieve the desired alcohol levels for your beer. The target reading usually appears in your recipe.

As the beer nears the end of fermentation, a hydrometer reading will indicate if the beer has finished its fermentation or if the beer has stalled in the fermentation process. This will prevent bottling whilst the beer is still too sweet, resulting in an over carbonated beer as it goes through the secondary fermentation process.

Calculation % alcohol

Using a hydrometer, you can calculate the %abv of your beer, wine or cider using this simple calculation. Take the original reading (OG) and deduct the final reading (FG) and divide the answer by 7.36. For example, if the starting gravity was 1045 and the final gravity was 1012, the calculation would be 1045-1012 = 33 / 7.36 = 4.48% abv.

Full instructions at www.harrishomecraft.com/downloads