I know that wash meters range from ~0.990 to around ~1.150 in specific gravity, but what are the ranges for distilled alcohol?
Because Im guessing I cant use them to measure the other liquid
Where I live nobody sells distilled alcohol hydrometers, so, is there another way to measure %alc after distillation? Other than using a guessmeter
And, finally, I think Im going to buy something like this from eBay. Looks legit enough. With everything going on in Ukraine I only hope that it arrives here
You should be able to get a high proof alcohlometer from a wine makers/brew shop supply store locally. buying them mail order is safe, except they are fragile.
If worried about "the man", buy a generic specific gravity hydrometer from a lab supply. Look up the range of specific gravities of interest, make a chart to translate SG into proof.
Those flush with cash or doing serious lab work buy sets of hydrometers to cover a range with extreme accuracy. For example, rather than one hydrometer to cover 0.970 to 1.100, there is a cased set where each hydrometer covers a range that overlaps the next, like 0.970 to 0.990, etc. But that's overkill for what we do.
One good hydrometer that might appeal is one that covers only say 180 proof to azeotrope, for those seeking maximum purity.
You know, no one has answered the SG ranges for high proof alcohol...
EDIT: Nevermind, according to Wikipedia ethanol has Density=0.789 g/cm3 (at 25°C)
For a potstill I guess a 0.800-1.000 should do it
Last edited by Asedefecio on Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
planethax wrote:Because there isn't.
The yeast eat the sugar so high proof alc wont have any.
Alcometers range from 0 to 100%
Are you referring to the annoying but inevitable fact of life that we cannot directly measure alcohol in a finished ferment? Only infer it? We can measure starting SG/Brix, then ending SG, and from there calculate ABV, but there's no way that I know of, no special hydrometer, that you can drop into a finished ferment and have it directly read alcohol. Too many variables, suspended yeasties and solids, remnant sugars, etc. At least that's what I've gathered from my study.
Asedefecio wrote:You know, no one has answered the SG ranges for high proof alcohol...
EDIT: Nevermind, according to Wikipedia ethanol has Density=0.789 g/cm3 (at 25°C)
For a potstill I guess a 0.800-1.000 should do it
I answered before the edit
but now question seems more confusing.
I was under the impression the question was
How to use SG Hydrometer to measure the END High Proof alcohol????
A hydrometer measures (relative) liquid density. I say "relative" because it is calibrated to a specific reference density, like h2O @ 60F, for example. Your ferment hydrometer measures the original gravity (OG) density relative to water, thereby giving a measure of the increase in density due to the sugars (or whatever other solids might be in your mash).
Now, ferment it out "dry" and there will be less (hopefully) sugar and more alcohol in with the water. The finishing gravity (FG) now represents the density lost due to the sugar fermentation. But, the alcohol is lighter than water so it too has the effect of lowering the FG reading slightly. However, the reading is not significantly offset by the low alcohol content. So, the OG minus FG readings give you the "potential alcohol" content in the ferment (some math involved here).
Now, the Proof-Traile is a specific hydrometer that measures higher concentrations of the aqueous alcohol mixtures. As a result, it is calibrated up to 200 proof (100% ABV). It measures only alcohol and water, and not any residual solids. So it is useful only when measuring the distillate off the still. Any post-run additives, adjuncts or flavors can offset the alcometer's accuracy.
Both hydrometers are valuable tools in this hobby. Gettum' & learn how to use 'em.
And as a side note to the measure of sugars in a solution, the refractometer measures the actual sugars by indexing the light refraction through the solution. More sugars in the solution results in greater light refraction. The refractometer can only be used to measure the sugar content however, not alcohol. It is only useful when you start your mash and minimally thereafter (OK, you can check for sugars remaining during the ferment too).
One nice feature of the refractometer is that you can measure the sugar solution at any temperature and you don't have to recalibrate the readings. And it only requires a drop of the liquid to get the measurement, not 100ml or more.
I don't have one and have brewed for years without one. I have used one, however, when I brewed at our local brewpub, simply because they had one there.
still_stirrin wrote:For a little clarification on the subject:
A hydrometer measures (relative) liquid density. I say "relative" because it is calibrated to a specific reference density, like h2O @ 60F, for example. Your ferment hydrometer measures the original gravity (OG) density relative to water, thereby giving a measure of the increase in density due to the sugars (or whatever other solids might be in your mash).
Now, ferment it out "dry" and there will be less (hopefully) sugar and more alcohol in with the water. The finishing gravity (FG) now represents the density lost due to the sugar fermentation. But, the alcohol is lighter than water so it too has the effect of lowering the FG reading slightly. However, the reading is not significantly offset by the low alcohol content. So, the OG minus FG readings give you the "potential alcohol" content in the ferment (some math involved here).
Now, the Proof-Traile is a specific hydrometer that measures higher concentrations of the aqueous alcohol mixtures. As a result, it is calibrated up to 200 proof (100% ABV). It measures only alcohol and water, and not any residual solids. So it is useful only when measuring the distillate off the still. Any post-run additives, adjuncts or flavors can offset the alcometer's accuracy.
Both hydrometers are valuable tools in this hobby. Gettum' & learn how to use 'em.
This is what I meant.
I don't have how to measure what's coming out of the still, besides how many drops are coming out, and taste raw from a still is not very accurate.
Therefore I can't dilute them to the desired oaking strength and whatnot
The answer, then, pick up a proof hydrometer calibrated for distilled spirits. They are all over the place. They work because distillation, by definition, produces an alcohol water mixture, does not carry over any dissolved solids like sugars. The distillate will have minute amounts of other volatiles, like flavor, and potentially bad things like foreshots, but not really enough to skew the readings.
