hydrometer/alcoholmeter questions

hillbilly21 · Post by **hillbilly21** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:06 am

howdy y'all
i just recieved my shipment from brewhaus. my question is, what would be the best way to test them. i tried it on some yukon jack at 20 degree c, but for some reason the readings were not right. anyone have any opinions on why they didnt work correctly?

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:18 am

What was your reading? Is the hydrometer triple scale or what?

If I remember correctly, Yukon Jack is sweetened isn't it? In that case the sugar in the liquor will throw off an alcohol content reading because of the suspended sugar.

Try it on vodka, or any other non-sweetened 40% ABV drink, and see if it works.

If your liquid has no suspended solids (or sugar) in it, it will read less than 1.000 on the hydrometer. Water is 1.000. Wine is just a little below that -- something aroung 0.990

Aidas

hillbilly21 · Post by **hillbilly21** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:34 am

thanks for the reply aidas. i tried on vodka and it worked correctly. these are the two that i have. i dont know if they are triple scale or what. maybe you can tell mehttp://www.brewhaus.com/Alcoholmeter_25cm_p/30001583.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.brewhaus.com/Oeschlemeter_Hy ... 001625.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

hornedrhodent · Post by **hornedrhodent** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:21 am

The first one is for measuring the alcohol content of distillate. It becomes less accurate as the alcohol level decreases. It is only good for alcohol water mixtures - If using for a hooch with added sugar measure the A/V before adding the sugar and other ingredients and calculate the final A/V.

The second one is for measuring the amount of sugar in your wash before and after fermentation and calculating the A/V of the wash. It can be affected by other non-sugar stuff in your wash. Thick gunky pulp may prevent it sinking to the proper level - filter a sample before taking reading . Dissolved CO2 after fermentation may deposit bubbles on the hydrometer - make sure you spin it to dislodge bubbles - If bubbles are forming as fast as you spin them off it hasn't finished fermenting.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:23 am

Never did understand what those Oeschlemeters are all about. SG is so much easier, plus most of the winemaking and distilling literature use SG (specific gravity) as a benchmark.

Get yourself a triple scal hydrometer (they cost about 7 bucks). It has the SG scale, Brix scale (old fashioned to my mind, but still used), and, if I'm not mistaken, a potential alchohol scale. All the info you need on one incredibly fragile instrument... (yes,, I've broken more than a couple...)

Good luck!

Aidas

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:25 am

By the way, if you don't know what SG means, you really need to read more on the parent site or generally more about winemakng and such.

SG= specific gravity.

Hope I helped!

Aidas