Home Distiller

I bought a hydrometer to find the proofs of a honey liqueur, a spiced rum, and a bourbon I've made. I started with the honey liqueur and realized that the sugar content is changing the specific gravity of the liquid to the point that I couldn't find the proof.

Also, I've added small amounts of glycerine to both the spiced rum and the bourbon (5ml/Liter). Won't this also throw off the hydrometer?

How do I use the hydrometer to find the proof of these thicker-than-usual products I've made?

Thanks!

You can't.

There is an equation or way to do it, I'll see if I can find it.

Here you go.

http://www.ttb.gov/foia/gauging_manual_ ... 25.4.504.2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Basically your going to need a small lab still. The term is obscuration, or proof obscuration.

Or just figure it out by volumes used.

If you add 100ml of sugar to 100ml of 50% ABV you would get 200 ml of 25%. This would get you close enough for what we do.

Yeah, I've already estimated it by volume but figured it'd be nice to be spot-on.

So even that small amount of glycerin would make it unreadable?

Thanks for your input guys

its not so much the thickness ,its the diferance in pacific gravaty or weight of displacement.
so unless you add something with the same weight as water a hydrometer will not be correct.

Ok, but just to be clear, you're all saying that adding 5ml/liter of glycerin will make the alcohol proof unreadable by a hydrometer?

Yes he is. Anything but water and alcohol will skew the readings.