Amount of liquid needed for an alcometer?

Boots · Post by **Boots** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:32 pm

I just tried to use my alcometer to see what my abv was on my first test run, but I only collected about 400 ml, which I guess is not enough to float the thing. Is there a minimum amount of liquid needed. I did the spoon burn and it was nice and blue, only getting a little beard at the very end of the burn, which I guess is a pretty good thing.
Thanks

TRANSPLANTED HILLBILLY · Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:14 pm

400 ml is more than enuff in the right sized vessel

. I use a 50ml cylinder when i measure close to cuts filled to around 40ml so the hyrometer doesn't displace my nectar all over the floor. I also have a 250 ml for measuring larger samples.

I am, however; close enuff to a city large enuff to have a chemistry hobby store. So the gathering of such items is pretty easy.

see if the wife or the like, has a clear small diameter flower vase that you could,
um,

borrow

. preferably clear smooth glass.

Hope this helps

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:08 am

You need something like this:
http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18656" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

But preferably glass.

Cheers,
J

Hackers · Post by **Hackers** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:33 am

In my experience you are OK if you have a 100ml test tube and your ABV is less than about 50% otherwise your sample may not be large enough.

Cheers

Grant

Post by **golden pond** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:00 am

As long as it floats, it will read. I use glass test tubes with a base at the bottom.

Boots · Post by **Boots** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:24 am

Thanks. I think I can track something down that will work.

sherriff Buffoerd pusser · Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:14 am

Dont use a plastic wine test tube as in picture it will eat glue from bottom and turn tube itself cloudy also has a very funky chemical smell to it.

I got one of the daughters to borrow me a glass test tube from high school chem class it works well.

Boots · Post by **Boots** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:18 am

Defnitely no plastic. There's all kinds of medical supply stores near my house, cuz I live in geezerville, I'm sure I can grab a test tube from one of them, or at least search around the house and come up with something.

Watershed · Post by **Watershed** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:02 am

I used to get away with a 25ml ultra narrow cylinder until I dropped it.
I'm thinking of making one in copper - it would still be readable if I filled it to the brim.

Boots · Post by **Boots** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:36 am

Gonna have to grab something this weekend, I have the results of my first run that I want to test, and then I want to do my real stripping run this weekend. I really have no sense of smell too, like none, I couldn't even smell anything on the wine distillation, but it burned really blue. I don't think I'm going to be able to tell heads, tails, or nuthin without the alcometer.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:29 am

I made a nice one out of the stainless dip tube from a keg. (after using a plastic version one time...) Just a few minutes with a hacksaw and you can cut it off 8 inches or so below the valve... just turn it over and the valve end makes a good base. It's a little large and you have to fill it all the way to read. Have to set it into a jar to collect all the run off. Work too hard to use that as counter polish... anyhow, it'll get you buy till you can find a nice glass one.

These guys has some awhile back...

http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Boots · Post by **Boots** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:04 pm

That's a cool site. I have more access to getting a test tube than a keg, unfortunately, but I'm sure that if I need to, a quick trip to home depot would yield something.