HYDROMETERS

The hydrometer is an important test instrument that will allow the winemaker or brewer to accurately determine the amount of sugar in the must at the beginning and end of fermentation. The unit of measure most commonly used is Specific Gravity. (Potential Alcohol and Percent Sugar can also be measured) Put the must, wort, wine or beer being tested into the included storage tube, one of our test jars with bases or the Fermtech Wine Thief. Gently float the hydrometer in the liquid being tested and give it a quick spin to remove any air bubbles. The level at which the hydrometer floats will tell you how much sugar is in the liquid expressed as Specific Gravity. Water has a Specific Gravity reading of 1.000. Liquids that are more dense than water (grape juice with high sugar levels) will have higher Specific Gravity readings. Liquids that are less dense than water (alcohol) will have lower Specific Gravity readings. This information is very useful to the winemaker as it will indicate whether the starting sugar level is correct for the style of wine and desired alcohol content. At the end of fermentation the hydrometer will verify that fermentation is complete. The Potential Alcohol Scale will allow you to calculate the approximate alcohol content of the finished wine before fermentation begins.