For example, a reading of 1.072 is called "ten-seventy-two.". She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. Or, use this calculator: Temperatures also have an effect on the readings, as I will explain a bit later… The alcohol by volume tells brewers how much alcohol is in their brews. Commercial breweries use more exact conversion formulas, and conduct their own tests to calibrate the Brix scale based on various factors. Take the reading by viewing the scale through the liquid, and adjusting your line of sight until it is in the plane of the horizontal liquid surface. If this website has helped you in your research or winemaking pursuits, and you wish to support our continued expert input, thank you so much. CG = MG * ( (1.00130346 – 0.000134722124 * TR + 0.00000204052596 * TR – 0.00000000232820948 * TR) / (1.00130346 – 0.000134722124 * TC + 0.00000204052596 * TC – 0.00000000232820948 * TC)) A hydrometer with the Plato scale gives you the result directly: one degree Plato = 1% of sucrose by weight. Actual Temperature of spirit is 30°C; Observed Hydrometer reading s 93%; Actual Hydrometer reading = 93 % – (0.33*10°C = 90.7 % abv; If you recall from using the table above are results were 91 % abv . The hydrometer measures the specific gravity (density or weight) before fermentation starts and the reading is noted. The simplest device used to measure the degree of flotation is a hydrometer. For example, a result of 1.050 means the liquid is 1.050 times as dense as water. Old hydrometers are calibrated to (59° F / 15° C) and newer ones are typically (68° F / 20° C). Take a reading, then refer to the hydrometer chart below. https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/how-to-take-an-accurate-hydrometer-reading/, http://www.morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue1.3/manning.html, http://byo.com/stories/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-techniques, http://byo.com/hops/item/1313-refractometers, http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/02/04/beer-styles-original-gravity-and-final-gravity-chart/, http://learn.kegerator.com/specific-gravity/, https://byo.com/mead/item/411-calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-techniques, https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/2497/Math_in_Mash_SummerZym95.pdf, https://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-muses/defining-gravity, http://howtobrew.com/book/appendices/appendix-a/using-hydrometers, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. View the most popular hydrometer on amzn. Look on your hydrometer (or its instructions) and it should tell you. It depends on what are you measure. A hydrometer is a straightforward device that measures the density of a liquid comparing it to water. If precision is extremely important, rinse the container with a small amount of the liquid before adding the full sample. A hydrometer that uses the Plato or Balling scale will read 0.00º. % of people told us that this article helped them. Lower the hydrometer into the liquid and stir it around gently, but make sure it doesn’t touch the sides of the container. If you get a higher reading, your liquid is heavier than water, and if you get a lower reading, it’s lighter. Then look up the specific gravity in the following table to find the Depth of Discharge (DOD) of … References. This article has been viewed 132,862 times. I have been making wine for a number of years and I’ve always had trouble taking hydrometer readings. That said, the liquid in your battery probably isn’t at this ideal temperature. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. There are many different hydrometer designs with varying ranges and calibration units, But this won't include the shipping costs unless you have a brewery nearby. If testing homebrewed wort, do not contaminate it with a non-sanitized thermometer. This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA. TC = calibration temperature of hydrometer. To take readings, you also need a hydrometer jar, which is often also a measuring cylinder. This is the initial specific gravity or original specific gravity or called OG original gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000. Voltages and Specific Gravity are listed for a 6-volt or 12-volt battery, and battery banks of 24 and 48 volts. To convert (roughly) from specific gravity to Plato, subtract 1, then divide by 0.004. Hydrometer Usage and Specific Gravity Tables Hydrometry Hydrometry (Hydro - water, metry/meter - measure) use the principles of buoyancy or flotation to measure liquid densities. Just measure the specific gravity of the must and add sugar to the level of alcohol you wish. Most newer hydrometers are calibrated for 68 degrees (F). The Balling and Brix scales measure the sugar concentration in a solution, but the units are close enough to the Plato scale that you can use them interchangeably for home brewing. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 If your hydrometer is calibrated for 60ºF (15.6ºC), use the following chart when measuring at different temperatures. How should I handle it when FG is higher than the OG? Multiply the Plato measurement by 0.004 and add 1 for a specific gravity estimate that's close enough for homebrewing purposes. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. Thank you very much. Plenty of information on everything to do with hydrometers:- how to use them, how to know which one is right for your purpose, and where to buy them from. The specific gravity of wort (called original gravity or OG by brewers) varies greatly. This will indicate the natural sugar content in the must. Because the density of fluids changes as their temperature changes if you don’t measure your specific gravity at your hydrometers calibration temperature you’re going to get an inaccurate reading. A reading is then taken by looking at a scale, marked on the stem, where the surface of the liquid matches the scale. Update - August 2012 This calculator now supports different hydrometer calibrations. If you measure pure distilled water at the calibration temperature it should give you a reading of precisely 1.000. To read a hydrometer, pour a sample of the liquid you want to test into a clean, transparent container. You aren't testing the salt content per se, you're testing the density of the water compared to ideal, pure water. I put together the following battery state of charge chart which indicates the state-of-charge (percent) as it relates to battery voltage or specific gravity. CG = corrected gravity. For a general adjustment, add 0.040 to the specific gravity reading for every 10 °F (6 °C) above the ideal temperature, and subtract the same amount for every 10 °F (6 °C) below the ideal. Prior to fermentation your beer, cider, or wine will contain sugars which will make the liquid more dense and so the hydrometer will float higher in the … Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If the measurement is too low, attach tape, nail polish, or any other material to increase the weight until the measurement is correct. The most used equation is: However, these are not used too often anymore. The calibration temperature is usually printed on the scale of the hydrometer so it is important to check this when using your hydrometer. If the meniscus remains unchanged as the hydrometer rises and falls, then the hydrometer and liquid surface are clean, and a reading can be taken. It compares the density of the liquid to the density of water, so the result is in the form of a ratio or percentage. Float your hydrometer and write down the reading you get. Most homebrew hydrometer… actually touches the hydrometer stem. The hydrometer is calibrated at 60F so there will need to be a temperature correction to get a more accurate reading. Specific gravity for liquids is nearly always measured with respect to water at its densest (at 4 °C or 39.2 °F); for gases, the reference is air at room temperature (20 °C or 68 °F).