Alcohol Hydrometers

E K Brewer

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There are a lot of sets of three hydrometers on the market at the moment. These apparently measure alcohol potential not specific gravity. I believe that these are designed for wine making and therefore assume that the final gravity is around 1.000. In order to measure the SG, I assume that you convert the alcohol reading to SG, assuming a final gravity of 1.000. Am I right? The advantage of these is that they split the alcohol (or SG) range into three, and therefore the measuring scales are much larger than the standard single hydrometer.
 
If you're talking about the "triple scale" hydrometer, it has the alcohol scale, a Brix scale generally equivalent to Plato, and a specific gravity scale. I don't know why you would use the alcohol scale in brewing.
 
No, the ones I've seen advertised (Amazon etc) only seem to have an alcohol scale. You're right, you wouldn't want to use the alcohol scale otherwise.
 
No, the ones I've seen advertised (Amazon etc) only seem to have an alcohol scale. You're right, you wouldn't want to use the alcohol scale otherwise.
You may have a different Amazon feed in the UK, but I did a quick check and found several triple-scale hydrometers on Amazon. Most in the $US 10-15 range. These were showing specific gravity, potential alcohol, and Brix. Try a search for triple scale hydrometer.
 
You may have a different Amazon feed in the UK, but I did a quick check and found several triple-scale hydrometers on Amazon. Most in the $US 10-15 range. These were showing specific gravity, potential alcohol, and Brix. Try a search for triple scale hydrometer.
Thanks will do!
 
Thanks will do!
I've just checked triple scale hydrometers. They are single hydrometers with three scales. I'm looking at sets of three hydrometers, one covers 0 to 40, one 40 to 70, and one 70 to 1000 "degrees of alcohol". Makes such as Sodial and KKmoon. Chinese I believe. Maybe Trump's banned them in the US!
 
I've just checked triple scale hydrometers. They are single hydrometers with three scales. I'm looking at sets of three hydrometers, one covers 0 to 40, one 40 to 70, and one 70 to 1000 "degrees of alcohol". Makes such as Sodial and KKmoon. Chinese I believe. Maybe Trump's banned them in the US!
Ah, the precision sets! Those are made for more of a scientific purpose than brewing. I have two, a triple scale and a finishing hydrometer. Now that I have my refractometer correction spreadsheet (and the calculator here on BF), I use neither of them routinely. I don't know how to convert "degrees of alcohol" to specific gravity and would advise against using these for brewing unless you can find a correction.

Hydrometers measure density of the liquid, period. All that matters is the scale inside of the glass.
 
Are you talking about the little thingy that more or less works like a pipette?
Like this one? Sorry, couldn't find one with an English description. Maybe google translate can help?
https://www.braumarkt.com/vinometer-0-25-klasse-ii
vinometer-0-25-klasse2_3.jpg


They won't work with beer because of the sugar content....
 
I've just checked triple scale hydrometers. They are single hydrometers with three scales. I'm looking at sets of three hydrometers, one covers 0 to 40, one 40 to 70, and one 70 to 1000 "degrees of alcohol". Makes such as Sodial and KKmoon. Chinese I believe. Maybe Trump's banned them in the US!

We call what you describe,distiller's hydrometers.

Sets of precision gravity testing hydrometers are also available. The are made for different SG ranges, and used for beer, wine, cider and mead.
Perhaps your Queen or PM have banned them in the UK
 
We call what you describe,distiller's hydrometers.

Sets of precision gravity testing hydrometers are also available. The are made for different SG ranges, and used for beer, wine, cider and mead.
Perhaps your Queen or PM have banned them in the UK

You can pick these up individual too. I got the finishing one to ease the eyes when reading FG they are VERY fragile. Ask my brew partner:(;)
 

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