Antifreeze hydrometer

[ericmark]

I have a proper wine hydrometer however to use I need to extract wine or beer and put it into a long narrow jar to float the hydrometer in so when I saw Lidi was selling antifreeze hydrometers thought they were worth a try. Problem is of cause calibrated in degs centigrade at which mixture will freeze but would make a good pipette anyway.

So mixed some sugar and water to test -25 deg = approx 1.045 so scale is usable sure I can find exact what the -40 to -10 relates to so next was water at which it sinks completely so slowly added water to sugar water mix until point where it just sinks. Then measured with proper wine hydrometer and reads 1.008 so not much good for wine but great to test beer until float sinks not ready to bottle.

Main point so easy to use with a bulb and pipette squeeze and read wish I could buy a beer hydrometer built into pipette but when I asked at wine making outlet they looked at me as if I had two heads and wanted to sell me jars and pipette that did not even have a drawing bulb built in.

Thoughts please and has anyone got a deg C to Alcohol or S.G. conversion for antifreeze hydrometer?

 

[Diggerg]

I might be wrong but the temps on an antifreeze hydrometer indicate the temp range that your coolant will provide protection in. Eg down to -40.

 

[ericmark]

You are correct however the device has a range of about 1.050 to 1.008 about two inches between two so within the range used for beer and much easier to use all I need now is a conversion table between the two.

 

[chrig]

You could calibrate it using your normal wine hydrometer, but with practice they are easy enough o use

 

[ericmark]

Hydrometer marked in degs C which seems to relate to at 20 degs C
Sinks = 1.008 by experiment
-10 = 1.034
-15 = 1.042
-20 = 1.058
-25 = 1.066 or 1.045 by experiment
-30 = 1.075
Conversion taken from here http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/coupe/servic ... p@id=12106
Blue plastic must weigh more than yellow plastic so trimming some off the blue would allow it to float higher giving a zero mark but with such a short scale quick check yes will work but sinking at 1.008 likely good enough for what I want ABV% I work out from (Sugar + weight of concentrate / 2.5)/20/Litres of water no real need for hydrometer so using must sink before I bottle is enough.

However one flaw in the idea makes it totally unworkable. Bubbles. On trying with beer rather than sugar water mix I found the bubbles in the beer attach to the hydrometer and give wildly inaccurate results. Tap the hydrometer and yes released and it falls but just too easy to make a mistake.

Before and after tapping side of hydrometer note bubbles on the before clearly knocks this idea on the head.

 

[calumscott]

I don't understand why you'd want such a thing for beer...

... Surely the real reason for checking the gravity of beer is to have a cheeky snifter before it's ready???

 

[Fil]

100ml 0.4% of a 25l batch, but if desperate to sup every last drop there is this lil gizmo..

http://www.copperkettlehomebrewing.co.u ... ity-tester

i got one and its stayed at the bottom of the brewbox since as i draw my samples out of a tap anyway

 

[bobsbeer]

Just get a turkey baster to draw your sample. They are pretty cheap.

 

[Ceejay]

I don't understand why you'd want such a thing for beer...

... Surely the real reason for checking the gravity of beer is to have a cheeky snifter before it's ready???

That properly made me chuckle! Right on! :lol: :drink:

 

[evanvine]

100ml = 3.5oz = 0.175 pints. :shock:
I pour my samples back! :whistle:

 

[calumscott]

100ml = 3.5oz = 0.175 pints. :shock:
I pour my samples back! :whistle:

I pour my samples back...

...back to my throat!!!

Not a drop wasted!