One of the versatile and popular tools used in winemaking is the hydrometer. The hydrometer is a measuring instrument that you suspend in a sample of wine to determine the "specific gravity" or its density, relative to the water. However, many newbies do not know how to read a hydrometer.
A change in specific gravity indicates that there is metabolization or fermentation of the wine, making it a useful device in monitoring bioprocesses. Most hydrometers come with two or three measurements, most commonly at the SP.GR (specific gravity range, or simply SG) and the potential alcohol by volume scale.
Moreover, some hydrometers also come with a Balling or Brix scale, which measures the percentage of sugar from the fermentation of the wine, so you can read a hydrometer to measure those variables.
Read a hydrometer, why is that confusing sometimes?
Many winemaking novices frequently ask how to read a hydrometer. It is a recurring question because they do not know the measurement scales.
Additionally, they are confused with all the information in the instrument, or because they do not know their correct use. That is why in this video we want to share an example of the best way.
In conclusion, now that you have learned to read a hydrometer, learn a little more about its types, and master, for instance, the selection of the most appropriate in each case. If you want to buy one for your home or your business, here we have selected an easy-to-understand explanatory video.
This instrument is not a recent innovation. It is a device that even the Greeks and Romans used, and it is precisely based on the Archimedean principle. From the flotation, an indispensable instrument in the elaboration of wine at home is derived.
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