Hydrometer & Accessories

A hydrometer is a simple yet effective tool for sugar testing in both must and wine. The juice or wine sample is placed in a tube called a "hydrometer jar" that has been sealed at one end. The hydrometer is then placed into the jar so it floats in the liquid. Depending on how dense the solution is (the more sugar the more dense it is) the hydrometer will float higher or lower in the liquid. The top half of the hydrometer is a graduated Brix scale and where the top of the liquid meets this scale gives your Brix measurement. 

Helpful Tips for using a hydrometer:

• Make sure the hydrometer is not touching the sides of the hydrometer jar when you take your reading. If it does, it could cause the hydrometer to stick and give a false reading.
• The density of a liquid changes as it heats or cools. Since a hydrometer measures the density of a liquid, this means that its accuracy will be affected by the temperature of the sample. Fortunately, most of our hydrometers come with a built-in thermometer/correction scale that tells your how much to add or subtract from the main Brix reading so your results remain accurate.
• Read from the bottom of the meniscus. Meniscus means "crescent" in Greek, and it refers to the fact that liquid will curve up a little on the edges of the hydrometer jar and the hydrometer itself. You want to take your reading from the bottom of the curve, not the top edge.