Hydrometer how to test/use

I got a Hydrometer and I really have no idea how to use it..

Do you need a tube to use it or the plastic tube the hydrometer comes in?

Am I looking for the gray stuff at the bottom of the Hydromter to slide up the tube?

which end goes into the cider first?

You can use the plastic sleeve it came in, but that's not ideal. You should buy a hydrometer test jar, which is like that plastic sleeve with a nice flat bottom. Just pull the sample out of the carboy (you use a sanitized wine theif, or I use a sanitized turkey baster and fill it up about 3/4 of the way. Then, gently place the hydrometer inside. If it isn't floating, add some more wine or cider until it is. Spin it a little to make sure it's free floating and not stuck to the sides. Read the level of the the liquid straight across. It's easier if you leave it on the counter and bend over to eye level to read it. That's the sg.

Will add a test jar to my christmas wish list... along with a pail opening tool

Mine is reading 1.00

I didn't get a beginning reading, so have nothing to compare it.. next time a little better prepared...

Got a good taste to it,

One thing to keep in mind Sandee, is that the Hydrometer measurement is temperature dependent. So depending on what temperature your cider is will affect the reading (albeit slightly at cool temperatures). There are charts for this correction all over, but you need to know what temperature your's is calibrated at if you want to use a correction. The two commonly available calibration temperatures are 60 °F and 68 °F.

Also there are different scales on your Hydrometer. One represents degrees Plato and the other is Specific Gravity. Most commonly used around here is Specific Gravity, although there is nothing wrong with using Plato.

Here is a good explanation

zoebisch01 said:

One thing to keep in mind Sandee, is that the Hydrometer measurement is temperature dependent. So depending on what temperature your cider is will affect the reading (albeit slightly at cool temperatures). There are charts for this correction all over, but you need to know what temperature your's is calibrated at if you want to use a correction. The two commonly available calibration temperatures are 60 °F and 68 °F.

Click to expand...

Every hydrometer I've seen in the store (and the one I have) came with a little instruction sheet that included a temperature reconciliation chart. Basically it'll tell you how much sSG (specific gravity) to add to your reading based upon the temperature of your liquid.

HTH!
alow

When i was using a hydro, I didn't have a test jar either. So I bought a really long wine theif and took my reading in that.