Newbie question Measuring SG

[Jenny P]

I am new here! I just started my very first batch of wine over the weekend. I am making just 1 gallon of Gooseberry wine. When it comes to measuring the SG, How do you do it? I have the meter, but it's too tall for the 2-gallon container I am using. Do I need to buy something or is there another way to do it?

Thank you

 

[RPh_Guy]

Option 1: Gently pour it into your sample cylinder. Use a funnel.
Option 2: Español.
Option 3: Use a wine thief or sample thief. Some can fit a hydrometer, otherwise transfer to your sample cylinder.
Option 4: Use a turkey baster to transfer.
Option 5: Use an auto-siphon to transfer.

I use the hydrometer container to hold the sample, or you can get a graduated cylinder of some kind.

Make sure to sanitize everything touching the wine. You can pour the sample back after the reading.

Make sure your hydrometer is calibrated and you adjust readings for temperature when appropriate.

Cheers

 

[Jenny P]

Option 1: Gently pour it into your sample cylinder. Use a funnel.
Option 2: Español.
Option 3: Use a wine thief or sample thief. Some can fit a hydrometer, otherwise transfer to your sample cylinder.
Option 4: Use a turkey baster to transfer.
Option 5: Use an auto-siphon to transfer.

I use the hydrometer container to hold the sample, or you can get a graduated cylinder of some kind.

Make sure to sanitize everything touching the wine. You can pour the sample back after the reading.

Make sure your hydrometer is calibrated and you adjust readings for temperature when appropriate.

Cheers

Thank you but this doesn't answer my question, What to use as a sample cylinder? And do I need to buy one of these or are there alternatives?

 

[Mallerstang]

It's a tall thin plastic container made for this purpose - they are cheap and you should be able to get one at any winemaking supply store or website.

If you google "wine hydrometer cylinder" you'll find pictures. You can improvise with anything that's tall enough to float the hydrometer. A turkey baster from the dollar store is handy for transferring the sample.

 

[RPh_Guy]

My hydrometer came in a cylindrical container. That's what I use.
There are also graduated cylinders or cylindrical sample containers made for this purpose.

As @Mallerstang said, check your supply store if your hydrometer didn't come with a suitable container.

 

[bernardsmith]

and if you sanitize all your equipment properly you can pour back the sample after measuring the gravity. In other words, there is no loss of wine just because you are measuring a sample. Brewers of beer are more anxious abot returning samples to their fermenters. Wine and mead makers are far more relaxed and laid back about such things - for good reason. Lactic bacterial infections are not a likely problem for wine makers.

 

[Jenny P]

Thank you all, I have a vessel on order. The container that my hydrometer came in has a piece of foam in it I can NOT remove. The newest brew supply store is over 100 miles away, so I have to do everything via the net.