Hydrometer reading question

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Kenpachi Z

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Ok so i took a hydrometer reading on my meads and this is the sp gr section of the hydrometer the first mead reads right on the 50 mark and the second is this ( refer to pic ) so at the risk of asking a stupid question can someone tell me what it means ?
20210610_183029.jpg
 
Read the bottom of the curve at a level reading. Not from the top, not from the bottom, level.


honestly my orginal post i went on, and on about 13,15. settled on 14...

but anyway, i think for a honey wine it's got more fermenting to do, and maybe someone else can chime in on if maybe some nutes would help it?
 
I wrote level as the photo in this thread is from the top.


now i'm getting curious, so always look at it eye level?
but i'm not being helpful, honey is low on food for yeast but 100% fermentable, as far as i know. so it will go to 1.000 or less....i know when i've made cyser, honey and apple juice goes to like 0.995 or so....
 
SG 1.012. Depending on your OG it may or may not be done. You said the other reading was 50 mark? Was that the Starting (original)Gravity or OG?
You mean the OG the reading i took when i first made it or ? Because this would be the first as in the first time pretty much doing anything first 2 batches of mead as well
 
You mean the OG the reading i took when i first made it or ?


yes, and ethanol has a SG of like 0.78 or something. so when it's in water you can calculate ABV by first reading and last reading, most yeast can only handle 12-14%. why i would be curious about a refrac reading because ethanol, actually raise it and comparing the two will tell you how much alcohol is present....
 
Refrac ? But yeah i know to take a reading in the begining now but should i do that before or after pitching the yeast ? Wait the refrac do you mean that other meter ? I heard those don't work very well was i told wrong ?
 
Agreed it should be lower. We don't know how long it's been fermenting either. As they say in Vegas, let er ride!!!!
I've already racked from first to secondary so id say its been a little over 2 months
 
Refrac ? But yeah i know to take a reading in the begining now but should i do that before or after pitching the yeast ? Wait the refrac do you mean that other meter ? I heard those don't work very well was i told wrong ?
As soon as the year started to produce alcohol, they don't work reliably anymore. Just keep using the hydro and you're good.

First reading is done before pitching the yeast.
 
Ok thanks ...will do on both .... Another question so i understand this a little better ....so the closer to the top of the hydrometer is the lower the gravity right ? And what's better higher or lower gravity ? Im sure i sound like a greenhorn lol
 
Also on the hydrometer it has a part that says abv ( alcohol by volume ) why cant you use that to see the alcohol level ?
 
Also on the hydrometer it has a part that says abv ( alcohol by volume ) why cant you use that to see the alcohol level ?
Because you also have other stuff in solution that affects the gravity, not only alcohol and water. How should the scale know, how much of it?

Ok thanks ...will do on both .... Another question so i understand this a little better ....so the closer to the top of the hydrometer is the lower the gravity right ? And what's better higher or lower gravity ? Im sure i sound like a greenhorn lol

Yes, the deeper the hydrometer dips into the solution, the lower the gravity.

The lower the gravity, the less amount of sugar is in solution. The higher the gravity, the sweeter it tastes.

The yeast will continue to eat all sugars till the alcohol percentage is so high that the yeast cannot take it anymore and goes dormant. From them on, gravity stays stable and additional sugar won't be fermented, then it can be backsweetened, if necessary. Otherwise, the yeast would just eat additional sugars.
 
Im going to try to use black tea as my yeast nutrient this next batch of mead im fixing to make this weekend does anybody know how i should add for 1 gallon of must ?
 
Also does anybody have any recommendations for a better yeast nutrient ?
 
Because you also have other stuff in solution that affects the gravity, not only alcohol and water. How should the scale know, how much of it?



Yes, the deeper the hydrometer dips into the solution, the lower the gravity.

The lower the gravity, the less amount of sugar is in solution. The higher the gravity, the sweeter it tastes.

The yeast will continue to eat all sugars till the alcohol percentage is so high that the yeast cannot take it anymore and goes dormant. From them on, gravity stays stable and additional sugar won't be fermented, then it can be backsweetened, if necessary. Otherwise, the yeast would just eat additional sugars.
So is there a way to tell how much alcohol it has then ?
 
So is there a way to tell how much alcohol it has then ?
Of course, via math. Google "abv calculator brewers friend" and hack in your starting gravity and your final gravity. The calculator will give you a good estimation. For higher abv brews, above about 9%, you might want to use the alternative formula. Should be pretty straightforward!
 
Refrac ? But yeah i know to take a reading in the begining now but should i do that before or after pitching the yeast ? Wait the refrac do you mean that other meter ? I heard those don't work very well was i told wrong ?

A refractometer is useful for reading the sugar content of fruit, and not useful for measuring the sugar content of a solution that includes alcohol unless you have access to a complex calculator that can compensate for the alcohol. Refractometers use the way light bends when it passes through water to determine how much of some other matter is dissolved in the water (juice is, for all intents and purposes, water + sugar) After you pitch yeast into juice then you have some alcohol and light bends quite differently as it passes through alcohol.
If you are growing fruit and you want to know if they are at the peak of ripeness (because you know how much sugar should be present in the fruit) a refractometer is perfect. If you are a home wine maker looking to know approximately how much sugar you have left in a wine you are fermenting an hydrometer is all you need.
 
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Of course, via math. Google "abv calculator brewers friend" and hack in your starting gravity and your final gravity. The calculator will give you a good estimation. For higher abv brews, above about 9%, you might want to use the alternative formula. Should be pretty straightforward!
Awesome ! Thanks
 
Yeah, unfortunately that hydrometer merely needs an adjustment as the paper inside was not glued at the right place to measure properly 1.000, bottom meniscus, when in distilled water, at the hydrometer's calibration temp.

Even fancy expanded scale hydrometers (aka ones for old folk's eyes like mine) can be off, and that is why kids, we **ALWAYS** calibrate our tools. And every so often, check them.
 
Yeah, unfortunately that hydrometer merely needs an adjustment as the paper inside was not glued at the right place to measure properly 1.000, bottom meniscus, when in distilled water, at the hydrometer's calibration temp.

Even fancy expanded scale hydrometers (aka ones for old folk's eyes like mine) can be off, and that is why kids, we **ALWAYS** calibrate our tools. And every so often, check them.

If you read the link I provided, the instructions for the hydrometer say to read from the top. That's how it was calibrated from the factory.
 
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