Is this the right hydrometer to calculate abv?

[biertschi]

Hi everyone,

I know that the question is silly but the numbers on the hydrometer confused me a little.

As far as I know, the numbers on hydrometer go like 1.000 - 10 - 20 - 30 - 40... But it's a little different on the hydrometer I have. I am adding the links for the images of it.

So, the thing I'd like to learn is that if I can take sg and fg and calculate abv with this thermometer.

Thanks in advance.

http://postimg.org/image/r2zwpdqfl/

http://postimg.org/image/etgvyq68h/

http://postimg.org/image/8tt4v2lg1/

http://postimg.org/image/eqx0bw2kx/

http://postimg.org/image/940nef029/

 

[Brewernaut51]

OK so I see grams per liter, alcohol percentage and balling. From what I understand the alcohol percentage portion isn't all that reliable and most people ignore it. The grams per liter portion is supposed to tell you how much sugar is in the beer. I don't know anyone who uses that either.

The °blg is degrees Balling which is an older form of °plato. That's the closest to what most brewers use. Most people on the forum use specific gravity in comparison to water. Water is 1.000, adding sugar raises it over 1.000. you can ballpark the SG from the °blg by multiplying by 4 up to about 1.070 but then it begins to deviate. So if someone posts a recipe on here and they say the OG should be 1.048 you'd read about 12°blg.

I'm lazy and use Beersmith to do my math for me. You can find the formulas with a search or just search abv calculator and find one to do it for you. Just take a reading before and after fermentation and plug in those numbers. Brewers Friend is a good one. Just put your balling number in the Plato spot. They're fairly interchangeable.

Eventually I might want to get one that actually reads in SG or Plato but that one will work until you get around to it.

 

[Nickyssix]

yea probably easier to get a Specific Gravity one - just so your on the same page with everyone elses recipes etc

 

[biertschi]

OK so I see grams per liter, alcohol percentage and balling. From what I understand the alcohol percentage portion isn't all that reliable and most people ignore it. The grams per liter portion is supposed to tell you how much sugar is in the beer. I don't know anyone who uses that either.

The °blg is degrees Balling which is an older form of °plato. That's the closest to what most brewers use. Most people on the forum use specific gravity in comparison to water. Water is 1.000, adding sugar raises it over 1.000. you can ballpark the SG from the °blg by multiplying by 4 up to about 1.070 but then it begins to deviate. So if someone posts a recipe on here and they say the OG should be 1.048 you'd read about 12°blg.

I'm lazy and use Beersmith to do my math for me. You can find the formulas with a search or just search abv calculator and find one to do it for you. Just take a reading before and after fermentation and plug in those numbers. Brewers Friend is a good one. Just put your balling number in the Plato spot. They're fairly interchangeable.

Eventually I might want to get one that actually reads in SG or Plato but that one will work until you get around to it.

yea probably easier to get a Specific Gravity one - just so your on the same page with everyone elses recipes etc

Thanks for your help. So, this is the one I need, right? http://i.imgur.com/BgFPnUG.png

 

[Nickyssix]

that's the one