Not sure how to read SG

[dougget]

Hi,
I have a hydrometer but not sure if it has a SG scale. The three scales it has and ranges are:
Balling 0 - 30
Proof 0 - 26
Alcohol 0 - 13

Alcohol and Proof and redundant... don't know why they wasted the space.
I suppose potential alcohol can be converted to SG...

Hydrometers are cheap. Should I use this one or get a new one?

Thanks,
Doug

 

[IslandLizard]

It's probably a hydrometer designed for readings in wine.
You can use the Balling scale, it's basically the same scale as Brix or Plato.

Here's a converter from Brix to SG:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/brix-converter/
Although there are some differences, for most general use, Brix, Balling, and Plato are the same scales and can be used interchangeably.

Now depending on the actual length and sub-divisions of the printed scale, that hydrometer may not be very useful to read small differences. Say it may be difficult to read the difference between 12 and 13 Balling (Brix, Plato), an error may result in a deviation of 4-5 points (a gravity point is [correction] 1/1000 or 0.001) of SG once converted (1.0484 vs. 1.0526).

I picked a hydrometer with a relatively long, simple white printed scale, and easy to see divisions (in 2 points). There are no useless color-shaded areas. I only use the SG scale.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Remember, no matter what hydrometer being used, to read at the meniscus and not the top of the liquid.

 

[IslandLizard]

Remember, no matter what hydrometer being used, to read at the meniscus and not the top of the liquid.

I think he meant to say:
"[...] to read at the bottom of the meniscus [...]"


And calibrate in distilled water at the calibration temperature printed on the paper scale, before first use. Make a note of the offset if there's any. Mine reads 1.002 where it should be 1.000.

 

[Chalkyt]

On my "common garden variety" hydrometer, the scale I mostly use is SG because for cider, we are mostly interested in what is happening between starting (around 1.050) and finishing (around 1.000). Interestingly, this is a French brand and specifies "reading top meniscus" which seem contrary to conventional wisdom.

However FYI, one of my best spends was for a "finishing" hydrometer. This ranges from 0.098 to 1.020 with graduations every 0.001 spaced a bit over 1/8" apart. Very useful and easy to read for monitoring final progress, the right time to bottle, pasteurise , etc which are usually somewhere between 0.000 and 0.010 whereas the ordinary hydrometer is hard to read with much accuracy in this range.

 

[rsquared]

On my "common garden variety" hydrometer, the scale I mostly use is SG because for cider, we are mostly interested in what is happening between starting (around 1.050) and finishing (around 1.000). Interestingly, this is a French brand and specifies "reading top meniscus" which seem contrary to conventional wisdom.

However FYI, one of my best spends was for a "finishing" hydrometer. This ranges from 0.098 to 1.020 with graduations every 0.001 spaced a bit over 1/8" apart. Very useful and easy to read for monitoring final progress, the right time to bottle, pasteurise , etc which are usually somewhere between 0.000 and 0.010 whereas the ordinary hydrometer is hard to read with much accuracy in this range.

Mind sharing where you got that one. The finishing hydrometer I got is 1.000 to 1.040, which is great for beer but not so much for mead and cider. My old hydrometer with over 150 points of range I often have to guess to within a point or to, this one I can get down to the half point, I just wish it went a little lower.

P.S. I think you mean 0.980...

 

[Chalkyt]

Yep, you are right... a bit of a typo, it should be 0.980

I got my hydrometer here in Oz but I see that "Morebeer" have them in stock for $21.99 plus postage in the USA.