Lammyrock
Member
I recently took a hydrometer reading of my cider -that has been visibly active for a week, and found that the sugar content hasn't changed (or at least it didn't appear so by my hydrometer reading).
On a hunch, I did a quick test and found that the difference in the hydrometer reading was dramatic between hot and room temp cider (10.5 at room temp and 1.04 at about 110F). And because I always heat up my cider to 150 (for pasteurization) before pitching and adding sugar, I soon realized my error.
I didn't know this and it drastically changed the alcohol content estimate of my previous batches -I estimate that I've been starting around 1.07!
On a hunch, I did a quick test and found that the difference in the hydrometer reading was dramatic between hot and room temp cider (10.5 at room temp and 1.04 at about 110F). And because I always heat up my cider to 150 (for pasteurization) before pitching and adding sugar, I soon realized my error.
I didn't know this and it drastically changed the alcohol content estimate of my previous batches -I estimate that I've been starting around 1.07!
