One of the most valuable tools any home winemaker can have is a gravity hydrometer. A hydrometer can be used for several different tasks such as determining the alcohol level of a wine as it is being made, or determining the proper amount of sugar to be added to various wine recipes.
But what really makes the hydrometer an essential tool for the home wine maker is it’s ability to track the progress of a fermentation. By taking readings throughout the fermentation you can determine how far along your fermentation or gotten, or even if the fermentation has completed.
So what is a gravity hydrometer anyway? Basically, it’s a sealed, long glass tube with a weight at one end that floats in liquid. Readings are taken with the hydrometer by seeing how high or low it is floating.
There are scales on the side of the tube. All you have to do is see where the level of the liquid crosses the scale and that’s your reading. You can track you wine’s progression by keeping a log. Each time you take a reading, just write down the date and the reading.
For more information about the gravity hydrometer visit our website. There you will find a selection of hydrometers to chose from as well as information on how to use a hydrometer.
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Ed Kraus is a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.
