When To Take Gravity Reading Moonshine?

Measure Original Gravity (For Brewing) – An original gravity reading is taken to determine how much sugar there is in the mash. This reading is taken BEFORE fermentation, just before yeast is added to the mash and it is aerated. As we mentioned above, the original gravity (OG) reading measures the amount of sugar in a liquid and roughly indicates the percentage of alcohol that can be expected in the wash, assuming that everything goes well during fermentation. To use the hydrometer, fill a test tube or a tall glass with the liquid that will be fermented and drop the hydrometer in. Make sure it is floating and not resting on the bottom of the container. Hydrometers have a scale printed in or on their surface.

• The location at which this scale intersects the water will correspond with the specific gravity of the liquid.
• Taking the measurement is as easy as floating the hydrometer in the liquid and reading the number on its side.
• OG varies depending on the recipe being used.
• For example, an India Pale Lager beer that we recently brewed had an original gravity of 1.055.

If we use a yeast that ferments all the way down to 0.10, which is a common stopping point for brewers yeast, the ABV we will end up with is 5.91% Write down the OG in your brewing journal, as you will most likely forget what it was by the time it is done fermenting, especially if you have multiple batches fermenting at the same time.

1. Use your beer sampler and fill your test jar almost to the top with liquid (you don’t want any solids).
2. Gently drop the beer/wine hydrometer into the test jar- you want to spin the hydrometer so it spins freely and does not stick to the side walls. You will see that the hydrometer floats on the liquid.
3. Write down the number you see where the hydrometer intersects the liquid.

When should you take gravity readings?

How To Use a Hydrometer – A hydrometer is one instrument used to measure specific gravity (a refractometer and sacchorometer can also be used). In simple terms, a hydrometer floats in liquid and where the surface of the liquid touches the hydrometer’s scale will determine the specific gravity.

1. Gravity readings are typically taken before pitching the yeast and after visible signs of fermentation have ceased.
2. It is generally not recommended to take more samples than necessary because each time the fermenter is opened to draw out wort, you are introducing the risk for contamination.
3. To pull a sample, use a wine thief, siphon or turkey baster and take extra care with sanitation.

Place the wort sample in a vessel big enough to allow the hydrometer to freely float without hitting the bottom or sides of the container. Some homebrewers buy a test tube, or you can sometimes use your wine thief or the container the hydrometer came in.

• Once the liquid is in the container, place the hydrometer in the sample and give it a gentle spin.
• The hydrometer will eventually settle and you can take your reading.
• Sometimes the hydrometer will stick to the side of your vessel, so make sure it is floating freely before you take the reading.
• After you are finished, do not return your sample to the fermenter, as it could cause contamination.

Instead, taste the sample to get an idea of what to expect from the final product.

What should starting gravity be for moonshine?

How to Use a Hydrometer – A Hydrometer is used to determine the density or specific gravity (SG) of a liquid in comparison to water. This works because alcohol is thinner than water so the higher the volume of alcohol, the lower the float will sink. Alcohol has a starting gravity (SG) of 1.000 on the hydrometer scale.

When should I check my final gravity?

To do the math, you’ll have to have the following pieces of information: – Your original gravity (OG), which is taken just before pitching your yeast and after the wort has chilled. Make sure you make any temperature adjustments to it before recording it.

When should I use a hydrometer?

When brewing beer, cider, or wine you are going to need to use a hydrometer, The hydrometer measures the amount of sugar that is dissolved in water. Generally, this is referred to as Specific Gravity. This sugar is what the yeast turns into alcohol during fermentation.

How to tell when moonshine fermentation is complete without hydrometer?

Measuring Fermentation – the Easy Way – We like to call this the “set it and forget it” method. This applies to a mash that is fermenting in a carboy or a bucket with an airlock. After pitching yeast, simply check on the mash every 12 hours or so to make sure that sometime during the first 12-48 hours after yeast is added there is movement in the airlock (the airlock should bubble a at least few times a minute).

If there is activity in the airlock it means that the yeast is working and everything is good to go. After that, simply l et it sit for 14 days at room temperature (70F). If there are still bubbles in the airlock after 14 days let it sit for another few days, or at least until there is no bubbling for at least a minute or two.

Once there is no activity in the airlock, fermentation is complete. This is a non scientific method but has been pretty reliable in terms of judging when fermentation has finished.

What proof is the average moonshine?

What Proof is Moonshine? – Without going into specific details just yet, proof moonshine is a pretty strong concoction. It has high alcohol content, a glass or two is more than what you probably need. On average, a proof moonshine could range somewhere between 100 to 150 proof.

When should I take my first hydrometer reading?

1. Retrieve Sample & Insert Hydrometer – You will need to take your first measurement after the cool down, prior to pitching the yeast. The reading that you will get is called the original gravity, often referred to as “OG”. To obtain this reading, first use a beer thief to retrieve a sample of the wort and transfer it to a testing jar or cylinder,

Why am I not hitting my final gravity?

Final Gravity – Final gravity measures the attenuation of the beer, which is the reduction of the wort’s density caused by the fermentation of sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation also leaves behind dextrins (non-fermentable sugars), proteins, and peptides, all of which combine to form the density of final gravity readings.

These dextrins, proteins, and peptides also provide body and mouthfeel. Final gravity readings help define each beer because the density of the finished brew determines alcohol content and overall balance. An American pale ale with an original gravity of 1.054 but a final gravity of 1.020 missed the mark because the final density of the beer will provide too much body, which then masks the hop bitterness, leaving a beer malty rich and out of balance for the style.

Brewers should always examine all possible causes of high final-gravity readings, such as improper aeration of the wort, low fermentation temperature, lack of viable yeast, or too many dextrins. Low final-gravity readings can be caused by wild yeast contamination, bacterial contamination, or not enough dextrins.

• A careful examination of sanitation, brewing procedures, and yeast source can solve many final-gravity problems.
• Extract brewers may also find that the extract source contained too few dextrins for a high final gravity or too many dextrins for a low final gravity.
• As when fine-tuning original gravity, combining extract syrup with dry extract may solve this problem as well.

For extract brewers adjusting the amount of available dextrins is the only way to adjust final gravity and mouthfeel in a successful brew, because malt extract does not include the proteins and peptides generated by all-grain mashing. Only experimentation and strict notation will help extract brewers obtain target final gravities.

All-grain brewers should examine the mash schedule. Well-modified malt mashed in with a single-step infusion method should stabilize within a range of 150 to 158 °F (66 to 70 °C). A mash held at 150 °F (60 °C) will produce mostly fermentable sugars, generating a delicate brew with light body and mouthfeel.

A mash held at 158 °F (70 °C) will produce a blend of fermentable and non-fermentable sugars, creating a brew with either medium or full body. For example a Continental style stout with a 1.055 OG finished at 1.008 FG. Batch notes state that the mash temperature stabilized at 158 °F (70 °C) for an hour but actually started at 148 °F (64 °C), requiring 20 minutes of forced heat to raise the temperature.

Well-modified malt held for 15 minutes within the 150 to 158 °F (66 to 70 °C) range will reach total saccharification, with all starches converted into sugars. The stout seemed thin for style. In the short time that heat was applied to raise the temperature, the starch converted primarily to fermentable sugars, well before reaching the higher range of temperature required to produce dextrins.

Batch notes then suggest that the strike temperature of the water added to the mash to reach conversion temperatures should be raised so that the mash will immediately reach 158 °F (70 °C) before conversion. Another solution includes the addition of cara-malts, including cara-pils, cara-Vienne and cara-Munich, into the total grist bill.

These specialty grains are designed to produce dextrins. Eight ounces of any of the above cara-malt will raise the final gravity of a 5-gallon (19-L) brew. All-grain brewers enjoy the ability to lightly raise or lower mash temperatures while adding or decreasing, if necessary, dextrin malts to produce a perfect blend of fermentable sugars, dextrins, proteins, and peptides.

Only experimentation and strict notation will help all-grain brewers obtain target final gravities in each batch.

Can final gravity be below 1?

Step 2: After Fermentation Is Complete, Take Another Reading – Subtract the potential alcohol reading at this point from the potential alcohol reading prior to fermentation. The difference between the two numbers is the alcohol content that you have actually produced.

For example: if the initial reading is 13% and the final reading is 1%, then the actual alcohol content is 12% (or 13% – 1% = 12%). Please note that if your beverage ferments completely dry (SG of 1.000 or less), then the alcohol content is the same as your original potential alcohol reading (in the above example: 13% – 0% = 13%).

The reason that the final gravity might end up lower than water is that you are producing alcohol, which is noticeably lighter (less dense) than water. All dry wines and meads will finish at gravities lower than 1.000 (e.g.,995). Almost all beers and sweeter wines & meads will finish higher than 1.000.

What should gravity be after fermentation?

The Basic Process –

After mashing, boiling, etc, but before pitching yeast, take a hydrometer reading to determine specific gravity. Ferment, as normal. When you think fermentation has finished, i.e. when the airlock stops bubbling for a day or two, taken another reading. Wait 24 hours and take one more reading. If the number is the same, fermentation is likely complete. Additionally:

If the post-fermentation gravity reading is at 1.000 or less, it is definitely done. If the post-fermentation gravity reading is 1.020 or higher, wait a few days then take another reading

Keep taking readings (if needed) until the gravity stops dropping (which means that fermentation is complete).

To determine ABV, plug the original gravity (pre-fermentation) and the final gravity (post-fermentation) into an ABV calculator, This will determine the alcohol by volume of the solution. For more information on this, check out our article on ” Alcohol Content,” Kyle Brown is the owner of Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company which he founded in 2009. His passion is teaching people about the many uses of distillation equipment as well as how to make beer at home. When he isn’t brewing beer or writing about it, you can find him at his local gym or on the running trail.

What does a hydrometer reading of 1.000 mean?

Hydrometer Scales – In addition to reading specific gravity values, scales on a hydrometer can be calibrated to Baume, Brix, alcohol, API (American Petroleum Institute Index) and other scales for specific chemicals:

• Brix-scale hydrometers are calibrated to measure percent of pure sucrose (sugar) by weight.
• Baume-scale hydrometers are calibrated to read degrees of Baume, which is a pair of scales: one for liquids heavier than water and one for liquids lighter than water.
• Alcohol-scale hydrometers are used to measure specific gravity of a liquid before and after it ferments. The difference of the two specific gravity readings can be used to determine alcohol percentage by weight
• API-scale hydrometers measure of how light or heavy a petroleum-based liquid is compared to water. It was designed to allow a comparison between densities of petroleum liquids.
• Sodium-chloride-scale hydrometers and salt-brine-scale hydrometers measure the percentage of salt in a solution.

What should hydrometer read when mash is done?

Hydrometer Wisdom: Monitoring Fermentation As with all matters of life, there are two ways of monitoring the fermentation of your mash: the easy way and the complicated way. If you’re a K.I.S.S. fan – not the band, but the „Keep It Simple, Stupid” philosophy – you’ll prepare the mash and just let it be.

1. A day or two after adding the yeast, you’ll see the airlock bubble – and know the stuff’s doing its fermenting business.
2. After 14 days, it should be about done.
3. If it still bubbles, let it sit for another few days, or until you see no bubbling for at least a minute or two.
4. Once there is no activity in the airlock, your mash is ready to run.

This is a non-scientific method but pretty reliable in judging when fermentation is completed. The scientific method isn’t actually that complicated either, and it will let you know that the mash has completely finished fermentation and determine its potential alcohol.

• What you’ll need is a beer or wine hydrometer.
• The hydrometer indicates the density, or specific gravity – SG – of a liquid, compared to water.
• As alcohol is thinner than water, the higher the alcohol content, the deeper the float sinks.
• Pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000 on the hydrometer scale.

Temperature is a key factor when measuring the specific gravity of a liquid – the hydrometer should indicate the temperature it’s calibrated to, and also include an adjustment table. A standard measuring temperature is 20°C or 70 °F. Original Gravity – OG Measure the gravity of your mash before fermentation – and before adding the yeast.

• The reading will be higher than 1.000, because of the sugars present in the mash.
• During fermentation, these sugars will be consumed by yeast causing the density and therefore specific gravity to lower.
• The number will be the lowest at the end of fermentation.
• Fill your hydrometer tube about 2/3 of an inch from the top with the wash/mash you wish to test.

Insert the hydrometer slowly not allowing it to drop. Give the hydrometer a light spin, to remove the air bubbles that may have formed.

• Read where the surface of the liquid cuts the scale of the hydrometer.
• You can also predict the potential alcohol of your mash from the original gravity.
• Original Gravity – Potential Alcohol

• 062 → 7.875%
• 064 → 8.125%
• 066 → 8.375%
• 068 → 8.625
• 070 → 8.875%
• 072 → 9.125%
• 074 → 9.375%
• 076 → 9.75%
• 078 → 10%
• 080 → 10.25%
• 082 → 10.5%
• 084 → 10.75%
• 086 → 11%
• 088 → 11.25%
• 090 → 11.5%
• 092 → 11.75%
• 094 → 12.125%
• 096 → 12.375%
• 098 → 12.75%
• 100 → 13%
• 102 → 13.25%
• 104 → 13.5%
• 106 → 13.875%
• 108 → 14.125%

Final Gravity – FG Measure the specific gravity of the mash after the airlock slows down and you’re not getting much activity. If the reading is at 1.000 or less, it is definitely done. If it’s 1.020 or higher, you may want to wait a day or two and then take another reading. Keep taking readings, if needed, until the gravity stops dropping – which means the fermentation is complete.

1. A good rule of thumb: if the gravity hasn’t changed over the course of three days, then the mash is done fermenting.
2. Final Gravity – Potential Alcohol
3. Using the chart above and some math, you can calculate the alcohol content of your mash after fermentation is complete.
4. ABV = (OG – FG) x 131

For instance, if the OG reading is 1.092 and the FG is 0.99, the math goes like this: (1.092-.99) x 131 = 13.36% ABV Remember, this is a rough estimate, as many factors are at play. But the science will at least keep you busy until you’re ready to get your whiskey still running. Posted by Jason Stone on June 01, 2015 : Hydrometer Wisdom: Monitoring Fermentation

How do you know when fermentation is complete with a hydrometer?

A hydrometer is a fragile and sensitive glass laboratory instrument that works by floating in a liquid at a specific level based on the density of the liquid. In brewing, the increase in density is generally the result of the addition of sugar, so we can use the hydrometer to gauge the approximate amount of alcohol that we will create through fermentation.

In the bottom of the meter is a weight to help pull the hydrometer down into the liquid, and this is balanced with the weight of the meter itself and the air in the meter to ensure that it is only able to sink a certain distance into the liquid based on how dense the liquid is. In the stem, there is a piece of paper with the scale(s) that give you the information you need.

To take a hydrometer reading, place a sample of the wash into your test cylinder and carefully lower your hydrometer into the sample. Do not drop the hydrometer, as it can hit the bottom of your test cylinder and break. Give the hydrometer a slight spin to dislodge any bubbles that may be clinging to it, as these bubbles can lift your hydrometer slightly, resulting in an inaccurate reading.

Your hydrometer reading is taken by reading the number where the surface of the liquid crosses the stem of the hydrometer. You will now need to adjust your reading based on the temperature of the liquid. Hydrometers are calibrated for a certain temperature, most commonly 60° F (15.6° C). This is important to remember, as the density of the liquid will change with its temperature.

Take honey as an example. As you heat it, it will become thinner in consistency, or less dense. The same is true with your wash, and although it is not a noticeable difference to you or me, it is very noticeable to a sensitive piece of equipment such as a hydrometer.

1. For this reason, you will need to know the temperature of the wash when you take your hydrometer reading, as well as the temperature that your hydrometer is accurate at.
2. Most hydrometers will have this information printed on the paper inside them.
3. A good rule of thumb is that for every 10° F from the calibrated temperature, add 0.002 to 0.003 to the actual specific gravity reading.

For example, if your hydrometer is accurate at 60° F, and your wash is at 90° F, then you will add 0.006 to 0.009 to your actual reading (a 30° difference at 0.002-0.003 for every 10°). Some hydrometers will provide a more accurate correction table specifically for the brand and style of meter, but a difference of even 0.002 or 0.003 is less than 1 percent difference in your final fermented alcohol percentage, so it is certainly nothing to become extremely concerned about for anyone other than commercial operations, where that translates directly to the bottom line.

A hydrometer reading is of help to you in several ways, depending on when it is taken. You will usually take a specific gravity reading once you have mixed your wash and before adding the yeast. This reading can be used to tell you how much alcohol you will potentially create if all the added density is from sugar and if it all ferments out.

This may sound like a lot of “ifs,” but don’t worry, it will all make sense as we continue through the fermentation process and take more hydrometer readings. Here is where a second scale on your hydrometer—the potential alcohol scale—can be very helpful.

• After recording your initial specific gravity reading, known as the original gravity (OG), you can look at the potential alcohol scale to get an idea of how much alcohol this particular wash may create.
• The problem with having the potential alcohol scale is that it is commonly misinterpreted by novices as the actual amount of alcohol present, and when taking a reading after fermentation is complete, they will look at a potential alcohol reading that is often at or below 0 percent and they will think that there is no alcohol present, sending them into a panic.

Just remember that this scale is potential alcohol, which is the amount of alcohol yet to be produced from when the reading is taken until fermentation is complete. Therefore, a reading of 0 percent means that there is no alcohol yet to be produced. Similarly, those who do not understand the difference between a hydrometer and an alcoholmeter will sometimes use their hydrometer to test the alcohol content of a distilled spirit and immediately think that their meter is broken when it drops out of sight.

This is because a hydrometer is calibrated to the density of water, which is much more dense than alcohol. To obtain the alcohol content of a distilled spirit, you need to use an alcoholmeter. A hydrometer can also be used to confirm that fermentation is complete. If fermentation has slowed, or appears to have stopped, but you are not certain that it has completed, you can use your hydrometer to test for this.

To do so, take a hydrometer reading and then wait at least 24 hours before taking another reading. If the second reading is lower than the first, then fermentation is not yet complete. If the reading remains stagnant, then fermentation is complete and you can move on to the next step in the process.

What should hydrometer read before fermentation?

How To Use A Hydrometer (The Easy Way) – By BREW MART Today I am going to show EXACTLY how easy it is to use a hydrometer. In fact this is the same process which has allowed me to brew excellent beer, wine and cider during the last few years. And I will let you into a secret – it is not rocket science In fact if you are not scientific like me you will love this easy to follow guide LET’S DIVE STRAIGHT IN

What is a hydrometer? How do I use a hydrometer to calculate ABV? Using a hydrometer when making wine Using a hydrometer when making beer How to measure the specific gravity using the hydrometer How to use the hydrometer using a four-step process Stage 1: Using the trial jar with the hydrometer Use a Wine Thief Stage 2: Obtain the Original Gravity Reading Stage 3: Calculate with Temperature S tage 4: Obtaining the final gravity reading (FG) Temperature Correction Chart for Hydrometer Reading

WHAT IS A HYDROMETER? A hydrometer is a straightforward device that measures the density of a liquid comparing it to water. It usually comes with a thin plastic case to help to protect it and uses a scale called specific gravity or just gravity for short. It works on the same principle as floating in the dead sea.

The dead sea is so easy to float in because it is full of dissolved minerals. Much like in the Dead Sea, the more dissolved sugar there is in a beer or wine solution, the higher the hydrometer floats, giving a higher reading on the hydrometer’s scale. The easiest way to use a hydrometer is to collect a sample of the must (wine) or wort (beer) using a sterilised and rinsed wine thief (pipette), and a trial jar.

A hydrometer is for use in any wine, beer or cider making situation. In terms of brewing beer, wine or cider the hydrometer measures the amount of dissolved brewing sugar in the recipe. If you notice the amount of sugar going down, fermentation is working, and alcohol is increasing.

The measurements/readings show how the yeast is turning sugar by volume and lets you know how well the fermentation process is coming along. A hydrometer looks like a round pointy glass rod with lines on it to use as a measurement. It is much like a thermometer used for inserting under the tongue except that one end of it is fatter.

Depending on how much the hydromtera floats or sinks in various liquids, you can measure how dense the fluids are. Brew Mart’s recommendation is to use a trial jar which is a specific jar to use with the hydrometer for this purpose. A trail jar made from plastic is better than a glass one as the glass ones can break easily. The trial jar is 20cm long and has a diameter of approximately 3.5cm. and has measurements on the side. This enables you to fill the right amount of liquid leaving a space at the top for the insertion of the hydrometer in order to test the results.

Take care to use the same hydrometer for each measurement in the same experiment as different hydrometers may vary a little. The analysis of pure water at 20°C – 68°F will have a gravity of 1.000. (This reads one point zero zero zero). Add sugar to the water, and the gravity will increase. Adding alcohol to the pure water the gravity will go down as alcohol is less dense than water.

As things heat up, they get less dense. Using the same hydrometer and sugary water, now at 40°C – 104°F, the water will appear to have a lower gravity. If your liquid has a much different temperature to 20° C, you can also use an online calculator or app to calculate how the reading due to the differing temperature is effected.

What this means is that you can tell how well your wort or must is fermenting by taking a reading of the original gravity (OG) before you add your yeast. Taking this reading is a critical measurement as it indicates the amount of sugar you can use. The beer or wine yeast then turns the sugar into alcohol which in turn gradually reduces the gravity until it reaches the final gravity (FG).

The final gravity (FG) is as low as the gravity will reach. Despite the alcohol content, the gravity will usually never reach lower than 1.000. This measurement is because residual proteins and un-fermentable sugars are present in the liquid. The yeast can not metabolise these remaining proteins and un-fermentable sugars.

By knowing the original gravity (OG) and final gravity (GF), you can find out how much alcohol has been produced and therefore the alcohol content of your beer or wine, which will help determine your ABV (Alcohol by Volume). How do I use a hydrometer to calculate ABV ( Alcohol by Volume)? The ABV can be worked out only by taking the start gravity from the final gravity and dividing this figure by 7.362.

As an example, the starting point for your wine is 1.080 this then ferments down to 0.990. The drop is 90 points.90 divided by 7.362 is 12.23% ABV. Using a hydrometer when making wine The starting gravity should usually be between 1.070 to 1.090 and the usual finished ABV will be between 10.5% to 13%.

1. Finish Gravity is typically 0.990 (for dry wines) to 1.005 (for sweet wines).
2. Brew Mart always recommend that wine should be fermented down to dryness and if you require a sweeter wine adding sugar or grape juice at the end will increase the sweetness.
3. Using a hydrometer when making beer It can be complicated to give a definitive guide when brewing beer as there are so many beer brewing variations.

A typical beer will start (OG) at 1.045 and finish (FG) at 1.012 giving a 32 point drop (divided this by 7.362) making it 4.5%ABV. How to measure the specific gravity using the hydrometer By using the hydrometer, you measure how dense your beer or wine is. This measurement means that you can estimate how much-dissolved brewing sugar is in the brew. The gravity of the unfermented wort or must is called the original gravity (OG). The hydrometer will show you the current density of the brew and can indicate the rate at which the yeast is converting the brewing sugar into alcohol.

• This new measurement helps you assess the success and health of the fermentation.
• This stage is the most delicate stage of brewing.
• It is also the stage when by reading the information which the hydrometer gives you, you can make adjustments to your brew.
• How to use the hydrometer using a four-step process Step 1: Using the trial jar with the hydrometer Take the first measurement before you pitch your yeas t s once the wort has cooled down to the optimum temperature required for the yeast.

This is commonly 20°C/68ºF for beer or wine and 15°C /59°F for lagers, this allows you t o obtain the OG (Original Gravity). When using the hydrometer, many people say that you can drop it into the bucket containing the wort. Brew Mart do not recommend this as it increases the risk of contamination, even if everything has undergone sterilisation. Use a Wine Thief The best practice is to use a wine thief with a trial jar. Draw the wort or must into the trial jar using the tap on your fermentation bucket or a wine thief to transfer the liquid. Half fill the trail jar to avoid spillage from displacement, then entirely suspend the hydrometer into the liquid.

Place the trial jar on a flat surface. Carefully place the hydrometer into the trail jar, it can move about a little, wait for it to settle down, you can also give it a little spin at this stage to eliminate any air bubbles. It also makes sure that the hydrometer is not sticking to the side of the trial jar.

Step 2: Obtain the Original Gravity Reading You will notice that the surface of the liquid in the trial jar is slightly concave (U-shaped) – this is called the meniscus. The accurate reading to take is the level at the centre/base of the curve. Take note of this reading. This reading will enable you to work out how strong your fermented beer or wine is later in the process.

The reading will depend on the beer or wine kit you used, how much you diluted it and the amount of sugar you added. A typical beer wort OG will be between 1.035 and 1.060. Your ingredient kit will list an OG so that you’ll have a reference for what your wort’s OG should be. A typical wine must OG is between 1.075 to 1.090 (a lot of instructions will leave out the point and write 1090, for example).

In a few days, the gravity will have dropped to 1.040 and will finish in the region of 1.000 to 0.990. Brew Mart does not recommend that the liquid in the trail jar is poured back into the bucket; you can either discard it or drink it. Remember that specific gravity is heavily influenced by temperature. Knowing the temperature of the wort is critical for reading the original gravity (OG). The best practice is to use the hydrometer when the wort or must temperature is 15°C – 59°F for lager or 20ºC – 68ºF for beer or wine. Use a stick on thermometer that sticks to the side of the fermenter, to measure the temperature of the main batch.

Doing this is safer than using a thermometer and inserting it into the liquid and potentially ruining your brew by adding bacteria. If the temperature reading is different, you can use the table below to work out the accurate reading. Step 4: Obtaining the final gravity reading (FG) When the fermentation process is nearing completion or better still actually completed another hydrometer reading is needed to obtain the final gravity (FG).

Don’t be tempted to take this reading to soon as the recommendation is only to do two readings — one to obtain the original gravity and one to get the final gravity. Care must be taken each time not to expose your beer to harmful air or bacteria which could spoil the entire batch.

At the final gravity stage, your wort is now officially a beer, and the final gravity reading should be close to the FG reading in the instructions of the home brew beer kit used. A typical beer’s FG is between 1.015 and 1.005 and should be about 1/4th or 1/5th of the beer’s OG. If additional testing is needed, possibly due to a stuck fermentation, do use extreme caution to limit exposure to harmful bacteria.

If fermentation is not complete, i.e. the hydrometer is not reading 1.010 or below, then fermentation has stuck and needs re-starting. If fermentation is not complete, it typically requires a “re-start” yeast and doing that should sort out any problems and start the fermentation process once more.

°C	°F	G	°C	°F	G
	32	0.0007	25	77	0.0021
1	33.8	0.0008	26	78.8	0.0023
2	35.6	0.0008	27	80.6	0.0026
3	37.4	0.0009	28	82.4	0.0029
4	39.2	0.0009	29	84.2	0.0032
5	41	0.0009	30	86	0.0035
6	42.8	0.0008	31	87.8	0.0038
7	44.6	0.0008	32	89.6	0.0041
8	46.4	0.0007	33	91.4	0.0044
9	48.2	0.0007	34	93.2	0.0047
10	50	0.0006	35	95	0.0051
11	51.8	0.0005	36	96.8	0.0054
12	53.6	0.0004	37	98.6	0.0058
13	55.4	0.0003	38	100.4	0.0061
14	57.2	0.0001	39	102.2	0.0065
15	59	0	40	104	0.0069
16	60.8	0.0002	41	105.8	0.0073
17	62.6	0.0003	42	107.6	0.0077
18	64.4	0.0005	43	109.4	0.0081
19	66.2	0.0007	44	111.2	0.0085
20	68	0.0009	45	113	0.0089
21	69.8	0.0011	46	114.8	0.0093
22	71.6	0.0016	47	116.6	0.0097
23	73.4	0.0016	48	118.4	0.0102
24	75.2	0.0018	49	120.2	0.0106

Check out all brew Mart’s home brew hints & tips A guide to brewing

Why do we need to measure gravity?

Gravity is the field around the Earth that can be measured by satellites. Changes in the gravity field are related to change or transportation of mass, which can provide information on ocean circulation, glacial melt, droughts or geodesy.

When would you use specific gravity over density?

Difference Between Specific Gravity and Density

Difference Between Density and Specific Gravity
Density	Specific Gravity (Relative Density)
It is used in many domestic and commercial applications.	It is used in industries to measure the concentration of solutions.

How long does it take for a hydrometer to get an accurate reading?

Dampen a towel (not dripping wet, but good and damp), then wrap the hygrometer in the towel for 30 to 45 minutes. Then unwrap it and read the humidity (quickly). If your hygrometer is perfectly calibrated (few are) it will be reading exactly 100% humidity.

Why is my gravity reading so low?

Missing Your Original Gravity – Once you have your OG estimate and brew the beer, you often miss. Occasionally the OG comes in high, but more often your original gravity will be lower than you predicted. So what do you do next? I’ll cover how to adjust your OG using dry malt extract or water below, but as you plan your next batch here are some of the potential issues to look at:

Grain Milling – For all grain brewers, poorly crushed grains can have a large effect on original gravity. Your grains should be crushed finely – with the center of the grain forming a fine powder. Large pieces of the husk should be left intact, however, to form a bed for filtering during the lauter. A dual roller mill like the Barley Crusher (full disclosure – we sell these) works best for crushing your grains. Sparging – If you sparge too quickly, have a poorly designed mash tun filter, or sparge the wrong volume you can get a low OG. Take your time when sparging, which will let the wort extract as much as possible from the grain bed. Also design of the mash system can have an impact. A cylindrical (Gott or Igloo style water cooler) with a full size false bottom (screen type) will generally yield higher efficiency than a flat picnic cooler with only a few copper tubes acting as the filter system for example. Measure your Volumes – If you have not accurately measured your volumes at each stage in the brewing process and accounted for losses along the way, it can have a huge effect on your OG. For example, a 10% increase in final volume can result in a 10% decrease in OG. So to hit your target OG, you also need to hit your volumes at each step – into the boiler, post boil and also into the fermenter. If you find your volumes don’t match your equipment profile – then adjust your equipment profile until you have a good match with your brewing style. Additional Tips : Here are some more tips to improve your all grain efficiency,