looking to buy a hydrometer, need some suggestions

[sawyerkirk]

I am looking to buy a hydrometer to test my almost finished product, anyone suggest a simple to use hydrometer? thanks Kirk

[MapleME]

Well, a few suggestions. One- look at the "new equipment sales" on here and support the crew that makes the Maple Trader a place that we all learn.

Second- make sure you get a SYRUP hydrometer, and not a SAP hydrometer.

Third, you need a hydrometer cup to go along with the hydrometer. Its a stainless steel skinny cup you fill with your "almost finished product" and you put the hydrometer in it to read it. You read the hot teamp RED LINE at the surface of the syrup.

As for Simple to use....they are all the same from the ones I have seen. If you buy a SYRUP hydrometer, it will have a BIG RED LINE which will indicate the syrup is done (as in done, meaning its dense enough). If it sinks past the RED LINE, its too think and keep boiling.

I pay zero attention to any of the other numbers on the hydrometer, and for a hobbyist, that's all you need.

I DO commend you on getting one. The first year I just did it by temp, and it was always underdone and some batches even spoiled.

SYRUP HYDROMETER (appears to be out of stock but call them)

http://mapleguys.com/index.php?item=20&ret=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mapleguys.com%2Findex.php%3Fp age%3D1%26category%3D9

HYDROMETER CUP for the hobbyist (its a smaller diameter so if you are making small batches, you have ample syrup to fill and test)

http://mapleguys.com/index.php?item=148&ret=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mapleguys.com%2Findex.php%3Fp age%3D1%26category%3D10

Hope this is helpful.

[buckeye gold]

any of the supply houses have them. Sugar Bush Supply in Mason Michigan is probably as close to any to you. I like doing business with them, they are professional and fast. MapleMe is correct in his comments. One thing I would add is keep your cup hot when testing. Hydrometers are made to test at high temps out of the evaporator. They have a cold test line, too. Use this to confirm your syrup at room temp (68 F) before bottling. I also like having a sap hydrometer, because as a small producer on a Half pint i don't want to waste time and heat on low grade sap. It matters more on a small evaporator. as for a cup, I made mine. i purchased a copper 1" air chamber at the plumbing store and cut one end off, deburred it and soldered a brass base on it and made a handle with 1/4" copper tubing. It holds heat well and cleans up easy.I will fill my cup with sample twice and dump it before actually testing so I preheat the cup and it doesn't cool my sample too much. Also keep a some hot water or sap ready to wash off the cup and Hydrometer, as build up will give you false readings. It's like most of syrup making, clean until you'r sure then clean a little more, on everything.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.....buy two, because you'll most likely break the first one before season is over.

[MapleME]

Everything Buckeye said is spot-on. Good additional advice for you.