New Guy with a Hydrometer....Help

[hitnspit]

Ok i went out and baught a hydrometer now after i have read the paper it came with i think i have more questions then i had before....uhggggg. Can anyone tell me how to use them the right way without me having to guess. Thanks alot.....Someday i will not be the new guy and then i can help others.......jim

[spencer11]

well you need a hydrometer cup..or bucket full of syrup deep enough for it. when it floats at the red line the syrup is done. thee are 2 lines a hot test and cold test make sure you are using the correct one for the temp the syrup is at.

spencer

[MapleME]

First off, make sure you have a SYRUP hydrometer....and not a SAP hydrometer. Made that mistake.

Second...the theory is to have the hydrometer "bob" in your almost finished syrup...the reason i say this is you need a vessel of some sort to put your syrup you want to test in that is deep enough for your long hydrometer to "bob" or float in. That is why hydrometer cups are tall and skinny.

As for its use...fill your vessel with the syrup you want to test. SLOWLY lower the hydrometer in to the syrup. Assuming you are testing hot syrup, you want the hydrometer "hot test red line" to be right at the top line of the syrup. so again, you are reading the hydrometer numbers at the level of the syrup. If it sinks, you need to boil more... If it floats ABOVE the red line...well, you over did it and its too dense.

Really very simple, and very effective way to ensure your syrup is done.

Helpful?

[oneoldsap]

The lower line is calibrated to 60 Deg. F the top line is at 211 Deg. F .

[hitnspit]

Thanks guy i will give it a shot monday and let you all know....jim

[Ausable]

Howdy hitnspit -- The advice You received about the syrup hydrometer is very good. My first hydrometer test cup was made from a stainless brief case thermos - put a cheap metal handle on it and attached with adjustable metal bands. I picked up a real test cup and don't like it for hot syrup - So I use that little thin wall for a sap testing cup. Glad You picked up a syrup hydrometer - it makes a real difference in the quality of your Maple Syrup.

[christopherh]

Be extremely careful when lowering the hydrometer into the cup. If the the syrup is thin and you drop the hydrometer in the cup, there's a good chance it'll sink and crack the bottom of the hydrometer. When I cracked on of mine unknowingly, it was slowly filling with syrup throwing my readings way off. Also after each reading I rinse and dry the hydrometer. Goodluck!

[Pibster]

I finally bought a hydrometer this week. It has 4-5 lines, no numbers and a red column that looks like a thermometer inside. I had to boil my syrup to 222 last night to get it to float at the line. I cleaned the hydrometer off and dried it between tests. I tested my thermometer and it boiled at 212. I've always used the 219.5 as a benchmark, is it normal to boil that hot for finished syrup? Is there someway I could test the hydrometer for accuracy?

[smokeyamber]

Sounds about right... I finished a batch last night and 220 was the magic number, it also looked right and sheeted right ( which how did it up til this year ). Nice to have the final say using it. I use a thermos, but I need to come up with a better finishing setup, a pot with a draw is the ticket I would say, or a REAL tall skinny finshing pot ! Only finish a gallon or so at a time...

[Pibster]

Just realized that I bought a hydrotherm, not a hydrometer. I think you're supposed to leave it in the hot syrup longer to allow the thermometer to adjust for an accurate reading.

[hambone]

You can test syrup at any temp with the hydrotherm.

[adverdsmith]

I use a thermos, but I need to come up with a better finishing setup, a pot with a draw is the ticket I would say, or a REAL tall skinny finshing pot ! Only finish a gallon or so at a time...