Hydrometer question

[morningstarfarm]

Is the hydrometer for syrup the same as that used for beer? A neighbor just told me he had one I can have....do I want it?

[PerryW]

No. THe specific gravity of beer is very close to water (around 8.33 pounds per gallon) so a beer hydrometer is similar to a sap hydrometer.

Syrup is around 11 pounds per gallon, so a beer hydrometer would not work.

[Z/MAN]

Can I use my beer hydrometer for testing sap?
Paul

[KenWP]

Yes but you have to figure out the desitys first. I am looking at both right now and the grids are not the same. By the time you get to 15 on the sap hydrometer its at 17 on the beer one so they would be a tad out. Would give you close thou at 2 and 3 % as they are so close you can't really tell and the beer one has a chart to allow for temps also.

[Clan Delaney]

I'm using a beer hydrometer to measure my sap sugar content. Just have to run some math to convert from SG to Brix. The downside is that each .002 change in SG is roughly equivalent to a .5% change in sugar content. Not horribly accurate. But it tells me roughly what to expect.

[SeanD]

I use my beer hydrometer for testing sap. It has a triple scale and one of the scales is "balling", or percent sugar. Most are calibrated to 60 degrees, but it should say on it either way.


Sean

[Z/MAN]

Can you guys tell me exactly how to use my beer hydrometer to test sap? I wasn't good with math in school and that was almost 40 years ago!:lol:
Paul

[TF Maple]

just google for a calculator or use this site. http://www.brewheads.com/brixsg.php

[holey_bucket]

I never thought about using a hydrometer from beer/wine. I also have a triple scale hydrometer for wine making. It measures Brix, Specific Gravity, and Potential Alcohol. I'm looking forward to trying it out on the sap!

Thanks for the idea!

[3rdgen.maple]

Sap hydrometer. $11.50 I spent the money dont have time to sit there and play with numbers and try to figure out the correct sugar content when all I got to do is look at the scale and be done with it.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I have beer hydro. also but for the cost of the right hydro for sugaring I will just spend the money.