snipped-for-privacy@d-and-d.com (DoN. Nichols) wrote: >
>>336) Hydrometer -- for determining the specific gravity of a liquid. >>
>> Perhaps for acid mix in lead-acid battery fluid, since the
>> specific gravity range is entirely above 1.00. Alcohol proof
>> hydrometers would read below 1.00, I believe.
>
>Actually no... for beer and wine they read above 1.00 as well.
>
>You measure the 'wort' before fermenting and then as you bottle it. The
>difference. which relates to the amount of sugar converted to alcohol, gives the
>alcohol content. You generally bottle at just above 1.000, or just below for >some wines.
And since this hydrometer starts at 1.1 (IIRC), it would not work for the wines, at least.
The difference between the SG of alcohol and water, combined with the fact that
>after fermenting there are still some high-density solids in solution, makes
>direct alcohol content reading for beer and wine using a hydrometer impossible. >
>Distilled spirits might be another story.
And distilled spirits are what are commonly rated in "proof", which is what I referred to.
Enjoy, DoN.