What is a hydrometer and do I have to use one?
A hydrometer is simply a long glass cylinder with a weight at the bottom. It reads the specific gravity. Specific Gravity is based on the weight of liquid. If you float a hydrometer in water it will read 1.000 on the Specific Gravity scale. At the beginning of fermentation a typical reading might be 1.090. This means, for example, that the juice at that point weighs 9 percent more than water, or the juice is 9 percent thicker than water. When all the sugar is turned into alcohol you will have a reading on the Specific Gravity scale that is less than water – typically around .995. This means that the juice weighs less than water, or it is thinner than water by a half of a percent. Hydrometers are very simple to use and will help you gage your wine’s fermentation process. Q: Why does the equipment kit contain a primary fermenting bucket? Cant I just use a carboy? A: We highly recommend that you begin the winemaking process by using a primary fermenting bucket so the wine will have room t
