# Newbie question about hydrometer



## cr1mson (Nov 15, 2007)

I just got my wine making kit, and I have a question or two about my triple scale hydrometer. Do I need a wine theif and test jar, or can I just use a sanitized turkey baster and a tall jar or vase? I didn't get one, and I want to make good wine. I didn't know if I could do this or substitute.This is my first batch of kit wine, and I plan to make plenty more. I also have to mostly order off of the internet, so I would like to start soon and not have to wait. Any suggestions you guys have are appreciated.


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## JWMINNESOTA (Nov 15, 2007)

You can use whatever you have, AS LONG as it is clean and sanitized. I myself have been know to put the hydrometer right into the primary to take a reading, again, as long as the equipment is clean , and sanitized (including the hydrometer itself)there won't be an issue.


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## cr1mson (Nov 15, 2007)

That was what I had thought about doing. I am using a 7.5 gallon bucket as my primary. I have plenty of cleaner and camden tablets to clean with also. My friend told me he likes using the tablets better than the no rinse cleaner.


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## Wade E (Nov 15, 2007)

I would buy a baster and just use it for making wine and not using 1 that you use on anything else. They eventually develop little cracks and splits and scratches that you may or not be able to get sanitized properly and ruin a batch of wine for the cost of a baster which is very minuscule. Welcome to the forum and hope you ferment many wines with us. Which kit are you starting with?


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## grapeman (Nov 15, 2007)

Welcome aboard cr1mson. The nice thing about winemaking is that you can start minimally and add as you can. A winethief and cylinder are very useful items to have, but as the others said you can find ways to get by without if need be. I would buy them when I could, if that is now great. It sounds like you just got a juice kit. You can also buy an equipment kit that will have the needed equipment included to save you a little money or buying it piecemeal. Give George a call if need be here at Fine Vine Wines.


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## Tomy (Nov 15, 2007)

For $3.99 a plastic test jar #5396 in the catalog that your hydrometer will fit in quite nicely works so well, and its easy to clean, I would not mess around trying to get by without it. 
I am a new wine maker also and after reading a lot about dropping their hydrometer into their glass carboys, and receiving my brand new shiny hydrometer dropped it in a 1 gal glass jug to get a reading, She went "thunk" and hit the bottom with about 2 " of hydrometer above the wine. I just about had a heart attack, but the jug luckily did not crack or break. So you see having the proper equment is a small price to pay for making great wine. Tomy


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## cr1mson (Nov 15, 2007)

I have a Vinter's Reserved Merlot. I bought a kit that comes with the bottles, corks, hand corker (I know, a friend and I are going to buy a floor model), a primary and secondary fermenter, tubing, 1 airlock (I will probably buy another), triple scale hydrometer, carboy brush, no rinse cleanser, and racking cane. I think I have everything I need to start with. I am going to buy a long spoon and baster just for my wine making. I am probably going to get a Cabernet for my second or either a Pinot. I am mostly into reds, not much of a white wine drinker. I am looking forward to starting today when I get off of work. Thanks for the advice. This is one of the fun parts of winemaking, all the friendly help and advice.


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## scubaman2151 (Nov 15, 2007)

Nice choose on the Merlot, you will have to let me know how it turns out, I am looking into making one. Dont forget to take lots of pics and post them on here as you progress with that kit. As for the hydrometer, during Primary fermentation I just drop the hydrometer right in the plastic bucket and get my reading from there, that is easy enough just make sure it is sanitized.


However during Secondary fermentation it is just about impossible to just drop the hydrometer into the carboy (I tried ) and get it back out, so you can use a turkey baster and a vase but like said before make sure they are clean. What youll find with turkey basters is though, they dont hold thier suction very well and will probley drip on you as you pull it out of the wine. Either way let us know how you do and WELCOME TO THE FORUMS.


-Scuba


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## Wade E (Nov 15, 2007)

What you will really need instead of the long spoon is a mix stir designed for putting in a drill. This will do the work of the spoon for mixing (much better actually) and help you degas your wine as the spoon will not get all the gas out and you really need to do this so your wine will clear properly and you wont have fizzy wine. Trust me, you need this tool badly!


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## cr1mson (Nov 15, 2007)

Ok, got my primary going. I cleaned and sanitized well. I also bought a baster (sp?) and used it. My beginning sg is 1.075. I have it going right now. I talked to some friends, and my mix came with oak chips. It said put them in right before the yeast. I did, but wondered because everything I have ever read said they usually go in later. I will retest the sg on next Tues and go from there. Wade, where is the best place to buy those spinning spoons? I see them for around $25. Can you give any other ideas? Thanks again guys, wish me luck on my first batch.


Cr1mson


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## cr1mson (Nov 15, 2007)

This has gotten off topic, but I just ordered a Fizz-X stirrer. I get tired easily...


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## Wade E (Nov 15, 2007)

You were correct to add the oak before the yeast. If it were cubes or staves you could do either but with chips and dust you want to use them in the beginning for 2 reasons.
1) With the chips and the dust there is a lot of surface area so the wine will get oaked much faster and you will rack off it soon to go in primary. 

2) You want to leave that in the bucket during racking so that you can clear your wine at the suggested time schedule.
Staves and cubes arent so messy so you dont have to worry about that mess. The staves and cubes are a better product from what Ive heard though.


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## Scott (Aug 14, 2008)

When testing the ph in the primary to see when to rack, on the how to it says you can test in the bucket or wine thief. I thought I would do both and when doing this I get two different readings, the bucket it was 1.006 and the wine thief 1.000. Both readings were within the requirementsof the instructions of 1.010 or less to rack.
What's up with that?


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## PeterZ (Aug 14, 2008)

Scott, you might have had some CO2 bubbles attached to the hydrometer in the bucket that made the hydrometer float a little higher. Then again, the hydrometer may have stuck to the side of the test jar and not given a true reading.


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## Scott (Aug 14, 2008)

I did the spinning thing and also made sure it wasn't hung up on the thief walls. 
Hell I spun it so fast I thought it was the degassing wand.






Either way it in the secondary now, wait 10 days to stabilize.


By the way PZ, went to a visit a friend and took Urquell Pilsner, enjoyed greatly. thanks for the recommendation


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## uavwmn (Aug 15, 2008)

Crimson, welcome to the Forum!! I drop the hydrometer right in the primary bucket. 

I also use a little trick by tieing a piece of floss to the top of the hydrometer and drop it in the carboy for a reading. This way I can pull it right out. 




I have never had it slip off and it works like a charm!!!


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## leckkill (Sep 1, 2008)

crimson, I am new to this also. I agree with uavwmn. I used fishing line using a clove hitch knot locked with a square knot.


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## jcnoren (Sep 4, 2008)

S.G....readings. Does temperature alter the readings? As in if it is a hot day will the S.G increase? 




JC


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## Wade E (Sep 4, 2008)

Temp of wine will determine if you have to add or subtract from the actual reading you get. Here is a chart to follow.



Degrees
Fahrenheit </span>Adjustment
to <st1:City wt="on"><st1lace wt="on">Reading</st1lace></st1:City></span>

40
</span>Subtract .002</span>

50 </span> </span>Subtract .001</span>

60 </span> </span>CORRECT</span></span>

70 </span> </span>Add .001</span>

80 </span> </span>Add .002</span>

90
</span> </span></span>Add .004 </span>

100
</span></span>Add .005 </span>

110
</span></span>Add .007 </span>

120
</span></span>Add .008 </span>

130
</span></span>Add .010 </span>

140
</span></span>Add .013 </span>

150 </span> </span></span>Add
.015 </span></span>


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## jcnoren (Sep 5, 2008)

Thank you for the info....I lost my bet



. 


JC


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