# vinometer



## appleweld (Feb 16, 2010)

i tested my first batch of wine with a vinometer and it said it was 15%. the hydrometer readings tell me its a 11.3%. i tested a dry vermouth labeled at 18% and the meter said it was 5%. i retested both again, and the next day as well and got the same result. is the vinometer wrong? by the way, its a pear wine. looks and tastes great for a newby i think.


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## Bert (Feb 17, 2010)

appleweld; there are a few things that can throw the reading of a vinometer off.....If you use the readings from your hydrometer you will get a very good idea what alcohol is...

Beginning SG - Final SG x 136 =ABV [This will get you very close]


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## cpfan (Feb 17, 2010)

ashley:


I have had little success with the vinometer. Admittedly I have not used it often.


When I ran a store, I did not like to sell them (even though they are inexpensive), because they are difficult to use and seem hopelessly inaccurate.


I have heard that residual sugars will cause them problems, but I found them inaccurate for dry wines.


Steve


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## grapeman (Feb 17, 2010)

I tried using a couple different ones and gave up. Just using SG calcs is a lot more accurate than any results I ever got with them.


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## ibglowin (Feb 17, 2010)

And cheaper!


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## cpfan (Feb 18, 2010)

ibglowin said:


> And cheaper!


really???? When I ran my store I sold vinometers for about $5 and hydrometers for $8. Of course, the store was in Canada and it closed in Sept 2008.


Steve


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## uavwmn (Feb 18, 2010)

I use my vinometer for every kit. Mostly because I am horrible with math calculations.


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## fivebk (Feb 18, 2010)

Beginning SG - Final SG x 136 = ABV
OR
Beginning SG - Final SG divided By 7.36 = ABV

WHICH IS CORRECT






BOB


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## AlFulchino (Feb 18, 2010)

i, too, stopped trying to use the vinometer...and just use the calculation methods now


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## ibglowin (Feb 18, 2010)

*[FOGHORN_LEGHORN]That's a joke son![/FOGHORN_LEGHORN]*

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTwnwbG9YLE"]Foghorn Leghorn[/ame]

Doing a calculation on a piece of paper is cheaper than buying a vinometer that doesn't work..........

I assume that everyone already owns a hydrometer already.



cpfan said:


> ibglowin said:
> 
> 
> > And cheaper!
> ...


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## ArdenS (Feb 18, 2010)

I just go to brewcalcs.com. It's designed primarily for beer, but it does the SG correction for temp and calculates both ABW and ABV. Even I can do it this way.


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## Bert (Feb 18, 2010)

fivebk;

If you use .00736 as your dividing number, you don't move the decimal point and read as is........The two formulas will be within tenths of each other....Hope this helps....


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## cpfan (Feb 18, 2010)

fivebk said:


> Beginning SG - Final SG x 136 = ABV
> OR
> Beginning SG - Final SG divided By 7.36 = ABV
> 
> ...


BOTH!!! or NEITHER!!!


For example. starting sg 1.092, ending sg .992, difference is .100


diff x 136 = 13.6%
diff /7.36 = 13.587%


Personally I think these two formulae produce a %age that is slightly high. At least in comparison to the triple scale hydrometers that I have used. I prefer


diff x 133 = 13.3%


But even that's not much of a difference. They are all 13.5% within margin of error (ie my ability to read and record a hydrometer reading).


Steve


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## boozinsusan (Feb 22, 2010)

I jsut bought one and have not been able to get a reading - I thought it would be more accurate than calculating SG.......


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