Need antique hydrometer help

[Vinegar]

Hydrometer help please. It's been a while since I read one. I went and bought one, walked in the door dropped it and broke it went right out and bought another, Sunday night, used, it's antique. It was my only option.
These are the readings. It's in %. I assume that's alcohol percentage? All the tutorials I find online say to use the ones like 1.070 etc and mine doesn't have that scale I'm lost. My apple scrap sugar mix says 10% and my onion cooking wine says 12%> are these acceptable? Do I need to upgrade to a newer one that has the different style readings?

 

[Rice_Guy]

I am assuming that the first two photos are “brix” scale. This translates to percent sugar times two. I read #1 as 23 Brix, #2 as 25 Brix and the third photo as. 11.5% potential alcohol.

 

[Vinegar]

I am assuming that the first two photos are “brix” scale. This translates to percent sugar times two. I read #1 as 23 Brix, #2 as 25 Brix and the third photo as. 11.5% potential alcohol.

Ok. So should I use this or get ones that reads in decimal? This one seems easier lol

 

[winemaker81]

Triple scale hydrometers are commonly available -- get 2 of those. Why 2? You already know the answer to that.

Modern hydrometers are very fragile. I have two that were purchased in 1984 and obviously a lot tougher.

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT!

Ditto on knowing why to have 2 hydrometers in the house at all times!

 

[bearpaw8491]

Check on what Winemaker 81 and Jovimaple said. I store my extra hydrometer and thermometer in a section of 3/4” (or whatever diameter fits your instruments) PVC tubing. I cut the sections a little longer than necessary, pad the interior ends with papertowling for cushioning and cap with the appropriate sized PVC cap. The spares are safe even in storage and my fumbling fingers.

 

[Vinegar]

Triple scale hydrometers are commonly available -- get 2 of those. Why 2? You already know the answer to that.

Modern hydrometers are very fragile. I have two that were purchased in 1984 and obviously a lot tougher.

I think you jinxed me by saying that I bought one yesterday walked in the door and immediately dropped it and it broke in half lol

 

[winemaker81]

I think you jinxed me by saying that I bought one yesterday walked in the door and immediately dropped it and it broke in half lol

I change my advice -- buy 6!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

I am assuming that the first two photos are “brix” scale. This translates to percent sugar times two.

Brix is % sugar by weight. So, eg 23 brix is 23g sugar in 100g juice/wine.

 

[wineview]

Triple scale hydrometers are commonly available -- get 2 of those. Why 2? You already know the answer to that.

Modern hydrometers are very fragile. I have two that were purchased in 1984 and obviously a lot tougher.

I hope you didn’t just jinx yourself.

 

[Vinegar]

I just st bought 2 more new ones lol from this century

 

[BernardSmith]

To be serious, you might simply check the readings and calibrate your hydrometer the following way.
Take a cylinder of distilled water at around 60 F and measure its gravity. It should read 1.000 . Whatever the reading on your scale is that is equivalent to 1.000 or pure water at 60 F. Now dissolve 1/2 lb of sugar in water to make exactly 1 quart at 60F . That reading is 1.090 and whatever, the reading is on your hydrometer that is 1.090.