Vinometer

[winemaker_3352]

Yeah me too - i have gotten better - but i still make a mess .

 

[Leanne]

Still trying. I don't give up easy. I'm convinced it is easier to work it out easier from the hydrometer though. Could just be me though.

 

[sly22guy]

What do you guys use then?

 

[winemaker_3352]

You can use a hydrometer to do this.

SG - 0.996 * 131.8 = %

Example - my strawberry:

1.085 - 0.996 * 131.8 = 11.7%

 

[winemaker_3352]

Jon, have you ever really sat down and checked the numbers well cause I have found so many inconsistancies with mine that I threw it away. The higher the residual sugar the more it was off and i dont mean a finished sg of 1.015, I mean the difference between .996 - 1.000 If you use and like it thats great, this is what makes this hobby so great as everyone has and chooses their own way and style.

Wade - it does look like the vinometer is off a bit - my wine from last measured at 14% with the vinometer.

But using this equation:

SG - 0.996 * 131.8 = %

It came out to this:

1.116 - 0.996 * 131.8 = 15.8%

Yeah i know - little higher than i wanted - good thing i joined the forum to understand this better

 

[Tom]

What do you guys use then?

Use a hydrometer. Being off a fraction of a % is not critical to a home winemaker. Look at your starting gravity and it will show "potential" % if ending @ 1.000. If it goes to .990 I just add 1% to the potential.
Keep in mind its a rough %. I could care less if I think it 11.5% or 11.9%. Wineries however need to know EXACTLY the %.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I found this url that has an ABC calculator:

http://www.vintnerresources.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1444&Itemid=118

This doesn't get down the the decimal (11.7, 12.5, etc) just reads as 11%, 12%, etc.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

When a winery lists the abv on a bottle at 12%. I thought the govt. gave them a plus or minus tolorance on that 12% because of the difficulty of being exact. Is this correct?

you have a 1.5% variance allowed, legally.

 

[sjo]

I quit using mine when I found my tap water had 14% alc. according to the vineometer

 

[Wade E]

Use the hydro, its much more accurate abd you should have both the starting sg and the finished sg anhow!

 

[gfrank07]

I use a hydrometer to calculate potential alcohol, but I'm curious about these vinometers. If I use it immediately before back-sweetening (when all my wines are bone dry), I should potentially get the best reading I'm going to get from the vinometer regardless of whether the wine is a "sweet" wine in the end, right?

 

[Tom]

Dont waste your money on that. It dont work especially if back sweetening ao w/ red wines

 

[Runningwolf]

They're Junk!

But if you buy one I have some X-ray glasses I'll sell you! LOL

 

[Tom]

Thanks for
CONFIRMING
that

 

[Wade E]

I too also agree its garbage!

 

[Green Mountains]

They are Grot

 

[LarryW]

I quit using mine when I found my tap water had 14% alc. according to the vineometer

Yea, mine said tap water was 7%. But when I used HOT tap water it was right on the money. I think they are too finicky.
Larry

 

[Midwest Vintner]

My understanding there is very little if any on alcohol. Some states for instance you cannot be above 5% in Beer.

this is true, but you can make alcoholic beverages in the same manner and call it something else. it puts you in a different tax/requirement bracket, so beer manufacturer's just drop the abv down below the required number. with tolerances (in wine from my knowledge) of 1.5% allowed variance, they might even just label them different. i mean, it could be 6% abv in MO and the same beer might be 5.8% in another state and still be within their tolerance. by MO standards, wine isn't wine after 14% and is considered a liqour. that means another license and more requirements and paperwork. it's a hassle for sure.

 

[JohnT]

Guys,

I had one given to me by my in-laws. They picked it up in France and it came in a fancy carved wooden box (a quality version of the item) and included a thermometer.

I had tested it out on comercial dry wines (al% on the label) and found it be fairly accurate. The one that I have has a backing on it to make it easier to read.

The device, though, is not needed if you are keeping track of your sugar %. If not, then this is an inexpensive alternative. Just make sure the wine is at the correct temperature before you test it.

johnT.

 

[winewit]

I bought one and tested a dry wine I bought that said 13.5% ABV on the bottle. That little thing measured 9%. Luckly I only paid about $4 for it.