How to Use a Hydrometer

One of the most crucial tests in making wine, mead or cider is knowing how to use a hydrometer. A hydrometer measures the Specific Gravity (S.G.) of wine, mead, cider & beer.

It is important to take a hydrometer reading BEFORE you add yeast to any wine, mead or cider you plan to turn into alcohol. This reading is called the Original Gravity (O.G.)

After your wine, mead or cider has fermented you will take a Final Gravity (F.G) reading.

Subtract the Final Gravity from the Original Gravity and multiply the result by 131.25 to determine the Alcohol content (ABV) of your product. Let's use this picture as an example.

If the wine's S.G. is 1.080 and the F.G. is 0.993 the ABV of this wine would be: 1.080 - 0.993 = 0.087 Multiply 0.087 x 131.25 = 11.41% ABV