In order to avoid errors in the process of measuring the required indicators, certain rules for using a wine meter should be followed.

Basic Rules

In order for measurements with a wine meter to be successful, you need to take a few simple but necessary steps.

1. Fill the container (measured cylinder, beaker) with the liquid to be analyzed. The temperature of the experiment should be 20º C. If the temperature is increased or decreased, the instrument readings are corrected using special conversion tables. It is necessary to stir the solution lightly to remove carbon dioxide bubbles that adhere to the hydrometer and reduce the accuracy of the data.
2. Before diving, wipe the vinometer dry.
3. Carefully place the device into the liquid with the weight down. Make sure that it does not hit the walls or bottom of the container.
4. Wait for the wine meter to stabilize in a stationary position. The data is viewed on the scale at the point of its contact with the surface of the solution. Record your results.
5. Remove the device, rinse with water, wipe dry and put in a special case.

How to measure the strength of a drink

The strength of a drink is determined by measuring its density, the amount of sugars and alcohol.

The lower the density of the wort (the greater the degree of immersion of the vinometer), the lower the sugar concentration.

This indicates that fermentation is proceeding normally or has already been completed.

Thus, density measurements of samples are made at the beginning, during and at the end of fermentation.

At the beginning of the process, the percentage amount of sugar in the sample is recorded on the “% sugar” scale.

How much sugar is present in the wort can be determined quite accurately only at the initial moment, when alcohol has not yet accumulated.

In the presence of alcohol, sugar content can only be determined using calculations in this way.

During and at the end of fermentation, the percentage of accumulated alcohol is measured on the “% vol” scale.

To determine the strength of a drink, using special tables, find the alcohol content values ​​corresponding to the initial and final density of the solutions, then subtract the smaller number from the larger number.

Experienced winemakers know that there is a direct relationship between the amount of sugary substances in the original wort and the percentage of alcohol at the end of fermentation.

To prepare beer, the initial amount of sugars in beer wort should be about 5-18%, the optimal content in wine wort before fermentation is 18-30%.

To store wine sustainably, its alcohol content is kept to a minimum of 10%.

Wine yeast typically ferments the wort to 12% final strength, and the remaining unprocessed sugar determines whether the resulting wine is dry, semisweet, or sweet.

If the measurement data remains stable for 1-2 days and corresponds to the actual or calculated sugar content of 2-2.5%, then fermentation can be considered complete.

Based on these data, when preparing the drink multiple times using the same recipe, useful conclusions can be drawn even without special recalculations.

A hydrometer is a simple instrument designed to measure the density of a liquid. The principle of its operation is based on Archimedes' law, and Hypatia is considered the inventor. Although there is an opinion that the right to create a hydrometer belongs to the French chemist Antoine Baume.

Devices are divided into mechanical and electronic. A mechanical hydrometer looks like a glass tube sealed on both sides, narrow on one side and wide on the other. A small weight (shot or mercury) is sealed in the lower thickened part, and the narrow side is equipped with a graduated scale. In part, the device resembles a classic thermometer. An electronic hydrometer looks like a small rectangular or round device, with a probe sensor that is immersed in a liquid for measurement.

There are several types of hydrometers:

• lactometer (lactodensometer);
• salinity meter (TDS meter);
• alcoholometer (alcoholometer);
• saccharometer (refractometer or vinometer).

The lactometer is designed to measure the fat content of dairy products. It is legally prohibited to add water to milk, but in some cases this can happen unintentionally, for example, when washing equipment. To eliminate trouble, a lactometer is used in production.

A salt meter is needed to determine the degree of water hardness, chemical composition, and salt content. This is necessary, for example, to fill an aquarium or water plants. Using the device, you can determine whether the water is suitable for consumption.

How to use a hydrometer correctly

When buying a hydrometer in a store The package must include instructions. It clearly states how to use the hydrometer. Do not underestimate the apparent simplicity of the device; if the rules are not followed, there is a high risk of obtaining unreliable results. The density meter and the range of its scale must correspond to the situation, that is, for alcohol - an alcohol meter, for wine drinks - a saccharometer. Rules of use:

• The liquid must be heated or cooled to the appropriate temperature for which the hydrometer is calibrated.
• Before measuring, be sure to check that the tube is clean, free of greasy and dirty stains, and completely dry.
• During the procedure, the edges of the device should not touch the walls of the container.

All this affects the final measurement result.

Alcohol meter

Alcohol hydrometer designed to work with aqueous-alcohol solutions, in other words, to determine the proportion of ethyl alcohol in a solution of alcohol and water, without unnecessary impurities. The density of vodka or alcohol is usually indicated as a percentage.

The peak of popularity of the device occurred in Soviet times, when during the period of perestroika M.S. Gorbachev signed a decree on strengthening the fight against drunkenness. But the Russian people have long-standing traditions and not a single holiday is complete without alcohol, so during Prohibition, enterprising citizens began to make moonshine. And to determine the strength of the drink, you needed an alcohol hydrometer, or a household alcohol meter.

How to use an alcohol meter

In fact, the rules for using all hydrometers are similar. The tube must be perfectly clean and dry, and when measuring, the device must not touch the walls of the container used for measurement. A prerequisite when determining the strength of alcohol or vodka is to maintain the temperature of the drink - exactly 20° degrees. When alcohol is diluted with water, a reaction occurs that produces heat. It is necessary to wait until the release of heat passes and only then measure the strength. If the temperature differs from the set one, then the table will help you navigate:

For mechanical alcohol meters There are no particular differences from each other: laboratory, household or glass - the principle of operation is the same. The household alcohol meter is more common among the population. Its measurement error, subject to the rules, is up to 0.5%. This is quite enough for home use.

If you need higher accuracy, you can use electronic alcoholometer. It works according to a different algorithm and is equipped with a thermometer. However, its cost is high.

Particularly popular among home producers of strong drinks alcoholmeter ASP-3. Usually this is a set of three devices with a range from 0 to 40%, from 40 to 70%, and from 70 to 100%, with a scale gradation of 1%, although more often you can find only one ASP hydrometer on sale, with a gradation from 70 to 100%.

Wine meter

Alcohol and moonshine are discussed above, but how can you determine the strength of wine at home? In addition to alcohol and water, wine contains sugar and other additives, because your own wine is prepared according to different recipes and different raw materials are used. A vinometer is used for this purpose., which measures the density of sugar-containing additives in a solution. If the initial density of the must is known, before fermentation, you can calculate how many degrees there are in the wine. Yeast feeds on sugars, and the higher the density of the initial solution, the greater the strength of the future wine, from 1 gram of sugar, it turns out from 0.53 to 0.6%. Unfortunately, it is not possible to measure the strength of store-bought wine with a wine meter.

Do-it-yourself vinometer

Wine meter design so simple that you can make the device at home.

1. To do this, you need to take a float with a sealed bottom; even an ordinary test tube will do. Lower it into water at a temperature of 20 °C, loading it with a weight, making sure that it floats freely, slightly short of reaching the bottom. A mark - 0 is placed on the water cut.
2. Then take 25 grams of dry sugar, dissolve in water, and bring the volume to 100 ml. Place the test tube in the liquid and place a label. The density of such a solution is theoretically equal to 25.
3. Remove the test tube from the solution and apply an equal graduation between the two marked points.

Capillary vinometer

It is worth mentioning separately capillary vinometer. This tabletop device is widely used by winemakers in Europe, but is not particularly common in Russia. It is designed to determine the strength of dry wines, has a different operating principle, and does not require a separate container for measurement. It is necessary to fill the funnel with the product being measured, wait until the liquid fills the capillary and begins to flow out drop by drop. After this, the device is turned over, the readings are read based on the level of liquid stopped in the capillary.

In the case of strong or sweet wines, the meter error can be 2-4%, depending on the amount of sugar in the drink.

Optional equipment

The stores offer a wide selection of hydrometers of various directions and gradations. For ease of use additional equipment offered. Basically, this is a thermometer for measuring the temperature of a drink, on which the accuracy of the result depends. A graduated cylinder made of glass or plastic, of various volumes. As well as a special probe designed for sampling mash, wine and other drinks.

The quality of the mash and the “exhaust” of alcohol depend on the strength of the liquid, that is, the percentage of alcohol in the liquid. You won't be able to measure the strength using a simple alcohol meter., since the presence of impurities will introduce a serious error. To accurately determine this indicator, we need an AC-3 sugar meter. Below we will tell you how to use it correctly.

The AS-3 sugar meter (price about 300 rubles) is a more complex device than an alcohol meter. It looks about the same, but to calculate the alcohol content we will need a special table on the basis of which you will draw conclusions. Be prepared right away that you will take measurements twice - before fermentation and after it.

A sugar meter is not an alcohol meter. They count different indicators.

It's important not to confuse the different terms, so I'll try to explain them all here.

1. Alcohol meter- a device for measuring strength in drinks containing only alcohol and water. There are a lot of unnecessary impurities in the mash, so it won’t suit us.
2. Sugar meter- a device for measuring the density of a liquid (in other words, the amount of sugar). Based on the density, we can calculate the strength of our fermenting wort.
3. Strength, alcohol content- the amount of alcohol in the liquid. The normal indicator for mash is 12%. Some types of yeast can increase this figure to a maximum of 14-16%.
4. Density, sugar content- the amount of sugar in the liquid. The density of the wort before and after fermentation is very different. The difference between these values ​​is the basis for calculating the alcohol in the liquid.

How to use the AC-3 sugar meter correctly and calculate the strength of the mash

The whole process will be divided into three stages:

1. Determining the density of the mash before adding yeast.
2. Determining density after fermentation.
3. Using the table we calculate difference and determine the alcohol content of the finished mash.

I propose to immediately give a clear example, after which everything will become much clearer to you.

An example of calculating the strength of mash using a sugar meter

1. We prepared the wort, mixed water with sugar and lowered the sugar meter into this mixture. Using the scale, you determined that the gravity is 18.5%, which corresponds to 9.25% alcohol.
2. After fermentation, you lower the sugar meter into the mash again and see that the density is already 2.5% and the amount of alcohol is 1%.
3. Now you need to subtract 1% from 9.25%, in the end you get mash strength 8.25%.

In fact, we call strength the difference between the initial and final density, converted into alcohol using a table. Before fermentation, the mash contains a lot of sugar and little alcohol, that is, the density is high.

At the end of fermentation, there is practically no sugar left, but the amount of alcohol is already high. We calculate the difference between alcohol units and draw a conclusion.

Optimal strength and density values

A few useful numbers to keep in mind when making calculations.

The minimum error will be at a liquid temperature of exactly 20% Celsius

1. For initial mash typical density is about 20–22%.
2. Optimal density matured mash from 1.5% to 2.5%.
3. Classic mash strength is 12%. Some yeast strains increase the alcohol content to 14–16%.
4. Maximum mash strength is 20% (with good yeast and with the addition of “tails” from the old distillation). Anything above this indicator will be very difficult to turn into high-quality moonshine. It’s better to do a little less, otherwise the concentration of “fusel” will be prohibitive.

Instructions for using sugar meter AS-3

What I liked the most was the video from MirBir‘a, in which the author explained in detail what needs to be done with this device.

In general, it all comes down to reducing the error by maintaining an optimal temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and the absence of carbonation (strong release of carbon dioxide).

Keep the hydrometer dry and wipe it with a cloth. Otherwise, an extra layer will stick to it, which will introduce an error in its operation and you will no longer be able to accurately calculate the density.

How to properly increase the strength of mash

If for some reason you are unsatisfied with the alcohol content of your matured wort, then you can take several steps that will increase it.

1. Add the “tails” from the previous distillation. This is moonshine with a low alcohol content (up to 30 degrees), with which you can partially increase the strength. The quality of the final product decreases, since the tails contain a lot of fusel.
2. If the density is still high, then it is necessary to revive the yeast. I talked about this in more detail in the article about.
3. Initially, it was possible to add higher quality and more expensive yeast, for example, alcoholic or turbo. With their help, you can increase the alcohol content to 14–16%.

Important: You can’t increase the strength of the mash by more than 20%. After this mark, distillation will go extremely poorly, a huge amount of harmful substances will be released, as a result of which your moonshine will turn out to be of extremely dubious quality.

Try to maintain the golden alcohol content of fermentation products around 12% and everything will be fine.

A sugar meter for mash is a special device that helps determine the strength of the drink. It is used in various cases: it helps control the fermentation process, influence the final strength of the mash and, accordingly, moonshine, beer or wine. This device has another name - a hydrometer.

Sugar meter for moonshine production

The device is necessary in order to determine the readiness of the mash and to ascertain the end of fermentation. The fact is that in most cases the readiness indicator is not assessed in accordance with certain factors; they begin to distill moonshine following the recipe, which is not always correct. So, in order not to make a mistake and start preparing a strong drink from a liquid that has not yet fermented, it is worth resorting to the help of a saccharometer.

How to determine the readiness of a drink if you don’t have much experience in moonshine brewing? It is not difficult to understand this issue. There are certain indicators that are considered a standard: for example, the shortest ripening period for mash varies from 3 to 5 days. Such a short ripening period is due to the fact that the drink is prepared on the basis of starch, using grain or beans as the main raw material.

But if the mash is prepared on the basis of sugar or solutions that contain this sugar, then its ripening period is longer - it varies from 5 to 14 days. To prepare wine, you will need a little more time - the raw materials will be ready in 21–28 days.

But in order to determine whether the mash is ready for distillation or not, it is worth relying not only on generally accepted indicators and the recommendations indicated in the recipe. It is worth paying attention to other signs that will help you recognize the finished product:

The first thing you should pay attention to is the appearance of the mash: if it has become transparent, and flakes and bacterial waste products have settled to the bottom, then it makes sense to think that the product is ready or almost ready for processing.

The second sign of readiness is taste. If you taste the mash, it should be bitter-sour, there should be no sweetness in the taste. If you smell sugar, it means the product is not ready yet, the yeast has not fermented and could not process the sugar. It is not worth making moonshine from such raw materials.

The sugar content in the product affects the fermentation process: if there is little sugar, then the yeast microorganisms have nothing to feed on, and the fermentation process may proceed slowly or not begin at all. But too much sugar in the mash can spoil the drink - the fact is that sugar is a preservative, it simply will not allow the fermentation process to begin. The ideal proportion is 200 grams of granulated sugar per 1 liter of water.

If you ignore the fermentation processes and move on to the finished distillate, then a saccharometer will help determine the strength of the product.

How to use the device?

Measuring the strength of the mash using a hydrometer will help determine the readiness of the product for distillation and even identify the expected alcohol strength.

The definition will help to identify its readiness without assessing the quality and appearance of the mash. Moreover, the device itself operates on the basis of Archimedes’ law.

So, what can you use a saccharometer for:

• this device helps to determine the amount of dry sugar-containing yeast in the wort;
• it takes into account the density of the mash, which makes it possible to judge its readiness;
• measures the final gravity of the wort.

The alcohol content of the mash directly depends on the density. This indicator affects the quality of the product and its strength. If you want to determine the end of the fermentation process, then you should lower the device into the drink. If the hydrometer reading is 2–2.5%, then we can talk about the completion of the fermentation process. But to obtain more accurate information, it is recommended to repeat the procedure several times.

What does density depend on? This indicator is influenced not only by the sugar content in the mash, but also by the quality and characteristics of the yeast:

1. If wine or ordinary yeast for baking was used in the process of making the distillate, then the density of the liquid should not be more than 22%.
2. If the drink is produced using special alcohol-resistant yeast, then its density will vary from 20 to 30%.

If you monitor the density, you can use it to adjust the strength of the product: the higher the density, the stronger the drink.

Operating principle of a saccharometer

It is easy to measure the strength of future alcohol using a hydrometer. To do this, you need to immerse the device in a container to a certain depth and wait until its position stabilizes and density indicators appear on its scale.

How to find out the initial gravity of the wort:

• the hydrometer is immersed in liquid;
• then you should wait for the saccharometer to stop;
• the readings are recorded;
• To obtain an accurate result, the procedure is repeated several times.

The entire process of measuring density will take no more than 5 minutes. It is advisable that the temperature of the liquid does not exceed 20 degrees. The indicators are recorded, you will need to add them up, and then divide the amount by 3. This will help determine the alcohol strength. Initial gravity is measured before yeast is added to the liquid.

A hydrometer/saccharometer will help determine the density of the final wort. To carry out the procedure, it is worth taking 200–250 milliliters of mash, then filtering it by passing it through a thick cloth several times. The resulting liquid is treated as follows:

1. It is shaken to remove any remaining carbon dioxide.
2. Then warm to room temperature.
3. The liquid is poured into a transparent glass container.
4. Then they lower the device into it and measure the indicators.

If the density indicator is stably at 1.5-2.5%, then you can start distilling the moonshine, the mash is ready. Naturally, the most accurate indicators can be obtained by measuring the density in the wort 2-3 times.

What determines the strength of the drink?

There are several factors that can affect the strength of a drink and change its density. If this indicator for one reason or another has become higher or lower, then an assessment of those same factors will help return it to normal.

So, what affects the strength of alcohol and the fermentation process:

• sugar content;
• type of yeast;
• temperature.

Sugar has already been mentioned above: to make the mash strong, you should add a little more sugar to it at the initial stage. The proportion can be changed by adding about 300 grams of sugar per 1 liter of water.

If we talk about the yeast that is used to make alcohol, then alcohol-resistant microorganisms will help increase the strength of the drink.

Now let’s move on to the temperature: it is desirable that in the room where the mash is stored, it should not exceed 30 degrees, but also should not fall below 18. At the same time, the indicator should be stable. Temperature changes can cause the fermentation process to slow down or stop.

You can monitor the process and determine the readiness of the mash for distillation using a hydrometer, but you should not rely only on the capabilities of the device. External assessment of product quality also plays an important role. After all, if you miss the moment, then instead of good, strong alcohol you can get an indistinct product of low quality.

A wine meter (sugar meter, hydrometer) is an important piece of control and measuring equipment used by winemakers and brewers. The device is usually made of a sealed glass tube with a loaded and enlarged bottom and a long narrow rod. Used in combination with a tall, thin graduated cylinder filled with liquid. When immersed in wine, the design of the device allows it to float with the thick end pointing downwards. The readings of the wine meter are taken at the point of contact of the scale deposited on the rod with the surface of the liquid.

What does a hydrometer actually do?

To find the specific gravity, i.e. the ratio of the density of the must or wine to, you should use a household wine meter (sugar meter). How to use the device? The device measures the amount of natural sugar. This allows you to evaluate and adjust the recipe for preparing the drink depending on the readings received. The winemaker can also monitor the progress of fermentation and make immediate adjustments if necessary.

Anyone who makes wine knows that there is a direct correlation between the amount of sugar present in grapes (or other berries and fruits) and the percentage of alcohol at the end of fermentation.

Why do you need a hydrometer?

The purposes for which the vinometer is used are the following:

• measurement of specific density of liquid;
• making accurate calculations when artificially increasing the percentage of alcohol;
• measuring the amount of natural sugar present in wine or must;
• determining the potential percentage of alcohol during the addition of sugar and yeast;
• assessment of fermentation progress;
• determining the percentage of alcohol conversion during fermentation using “before” and “after” readings;
• determining when fermentation is complete or at what stage it should be stopped.

How to use a wine meter (instructions for buyers)

When purchasing a hydrometer, you need to pay attention to the following:

• The scale range (maximum and minimum) must correspond to the specific situation. The standard measurement range for home winemakers is between 0.990 and 1.120. For example, to achieve a wine alcohol content of 12%, fermentation should begin at a specific gravity of 1.090.
• What liquids is the wine meter designed for? How to use the device is indicated in the attached instructions.
• Some hydrometers can only measure specific gravity, but most also measure potential alcohol percentage and sugar content.
• The temperature at which the vinometer is calibrated should be stated, and how to use specific gravity conversion formulas based on sample temperature (the most common calibration temperature is +15°C).
• Does the size of the device correspond to the dimensions of the graduated cylinder?
• Is there a protective case (hydrometers are very fragile).

Sampling

How to use a wine-sugar meter correctly? A sample of the wort is poured into a graduated cylinder. The hydrometer is carefully lowered into the liquid with a slight rotating motion. The float will sink and rise a little until it stops at the density of the liquid.

The more the vinometer floats, the more sugar there is in the sample. The further the device is submerged, the lower the density of the liquid. This may mean that the sugar at this stage has almost completely converted to alcohol or that there is very little of it in the sample.

When lowering the hydrometer into the graduated cylinder, be careful not to hit the bottom and break it.

How to use a wine-sugar meter? Instructions for taking measurements

The following few simple steps will allow you to take readings from the device:

• sterilize the hydrometer, wine sampler and measuring cylinder with sodium metabisulfate or another similar sterilizer;
• place the measuring cup on a flat surface;
• use a sampler to take a sample of must or wine that does not contain sediment or solid particles, as this will affect the readings of the device;
• fill with enough liquid to allow the vinometer to float (usually 80%);
• Carefully lower the hydrometer into the graduated cylinder (it should be rotated during immersion so that the bubbles do not stick to the bottom of the float, which could affect its readings);
• After making sure that the device does not touch the walls of the measuring cylinder and floats freely, take readings along the lower part of the meniscus.

A meniscus is a curve formed by the upper surface of a liquid when it comes into contact with another object due to force. Readings should be taken in full, recording the number from one to thousandths, and not limited to the last digits, as this may cause confusion in the future.

The hydrometer, graduated cylinder and any other containers used should always be thoroughly washed.

You should make it a habit to write down everything that the vinometer measures. How to use its readings is described later in the article. In addition, in the future there will certainly be a need to refer to them.

Types of vinometers

There are many different types of hydrometers: some have only one scale, others two and three. The three measurements a winemaker needs to obtain are:

• specific gravity;
• sugar content;
• potential alcohol content.

The density scale usually starts at 0.990 and ends at 1.120. For water, its value is equal to one, so if the device floats in water, its surface should coincide with the 1.000 mark. If sugar is dissolved in it, the hydrometer will float higher.

Some notes

User reviews recommend always checking measurements and calculations twice for accuracy. Getting your measurements exactly right may not be critical for home winemaking, but it is a good habit to avoid getting too high or too low alcohol levels due to incorrect measurements.

For example, 125 g of sugar dissolved in one liter of water will give a specific gravity of 1.046.

Factors influencing readings

Typically, bubbles of carbon dioxide produced by yeast rise and dissipate into the air. At the beginning of fermentation, when their release is noticeable, they attach to the float and cause the vinometer to float. How to use it in this case so that its readings are correct? When immersed in liquid, user reviews recommend rotating the hydrometer. Once the period of active fermentation is complete, bubbles are usually no longer a problem.

There is one more question that a winemaker asks when using a household wine meter. How to use the device when the sample temperature is different from its calibration temperature? This is usually 20°C, but check the manufacturer's instructions to be sure. Higher temperatures cause lower readings. Therefore, the obtained result should be corrected.

The most important factor influencing how to use a wine-sugar meter is the presence of alcohol. Its density is less than that of water, and the float sinks lower. For the hydrometer, this has the following consequences: since sugar raises the float, the presence of these two components in the wine has a mutual influence on each other. The scale that measures sugar levels is only accurate before fermentation begins, when no alcohol is present in the liquid. Wine that has been dry fermented will have negative values ​​on this scale.

Fortunately, the effect of alcohol on a hydrometer is predictable and can be taken into account when deriving the mathematical formulas used to calculate alcohol content and residual sugar percentage. This is where there is an advantage to using specific gravity - for dry wine it will be below 0.999, which can be used in calculations.

Interpretation of measurements

Another problem that arises when using a household wine-sugar meter is how to use the readings of the device? User reviews recommend keeping a log of all measurement results obtained for a specific wine. From the data, some conclusions can be drawn even without any calculations.

The first readings taken before fermentation begins will tell you whether there is enough sugar to produce the required amount of alcohol. For a wine to be stable, it must have an alcohol content of at least 10%, which means that the initial specific gravity must be at least 1.080 (Brix must be at least 20). If the sugar level is too low, it needs to be adjusted and then another measurement taken. The new indicator will be a “first”.

Any data obtained after the start of fermentation can be compared with previous ones and the overall progress of fermentation can be tracked. A decrease in density indicates a decrease in sugar levels and an increase in alcohol content. If the vinometer reading remains stable between two measurements, then this is one of the signs that fermentation is complete.

If the density of the wine increases and it is not due to adding sugar or another element to it, this is likely the cause, especially if bubbles are visible. If this occurs towards the end of the fermentation period, you can get rid of the gas by vigorously stirring the wine after decanting it.

If the reading remains stable with a specific gravity above 0.996 (or Brix of zero or less) and the desired amount of alcohol is present, fermentation is complete with residual sugar present. But if the readings remain unchanged at a gravity that is well above 0.996 (or Brix above zero) and the alcohol level is well below the recommended minimum, then fermentation has likely stopped and should be restarted.

Once the specific gravity drops to about 0.996 or below (slightly below zero Brix), the wine has fermented to dryness.

To calculate the actual amount of alcohol or sugar, the current reading must be compared with the first one, which was taken before fermentation began. In this case, the percentage of alcohol content is found by multiplying the difference between the initial and final specific gravity by 132.