How to Use a Hydrometer to Measure Specific Gravity of Cider

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This video explains how to use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of a cider. If you want to make your own hard apple cider or are using a hard cider kit, you need to know how to use a hydrometer.

A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of a solution and tells us the amount of dissolved sugar in our sweet cider (original gravity) and how much is remaining in our hard cider after fermentation (final gravity). Any measurement in between the original gravity (OG) and the final gravity (FG) tells us about the progress of fermentation because the sugars are being consumed by the yeast which is producing CO2 and alcohol. This causes the specific gravity to lower as the cider completes fermentation.

Cider Example:
Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 sg
Final Gravity (FG): 1.000 sg
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 6%

When a hydrometer is placed in pure water the specific gravity reading should be 1.000. A sweet cider will generally have an OG around 1.040-1.055 depending on the blend of apples used. The sweeter the juice, or more sugar you add, the higher the specific gravity.

To take a hydrometer reading:
1. Sanitize all equipment before beginning
2. Fill a test cylinder with a sample of cider
3. Place the hydrometer into the cider and give it a slight spin
4.Take reading where the surface of the cider intersects the scale
5. Document the specific gravity reading on a Cider Log
6. Discard or consume the sample; do not pour it back into the main fermentor

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