Why cant I read a Hydrometer!!??

[larin1477]

Hey all thanks so much for the help with my previous question...got one more...first I dont understand how y'all get detailed readings for gravity like 1.059 or 1.112...The best I can do is get whole numbers 1.05 or 1.03 and honestly thats still kinda guessing...any idea what Im doing wrong?...one more thing I understand what FG is the reading you take after all fermentation right before bottling...but what is the difference between OG and SG?...for example the batch I just brewed yesterday I took a reading right before adding the yeast...which again I had to guess...it was 1.060 or thereabouts...is that the OG or SG?...thanks again in advance to all.

[Vienna Lager]

O.G. usually stands for 'original gravity' and S.G. can stand for 'specific gravity' or 'starting gravity' depending on personal preference.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
O.G. usually stands for 'original gravity' and S.G. can stand for 'specific gravity' or 'starting gravity' depending on personal preference.

An OG is a SG, but a SG isn't necessarily an OG. (sorry - I couldn't help myself)

Anytime you read a hydrometer, you are reading the specific gravity (SG). The gravity of wort before fermenting is the Original Gravity (OG) as opposed to the finishing or final gravity (FG).

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by larin1477
...first I dont understand how y'all get detailed readings for gravity like 1.059 or 1.112...

they're set in increments of 5's so just estimate close enough to where the liquid level is... which is not the meniscus (or where the liquid rises to meet the glass) but just below it.

so if it's just below 1.060 then estimate about 1.058 or 59. that .001 will not make a huge difference. at least not for homebrewers anyway

[stronk]

It depends on your hydrometer design. But also, it might be that the people who report really detailed SG readings are using refractometers.

[barleyburps]

Personally I always use the brix scale. It's much easier to read the increments than the S.G. scale.

[dparsons]

Maybe you're reading the wrong scale?

My hydrometer has three scales on it:
Brix
Alcohol %
Specific Gravity

The specific gravity scale has major values indicated every 0.010 gravity units starting at 0.990 and then proceeding to 1.000, 1.010, etc. It has hash marks every 0.002 gravity units so it make it pretty easy to get to the nearest 0.001.

[BigE]

Also remember to adjust for the temperature of the wort. You can find how to on John Palmer's site:

How to read a hydrometer (http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixA.html)