Beer–3

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APPARENT EXTRACT
Apparent extract is a measure of the solids dissolved be only sufficient to permit free movement of hydro-
in a fermenting liquid without correction for ethanol meter.
content. As the specific gravity of ethanol is lower than (c) Water bath, 20°C (±0.1°C), deep enough to permit
that of water, a measurement of the apparent extract of a hydrometer cylinder to stand perpendicular in it with
solution containing water and ethanol would be lower water level about 1 in. below top of cylinder.
than the actual or real extract.
Hydrometer Calibration
A. BY DIGITAL DENSITY METER Thoroughly clean hydrometer and cylinder with soap
or detergent and water just before use. Rinse thoroughly
Determine apparent extract of wort and beer free of cleaning agents and place hydrometer in water or
according to method of Beer-2B. Report apparent test fluid at 20°C until calibration check is to be made.
extract as % by weight or degrees Plato to two decimal Attemperate test fluid to 20°C (±0.1°C) in water bath
places. and fill hydrometer cylinder sufficiently with test fluid so
that fluid will overflow cylinder when hydrometer is placed
B. USE OF HYDROMETERS FOR BEER in it. Holding hydrometer by end of stem, well above part
(AND WORT) that will be submerged, rinse it with test fluid starting about
1 cm above probable reading on hydrometer scale. Gently
Rapid, but slightly less precise, determinations of lower hydrometer into test fluid so that stem is not wetted
apparent extract may be made with a hydrometer (Top for more than 1 cm above final rest point. If meniscus is
Reading Degrees Plato) calibrated against beer (or wort). distorted as the stem slips through surface of liquid, the
Test Fluids stem is dirty and must be recleaned.
(a) Distilled water. Distill 500 mL water from all-glass As soon as hydrometer comes to rest, refresh the sur-
distillation apparatus, rinse receiver thoroughly with face of fluid in cylinder by adding a small amount of test
freshly distilled water, and discard it. Collect next fluid to it at such a rate that there is minimum of vertical
500–1,000 mL of distilled water in the well-rinsed oscillation of hydrometer.2 After allowing excess fluid to
receiver and use it for checking “water point” and drain off stem, read highest point of meniscus as seen in
for diluting wort to suitable specific gravities for profile on stem at right angles to horizontal line of sight.
testing. A diffuse light source at right angles to the line of sight
(b) Beer. Decarbonate beer and determine sp gr accord- is helpful. Read to 0.01°Plato if scale divisions permit
ing to methods of Beer-1A and Beer-2. and repeat until constant value for the test fluid is
(c) Boiled (hopped) wort. Filter clear and dilute if obtained.
necessary to sp gr suited to range of hydrometer For checking calibrations of hydrometer, use at least
being calibrated. three test fluids with specific gravities that will yield
readings close to the ends of the scale and near the mid-
Apparatus dle of range of instrument.
(a) Hydrometers. Hydrometers for wort and beer are Check “water point” on hydrometers including 0°Plato
constructed according to the “Recommendations on on scale (marked “W” on scale) using distilled water as
Construction” given on pages 1 and 2 of “Testing of test fluid.3
Hydrometers,” Bureau of Standards Circular No. Check accuracy of hydrometer thermometer by com-
555, but are standardized for top of meniscus read- parison with an external calibrated thermometer. Also
ing at a normal temperature of 20°C in liquids hav- check hydrometer correction scale with correction table
ing surface tension of wort or beer.1 (Table I).
(b) Hydrometer cylinder, glass, stainless steel, or other Report differences between Plato value of wort or
easily cleanable material with smooth top rim beer determined with hydrometer and Plato value corres-
without lip. Plane of rim must be strictly at right
angles to wall of cylinder. Diameter of cylinder need
2
When fluid is beer, any foam on the surface should be removed before inserting
hydrometer by passing a glass rod horizontally across the surface. Refreshing
surface with the beer sample may not be possible due to difficulty of preventing
1 Recommended hydrometers for this determination. bubble formation around the meniscus.
a. Small laboratory type, 10.6 in. (26.9 cm) long, in ranges 0–8, 8–16, 16– 3
24°Plato. The “water point” does not coincide with 0°Plato on instruments with 0°Plato in
b. Medium laboratory type, 13 in. (33 cm) long, in ranges 0–8, 8–16, 16– their range. The zero point of the scale is the point to which the hydrometer would
24°Plato. sink in a liquid having the sp gr of water and the surface tension of beer or wort. It
c. Large plant type, 16 in. (40.6 cm) long, in ranges 0–14, 12–26°Plato. is located by extrapolation from the lowest point determined with beer.

doi: 10.1094/ASBCMOA-Beer-3
Beer–3
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TABLE I correction as positive (+) if it is added to scale reading to

Correction Table for ASBC Hydrometers give true or pycnometer value; report correction as
for Beer and Worta
negative (–) if it is to be subtracted.
Correction for Observed Reading in Range of
Temp.
°C 0–4.99 5–9.99 10–14.99 15–19.99 20–24.99 Hydrometer Method for °Plato of Beer (or Wort)
26 37 38 41 44 47 For reading hydrometer immersed in a sample of beer
25 30 31 33 36 39 or wort, use same procedure that was used for checking
24 23 24 26 28 31
23 17 18 19 20 23 calibration. Read top of meniscus and again after renew-
22 11 12 12 13 15 ing the surface and allowing time for drainage.2 Where
21 5 6 6 6 7 readings are not made at 20°C, apply temperature
20 0 0 0 0 0
19 5 6 6 6 7 correction from correction table.
18 10 11 12 12 13 Add or subtract corrections obtained from calibration
17 15 16 17 18 20 of the hydrometer in use.
16 20 21 22 24 26
15 24 25 27 29 31 From Table I (Ref. 2), read apparent extract
14 28 30 32 34 37 corresponding to sp gr of beer.
13 32 34 37 39 42 Report apparent extract as % by weight or degrees
12 35 37 41 44 47
11 38 41 45 49 53 Plato to one decimal place.
10 41 45 50 54 59
9 44 49 54 59 64 References
8 47 52 57 63 69 American Society of Brewing Chemists. Report of Committee on
7 49 55 61 67 73 Standardization of Beer and Wort Hydrometers. Proc. 1942, p.
6 51 58 64 70 76 118; Proc. 1946, p. 124.
5 52 61 67 73 80 American Society of Brewing Chemists. Tables Related to
4 52 62 68 77 85 Determinations on Wort, Beer, and Brewing Sugars and
Syrups. The Society, St. Paul, MN.
Rickers, F. J. Assoc. Off. Agric. Chem. 29(4):408, 1946.
ponding to its sp gr determined by densitometer
according to method of Beer-2 as error of hydrometer at
the °Plato of the scale reading. Report hydrometer Released 1958, revised 1975, reviewed and revised 2014