We're producing a coffee liqueur that seems to be >600 mg of solids per 100 mL because of all the sugar in it. I haven't had it lab tested, but when I drop a cheapo 0-200 proof hydrometer in it, I get a below range reading....the hydrometer doesn't sink in at all.
We've been doing our pre-bottling gauge per section 30.31©(1) with a lab still. It sucks!!...it can take all day long to run the lab still, reblend if the proof isn't right on, re-gauge, reblend, and so on. Also, it's really easy to burn the sugars with the bunsen burner and ruin the glass flask on the lab still setup. Has anyone had an alternate procedure for gauging liqueurs approved? Have any ideas? I'd like to use a volumetrically certified/calibrated tank to blend the various ingredients of the liqueur with precision and call that the gauge....could it fly with the TTB?