Hydrometer calibrattion

[GaDistCo]

We know there is a need to get hydrometers calibrated and certified on a basis... What company or institution has proved the most cost effective?

[Monster Mash]

Just buy one NBS certified and keep it and documentation in a safe place. Then use it to calibrate check your working hydrometers against and record data in a lab notebook. Make sure you sign each time. Check your working hydrometers once a month or at least once a qtr.

[virtuoso]

I have been preparing a group of slides for a workshop I am giving. Part of it will be dealing on gauging. After talking to other craft distiller I have found if they were audited by the TTB almost in every case they were not in conformance in terms of their alcohol content. The TTB specifies that you must be within 0.15+/-, 80 proof on grain products. looking at their charts for example if you have exactly an 80 proof reading on you certified hydrometer at 68F x their factor of .997 your actual proof is 79.76 but 79.85 is the minimum acceptable. The hydrometer must be in at least 10th's to give you a chance at being right on. So the bottom line I found is even the certified Hydrometers will not be accurate enough for the TTB. Because they are using a $24,000 machine against the $55.00 certified Hydrometer unless of course you have an equivalent machine.

[Jedd Haas]

Did the distiller that was audited have to pay a fine? If so, do you know how much?

[bluestar]

The TTB specifies that you must be within 0.15+/-, 80 proof on grain products. looking at their charts for example if you have exactly an 80 proof reading on you certified hydrometer at 68F x their factor of .997 your actual proof is 79.76 but 79.85 is the minimum acceptable. The hydrometer must be in at least 10th's to give you a chance at being right on. So the bottom line I found is even the certified Hydrometers will not be accurate enough for the TTB. Because they are using a $24,000 machine against the $55.00 certified Hydrometer unless of course you have an equivalent machine.

You can get certified hydrometers with a wide range of accuracies. You can get 1/10 accurate hydrometers that are NIST traceable for about $25 each, although each only covers about a 20 proof range, so you would need a few of these to cover the entire working range in a distillery.

[virtuoso]

Fortunatly no as in the 2 cases it was in the form of a warning. however now that they are on notice and they are inspected again who knows? Hopefully there would be some understanding but the ttb is adament about labeleling and revenue. and if its over proof they regard it as a revenue shortfall on the excise payment.

[jamesb98409]

You can get certified hydrometers with a wide range of accuracies. You can get 1/10 accurate hydrometers that are NIST traceable for about $25 each, although each only covers about a 20 proof range, so you would need a few of these to cover the entire working range in a distillery.

Can you get hydrometers that measure liqueurs with sugars in them?

[daveflintstone]

Can you get hydrometers that measure liqueurs with sugars in them?

no

[bluestar]

Can you get hydrometers that measure liqueurs with sugars in them?

No, to meet the gauging requirements in that case you have to redistill, etc. See manual.