Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Cider Digest #1218
Subject: Cider Digest #1218, 25 April 2005
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1218 25 April 2005
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Alcohol measurement (The Lambourn Valley Cider Company)
Pear compatibility (Joan Fletcher)
vinometer (re alcohol determination) (Dick Dunn)
Send ONLY articles for the digest to cider@talisman.com.
Use cider-request@talisman.com for subscribe/unsubscribe/admin requests.
When subscribing, please include your name and a good address in the
message body unless you're sure your mailer generates them.
Archives of the Digest are available at www.talisman.com/cider
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Alcohol measurement
From: The Lambourn Valley Cider Company <sales@lambournvalleycider.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 13:22:51 +0100
I am interested in the discussion on alcohol measurement. Being a very small
producer, I have never been able to justify buying some of the sophisticated
equipment that is available for this purpose, nor to afford the services of an
analytical laboratory. So I use and have used the brewers' method.
The original gravity is measured at the start of fermentation, and again when
fermentation is completed. Subtracting the latter from the former and
multiplying by 0.1285 gives the percentage of alcohol by volume.
For instance, take an o.g of 1058 and a final gravity of 1002. 58-2 = 56 x
0.1285 = 7.196. Call it 7.2. I was told this method by a neighbouring micro
brewer and its seems to work OK. At least the local Trading Standards
department, who take a bottle away for assessment every year, seem quite happy.
The only piece of highly-sophisticated (!) measuring equipment that I have
purchased for this purpose is a thing called a Vinometer. This is a fine glass
capillary tube about 4 inches long graduated from 0 to 25 and with a small
funnel at one end. You fill the funnel with the liquid to be measured and wait
until it runs out the other end and there are no bubbles in it. Turn it upside
down and take a reading when the movement of the liquid stabilises.
This cost me £5; the price of two pints of good ale over here, and is a
complete waste of money!
- --
Roy Bailey - Proprietor,
The Lambourn Valley Cider Company
(Real cider from the Royal County)
The Malt House, Great Shefford
HUNGERFORD, Berks RG17 7ED, UK
Tel: 01488 648441
www.lambournvalleycider.co.uk/
(Please reply in plain text rather than HTML, if possible.)
------------------------------
Subject: Pear compatibility
From: Joan Fletcher <cyberwyrd@telus.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 09:04:34 -0700
I am attempting to assemble a small collection of perry pears and cider
apples. I have discovered that while apples are (generally) universally
compatible with all the usual rootstocks, pears are generally much
choosier about which rootstock on which they can be grafted. Does
anyone know of a table of compatible rootstocks for perry and dessert
pears? Doesn't have to be in English; French or Spanish is okay. Does
anyone have any information on the rumoured suitability of Chinese haw
as a dwarfing rootstock for pears?
------------------------------
Subject: vinometer (re alcohol determination)
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 19:04:10 -0600
Chaad@aol.com asked:
> Has anyone trid a vinometer? It is a six dollar glassware piece that looks
> similar to an eyedropper. It says it measures "cappillary action".
I've tried one, and found it was a waste of money. It won't work--or
at least is uselessly inaccurate--unless you have a clear (nothing
suspended), still (no carbonation), completely dry (no residual sugar)
beverage to test.
I saw them in homebrew/wine shops quite a while back, but haven't seen
them in recent years. I think that might be a testimonial (!) to their
usefulness.
- --
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest #1218
*************************
