A hydrometer is an indispensable tool in the winemaker’s arsenal. Hydrometers are used at different stages in the wine making process, and by learning what your hydrometer is saying you’ll be able to refine your wine making techniques.

Basically, the heavier, or denser a liquid is, the higher the hydrometer will float. When just starting a batch of wine, the juice is “thick” with sugars. When fermentation occurs the juice goes from the thicker, syrupy consistency to a thinner liquid containing more alcohol. Thus, a hydrometer will float at different levels all throughout a fermentation as the liquid goes from “thicker” to “thinner”.

Specific Gravity is one scale on your hydrometer. This scale is based on the weight of water. A hydrometer floating in water will have a specific gravity of 1.000 When you start a batch of wine a typical specific gravity reading will be around 1.080. At that point the juice is 8 percent thicker than water. When fermentation is complete, the reading will be around 0.995, meaning that the sugar has been turned into alcohol and the juice is now thinner than water.

Another scale on your hydrometer is potential alcohol (PA). To arrive at potential alcohol readings you must measure the PA at the beginning of fermentation and also again at the end. An example might help here. Suppose you measure the PA of your juice at 14 % when beginning fermentation. This reading means that “potentially” you can get 14% alcohol from your juice. But not all fermentation use up every bit of sugar. If you take a reading when fermentation is complete and the PA is 1%, then your wine has 13% alcohol, the difference between the two readings.

Another scale on most hydrometers is Brix, also known as Balling. This is usually used by advanced wine makers and also commercial wineries. The Brix scale shows the percentage of sugar in the juice by weight. For instance, if you have a reading of 22 on the Brix scale, that means the juice is made up of 22% sugar by weight. Wineries will use this scale to determine that their juice can produce the percentage of alcohol they desire.

A hydrometer is a very useful tool for the homemade winemaker. The more you use one the more familiar you’ll become with the various scales and how powerful their information they provide can be.

Red Wine 101 ? The Basics and Benefits of Red Wine

Red wine is one of the more popular types of wine and this wine is almost always synonymous to romance, passion, and love. Wine in itself is already a symbol of all these things and the deep red color of the wine only enhances this symbolism. Red wine can be purchased at specialty stores that sell just wine or even at your local grocery store.

Red wine can be sweet or dry. Apart from the taste that people enjoy, there are many health benefits when you drink red wine. Grapes are naturally rich in resveratrol, an agent that is known to raise HDL levels in the body. HDL is good cholesterol and resveratrol also helps prevent blood clotting. In studies, it has shown that red wine can even lower your risk of heart disease by preventing plaques from forming in the arteries and by assisting in the healing of damaged blood vessels.

The recommended intake of red wine is one glass per day for women and two glasses per day for men. This is of course considering that you are already drinking alcoholic beverages. If you are not a habitual drinker, do not immediately change your drinking habits and take wine daily. This can even be harmful as this has been associated with the risk of cancer and weight gain due to empty calories when drinking wine. If you choose to add red wine to your diet, then gradually increase your intake over the course of a few months. This will allow your body to adjust to the processing of the alcohol.

There are many grape varieties that produce many varieties of red wine as well that are truly distinct from one another. Barbera is a red wine grape variety that has the same attributes as Merlot. A classic Italian red wine, Barbera has a silky texture and is best to be paired with tomato-based dishes. Zinfandel also works best with tomato-based dishes but also with grilled meats. This grape variety produces a red wine that has a zesty zing to it, almost spicy. Cabernet Sauvignon is the one that popularized the red wine and meat pairing. Perfect for almost any meat dish, this variety is full-bodied and its rich taste is due to its oak treatment.

Red wine will always be present no matter what the occasion is. Whether it is a delightful reunion with the family, a romantic candlelit dinner, or just enjoying an elegant dinner treat for yourself, the presence of red wine will truly add a splash of color and romance in every meal.

And just as with any other alcoholic beverage, drinking in moderation should be done because even if there are many health benefits that you can get, too much can be bad for you. Drink moderately and remember to enjoy your company no matter what type of wine or wine and food pairing that you have. After all, wine can only be enjoyed whenever you savor the moment, whether alone with your crystal glass or with the company of family and friends.

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