Mama and Testing: Welcome...

[Capn Jimbo]

As some of you know...


...Mama(juana) was an early tester, but decided to get better equipment. Oddly enough, although good semi-precision, narrow range (30-40%, etc.) hydrometers can be had for about $7 each, the Chinese vendors were doing a lousy job of packing them. Both Mama and I received broken units, and more than once. To be fair, the vendors are VERY cooperative, and will replace them at no cost whatever.

Hint: if you order hydro's (and you MUST), drop an early note to the vendor to pack them extra carefully to avoid breakage). If you get a broken set (you need the 30-40 and the 40-50 to test most spirits), use the Ebay seller's contact to once again, insist on better packaging. The point: it may take a free replacement, but you WILL get a working set.


Flat Ass Bottom Line:

Mama is now a full fledged independent tester, and will soon be submitting tests of the many rums he buys. This will add to the more than 500 rum tests already performed.

An aside: I have long noted the fact that Canadian whisky regulations actually allow the addition of 9% of anything - yes, anything - to what they euphemistically call a "whiskey", but which can actually legally be a "mixed drink in a bottle" kinda spirit. Tests on some of the bigger names are forthcoming.

Congrats to Mama - we all owe him a big thanks. In truth, there is no reason why any of us don't spend the $20 or so needed to be able to test all of our expensive (but often altered) spirits.

[Nomad]

I too received broken hydros and was sent another set, but am finding them difficult to use. I have not been able to get them to float in any rum... I'm using the 100ml cylinder but, it seems not tall enough?

[Capn Jimbo]

I too received broken hydros and was sent another set, but am finding them difficult to use. I have not been able to get them to float in any rum... I'm using the 100ml cylinder but, it seems not tall enough?

Nomad, please contact me by PM here and let me know what procedure you were using:

1. Name of rum
2. Volume of rum in cylinder
3. Which hydro were you using (rating, eg 30-40%, 40-50, etc.
4. What did you do, in what order and what happened?

That'll be enough for a start. No worries at all, we'll work this out, and then I'll publish the results. Oops, and oh, welcome to test group - Nomad, your efforts are appreciated by all.

[mamajuana]

I noticed I was given 3 different sized of Hydro's, I have 5 total in 10% increments from 30% to 80%, I may get a 80-90% and 20-30%. My largest would not even fit in a 100ML cylinder. I used a large test jar, but the hydro is massive and super accurate I can test to the nearest .5% ! I can't find a measuring tape at this time to see how long it is but it is rather long maybe 16 inches. It takes 225 ML of rum to measure to 40% on a 30-40% Hydro.

[The Black Tot]

Right, mama. I started looking into the instruments last night in greater depth (cough).

Anyway, I'm hunting for something with higher accuracy on the used market.

I can't (and don't want to) help myself - I've always been this way

I also want to do everything up to and including my overproofs with the same accuracy.

Might take a little bit to find the right instruments, but it's happening this year.

[The Fat Rum Pirate]

Right, mama. I started looking into the instruments last night in greater depth (cough).

Anyway, I'm hunting for something with higher accuracy on the used market.

I can't (and don't want to) help myself - I've always been this way

I also want to do everything up to and including my overproofs with the same accuracy.

Might take a little bit to find the right instruments, but it's happening this year.

I'll try and save you some time (and wasted effort) with this

I would look at the way Johnny Drejer (Drecon.dk) records his findings before you worry about a greater level of accuracy. The measurements only go up in increments of 1% for instance

ABV 40% measurement 36% 15 g/L
ABV 40% measurement 37% 12 g/L

So if you were to start reporting figures such as 36.2 for example you would then be breaking down further into the number of grams into milligrams even.

Which in the grand scheme of things - isn't necessary.

Even if a Hydrometer Test notes a rum as having 16 g/L when it should be 14 g/L or 18 g/L it's not really hugely important when you consider what the tests are. They are only ever amateur estimations. Is the rum dosed? Yes a lot or a little? These tests will tell you that.

Personally you can even use a 0-100 hydrometer and get results just as good with a more graduated Hydrometer. If you only go as far as 0.5% increments your readings will always be uniform.

A more important thing to do prior to testing is to do a baseline test prior to each testing session. These Hydrometer do not have to be expensive and you shouldn't expect a lifetime of use out of them. (I've snapped 3 so far and one stopped reading correctly).

Also another thing to consider is temperature - you must make sure you get this right otherwise your figures and readings will be badly out. It's not to bad here in the UK as room temp tends to be easily regulated at around 20 degrees but probably not so easy in other climates.

Seriously I would save yourself a lot of bother and just perform the tests the "cheap" way. The overall benefit in terms of outcome will be minimal.

If you report as having 14 g/L instead of 14.2 g/L I'm not (and I doubt any reasonable human being will) going to give a shit! Likewise reported ABV of 40% instead of 40.2% or 39.8%. It's matterless we already have a 0-5 g/L tolerance built into the tests.

[The Fat Rum Pirate]

I too received broken hydros and was sent another set, but am finding them difficult to use. I have not been able to get them to float in any rum... I'm using the 100ml cylinder but, it seems not tall enough?

Nomad, please contact me by PM here and let me know what procedure you were using:

1. Name of rum
2. Volume of rum in cylinder
3. Which hydro were you using (rating, eg 30-40%, 40-50, etc.
4. What did you do, in what order and what happened?

That'll be enough for a start. No worries at all, we'll work this out, and then I'll publish the results. Oops, and oh, welcome to test group - Nomad, your efforts are appreciated by all.

Some rum does seem to need more to test the sample. Not sure why (this might be yet another indication of other additives perhaps?)

I've had a number of rums which I have had to use a 100ml tube yet some I have been able to sample with only around 30ml of rum. Often I find I have to top the rum in the cylinder up to get the Hydro to "bob".

Quite why it works like this I don't know as it certainly doesn't seem to correlate between whether the rum has sugar added or not. I don't know if some rum is less dense than other rum or something like that? No idea really.

[The Black Tot]

In the end you're right about not going too fancy on the hydros, pirate.

I found a happy medium I can live with - an ebay uk seller who sells cheap 10% increment hydros all the way up to 80%, allowing for all of my overproofs and cask-strengthers.

Should have 'em by the end of Jan, just in time for me to go back to work - ha. But they'll be secured and ready to be unleashed during my next UK respite...

[Capn Jimbo]

Tot, please, please, please post your supplier - as the Chinese suppliers seem to have a problem with packing them securely....

The growing world of testers thanks you...

[schlimmerdurst]

"an ebay uk seller who sells cheap 10% increment hydros all the way up to 80%"

Yeah, I'd also be interested in this seller. In Germany, the best I can get is a 30-60 hydro; the finer ones are either horrendously expensive, or have to be imported from China (which I did, and the hydros were not working at all).

[Capn Jimbo]

A number of us have had shipping issues with the Chinese - hydro's broken in shipment. Fortunately, if you simply contact them, they will replace them at no charge (and will not require return of the broken ones).

I simply took a pic of my broken hydro, and sent the pic with my request for a replacement. In Schimmer's case, his hydro's were DOA - intact but wouldn't float, another case for requesting a replacement.

I'd wait to see what you get for a replacement, as the German 30-60 will be harder to read than say a 30-40. Still it will be better than the mini-cheepo kit. The good news? Once you actually get a good working semi-precision hydro, the testing is easy, fast and accurate after calibarating your thermo and hydros (also easy).

After that, it's easy peasy and you will have great fun easily testing all your spirits....