Baumé thermometer

This tool is also known as a saccharometer, syrup-density meter, sugar densimeter, hydrometer, and Baumé hydrometer. It is used to determine the concentration of sugar in a liquid, which affects the density of the solution. By technical definition, it is not actually a thermometer because it does not measure heat. However, Baumé thermometer is the term typically used in the industry. A saccharometer is a thin glass tube with a graduated scale that ranges from 0° to 50° BE. The weights at the bottom of the saccharometer are precisely adjusted by the manufacturer so that it will read 0° BE when placed in water that is 58°F (15°C). The mixture being measured must therefore be at or close to this temperature (tepid room temperature) for the reading to be accurate. Before using the instrument for the first time, it is a good idea to test it and, if necessary, compensate for any discrepancy, plus or minus, when using it. The weights at the bottom also allow the instrument to remain in a vertical position in the liquid. To use the saccharometer, a high narrow container, preferably a laboratory glass, must be filled with enough of the liquid that is to be measured for the saccharometer to float. The scale is read at the point where the instrument meets the surface of the liquid. For example, if the saccharometer settles at 28°BE, the density of the solution is 1.28, which means that 1 liter (33.8 ounces) of the solution will weigh 1 kg 280 g (2 pounds 13 ounces). The calibration on the scale refers to degrees of Baumé. A list of Baumé readings relative to various levels of sugar concentration appears at left.