Way to measure density of a solution (beer/wine)

[Pat8you]

This is a bit of a random project I am looking into. Recently a product was released called the beer bug. It measures the density of beer by tracking the weight of a submerged buoy. They calculate change in density based on changed in weight and then calculate % alcohol (ABV) from that.

Normally specific gravity readings are taken before and after fermentation with a hydrometer. As the sugar is consumed by the yeast it changes the density. This is how you can obtain ABV.

Both of these methods seem clunky and difficult to get a digital reading that you could track on an LED screen. Can anyone think of another way to measure density? Is there a way to measure alcohol content or sugar concentration directly?

Thanks
Pat

 

[Bystander]

a way to measure alcohol content or sugar concentration directly?

Assays based on physical properties are often used when chemical methods are "awkward."

another way to measure density?

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q="densimeter"
You might look at refractive index.

 

[SteamKing]

This is a bit of a random project I am looking into. Recently a product was released called the beer bug. It measures the density of beer by tracking the weight of a submerged buoy. They calculate change in density based on changed in weight and then calculate % alcohol (ABV) from that.

Normally specific gravity readings are taken before and after fermentation with a hydrometer. As the sugar is consumed by the yeast it changes the density. This is how you can obtain ABV.

Both of these methods seem clunky and difficult to get a digital reading that you could track on an LED screen. Can anyone think of another way to measure density? Is there a way to measure alcohol content or sugar concentration directly?

Thanks
Pat

In an industrial situation, you would use a Brixometer or refractometer to measure sugar content:

http://www.atago.net/USA/products.html

The plain old analog hydrometer is cheap and effective. You can find digital hydrometers, but some of these devices are quite expensive:

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/sbs/sbs-3500.htm

 

[insightful]

I'd be a little concerned that this "beer bug" might have a problem with CO₂ bubbles sticking to it.
Perhaps an automotive flex-fuel sensor with a lab-type peristaltic (or aquarium) pump could be adapted:

http://www.haltech.com/flex-fuel-sensor-explained/

 

[Baluncore]

You might consider the electrical capacitance between two conductive plates in the fluid. Maybe you could use a flooded coaxial cell to eliminate external interference. Agitate the electrodes to remove CO₂ bubbles.

Water has a dielectric constant of about 80, while pure ethanol is about 24.3 at 25 °C. There will be some slight non-linearity expected due to the interaction in solution between ethanol and water. A non-linearity may be in your favor. I think it is worth investigating.