Brine Specific Gravity

[wharris]

Does anyone measure the Specific Gravity of their brine?

I am making up a heavy brine for my parm and wonder what SG the rest of you pros use?

My SG is currently at 1.134.
The Beverage Peoples brine page states SG 1.148-1.169 for a heavy brine.

What are the recommendations for parm?

[wharris]

I settled on a brine SG 1.148

I also added sufficient citric acid to drop the pH to 4.73

So far, so good.  My 6 gal parm is floating fine.  I've pulled it out a couple of times and the parm has firmed up nicely. The edges are getting a rind already. 
Its not rock hard, but has a good solid density and at the edges are starting to get a bit hard.

I will soak these wheels for 30 hours.

[Cartierusm]

Sounds goog Wayne, I would measure if I was maknig a brine other than saturated. I usually add like 3 cups of salt per gallon or something like that. As long as salt is at the bottom over night I'm good. I did try once to measure but I must have had too much salt as it went off the scale of the hydrometer. I don't lower my PH but my brine after 1 weeks with parm in it is crystal clear, I wonder if I should?

[Captain Caprine]

Wayne,
I do the same as Carter but for the anal retentive cheese maker I supply the following...

1 U.S. gallon of saturated brine contains 2.6 lbs. sodium chtoride

1 ft3 (7.481 U.S. gailons) of saturated brine contains 19.4 lbs. of sodium chloride

1 pound of sodium chloride (NaCl) contains 5,994 grains of sodium expressed as CaC03

Completely saturated brine is a 26.4% solution of NaCI with a specific gravity of 1.20 at 20°C

(NOTE: At 25°C,35.9 grams of NaCl will dissolve in 100 grams of H2O; therefore, 35.9g/135.99 = 26.4% solution of NaCl)

CC

[Cartierusm]

Captain I didn't realize you spoke a foreign language. ;D

[Captain Caprine]

That is my native tounge :D

[Cartierusm]

I always wanted to be fluent in Klingon, but apparantly Rosetta Stone doesn't offer that course yet.