I have been making wine for many years, and now cheese.... I looked up the Specific Gravity of various salt solutions, and realized that the Hygrometer I have for my wine making can measure the S.G. of the brine, up to a concentration of 21% by weight, which has an S.G. of 1.160 at 60*F, which is what the Hygrometer is calibrated for.... When looking at my Hygrometer, which is made by Alla in France, I noticed that there is a scale marked "Approximate Potential Alcohol by Volume" between the S.G. and Brix scales.... By pure coincidence that scale is virtually identical to the percent NaCl by weight in a brine solution.... So, I can simply float my Hygrometer in my brine, and read the percent NaCl by weight directly on that percent scale, as shown below....
Up to now, I have been using a Saturated (26%) brine, but the reading I have been doing here on the Forum and in other places, recommends a brine concentration of 18-23%.... Lower can allow bacteria to grow, and higher actually can take longer to salt your cheese.... I had therefore decided to dilute my brine to 20-21%.... Imagine my delight when I found out my wine hygrometer could work for that range.... and not only that, had a scale I could read directly, with no conversion necessary....
Bob
