How does a hydrometer measure honey the same as sugars?

[Iamjoeyjojo]

Hello.

I am wondering that since honey is sweeter than sugar how this affects the hydrometer. In any way?

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[fatbloke]

Hello.

I am wondering that since honey is sweeter than sugar how this affects the hydrometer. In any way?

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No, you've either read wrongly or you've been given duff gen!

Honey is generally only about 80% as sweet as sugar. There's some scientific stuff floating around that explains the actual sugars that make up both honey and table sugar etc.

The hydrometer isn't comparing sugars, it's comparing density when compared with water - specifically distilled water at the temperature of calibration for the hydrometer you have. So if you take a fixed measure of distilled water, tested it at the temperature standard printed on the hydrometer scale (or it might be on any paperwork/instructions that came with it from new), you'd get a reading of 1.000 - if you then mixed in X amount of honey in the same measure of water, and an indentical weight of sugar in the same amount of water, then measured them both, you'd get the appropriate readings for them and see the difference.....

Equally there will likely be some legal standards for the honey (I believe it has to be 80% sugars in the US to be labled as honey, etc etc).......