pp > wrote:

> If the must is too thick, it can be hard to measure things
> properly, but that shouldn't be a case here with 7 pints of
> water. Also, the thickness should keep the hydrometer up
> and not down, as Ray already mentioned.
>
> Try straining the must to get just the liquid and measure that.
> If it's still too thick, you can always take a measured must
> sample, dilute with same amount of water, measure the sg and
> then multiply the sg part above 1.000 by 2 (ex., measured 1.050
> on diluted sample is really 1.100).

Sometimes common sense is outright brilliant.

Dick