Sikes Hydrometer

A fascinating piece of mid-19th-century whisky and Revenue memorabilia, this Sikes hydrometer was made by Loftus, Maker to the Revenue, 6 Beaufoy Terrace, London, and is believed to date from approximately 1858–1868. Sikes hydrometers were used by the Revenue to determine the strength of spirits and played an important role in the regulation and taxation of alcoholic beverages. An unusually interesting piece of historic distilling equipment, offering a tangible insight into the methods used to measure spirits during the Victorian era.