Refractometer

[Jacob]

Nearly a year ago bought cheap refractomer like THIS one.
Still think that it was one the best purchases I've made ...
In my opinion it's a MUST have gadget in your home brewery.

[Jacob]

How accurate is it compared to your hydromoter?

To be honest don't know. Will check it after work.

[Spud395]

Yeah I messed about with one, comparing the readings to hydro readings and there was a good little bit of a difference as I remember

[Partridge9]

How accurate is it compared to your hydromoter?

I have a refractometer aswell and the readings are something like

Hydrometer	Refractometer
1.000	1.000
1.040	1.038
1.066	1.060

Not really sure how to compensate for this, as the calibration instructions just say to make sure it's 1.000 in plain water, which it is.

Wow-zers thats not good- were the hydrometer readings at 20C ?

I have to say id trust a hydrometer before a refractometer -
I am doing a witbier today - I will take reading from both and compare -

you have me worried now !

[Partridge9]

Took a reading from the witbeir - 1049 on hydrometer - 1052 on refractometer- readings are close but the difference is annoying, looks like the refractometer is off, I suppose I need to work out how much brix is out by and then see if it's consistent

[Jacob]

Took some readings during brewing y-day.
Looks like the refractometer I'm using is quite accurate.
End up with 1.055 on both hydro&refractometer.

[Spud395]

What did you calibrate yours with Tube. I tried one with regular water and it read a little off, but it did state that you should calibrate with RO water, maybe?

[Partridge9]

Calibrate ? 


ahhh Caliiibbrratte

(not a clue how to calibrate the thing - time to ask mr internet how he does it)

[Spud395]

From memory the one I played around with, you put a drop of RO water on the viewer screen.
This should read zero on the scale and should be adjusted to do so.

They may not all be the same of course 

[Will_D]

AFAIK the water doesn't matter : Either Tap/RO/Distilled should all have a refractive index of 1.000

A refractometer is traditionly used in vineyards and orchards to check the sugar content of the fruit. They must only be use3d on unfermeted worts/mashes/wines.

Alcohol itself alter the RI of water. Just add a glug of meths ( or vodka if yer'e south siders  ) and you will see quite a change.

Beersmith has a tool but you need to record the OG of the wort prior to pitching. It is probably about 5% to 10% accurate. But WTH we are homebrewers not scientists.

Hydrometers need temperature compensation and also make sure to spin them to remove the little "klingon bubbles" that feck the reading.

The BEST place to use the refractometer is when boiling/mashing. You need ONE drop of hot liquid to check the wort/run off!! And the thermal mass of the tool does away with any temperature problems.

At end of brew use a hydrometer!!

HTH:

Will

[christhebrewer]

I use my refractometer during mashing and sparging. I'd be lost without it. It's so quick and easy to check how the sparge is going. I find the hydrometer difficult to read and I tend to trust my readings from the refractometer more. I have a little conversion program from Jacob which allows for alchohol content. I don't know the details or how it allows for unfermented sugars. I haven't done a proper comparison with the hydrometer. Maybe one of you clever guys can give it a proper test.

[andrewL46]

Hi guys (first post!)
Im the same, use the refractometer during sparge and boil, but will always take my OG reading with both refractometer and hydrometer to be sure. There is a handy app RefracTool that you can bag in your figures before yeast and after, and converts brix to SG.
Andrew