Refractometer Vs Hydrometer

[BrewJedi]

Are refrectometers that good?

Preferences???

 

[Gout]

depends on what you want to use them for....

eg to measure a starter liquid i use my refrac (as it needs far less liquid) for my final beer gravity i use my hydro. They both work, and i like them both

 

[Carboy]

+1 here to Gout's advice ... I do exactly the same.

Cheers
C :icon_cheers:

 

[BrewJedi]

Interesting...Cheers

 

[Smashin]

it depends,b i use my refractometer for measuring my sparge run off as a few drops cools instantly, rather than cooling 70ml. If your question relates to accuracy then that is a difference question. My new hydrometer is ~3x more accurate than the last standard issue, pure brew porn. 0.001 increments yet you can easily interperate to ~0.0005. For and extra $100 again your can go 0.0005 increments and easily guestimate half division.


Smashin

Are refrectometers that good?

Preferences???

 

[Ash in Perth]

I always use a refract in the brew house for speed of measurement (less volume to cool down) and they are relatively accurate. Once yeast is added, I rely on a hydrometer as they are accurate in the presence alcohol without needing correction factors etc.

 

[Gout]

I always use a refract in the brew house for speed of measurement (less volume to cool down) and they are relatively accurate. Once yeast is added, I rely on a hydrometer as they are accurate in the presence alcohol without needing correction factors etc.

And you can taste test the sample

 

[big78sam]

Some interesting comments here

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...l=refractometer

 

[boobiedazzler]

Search for the locked thread - Refractometer, Brix and SG - which goes into much detail & consideration about the workings of a refractometer for brewday. The comments made over those eight pages convinced me that the purchase of a refractometer was a good idea. Particularly for measuring pre-boil gravity quickly, so to determine the way a boil unfolds. Have only received mine from a Honk Kong E-Bay vendor about two weeks ago, delivery took roughly four days, and it hasn't been christened with a mash day yet. Some tests against a locally-sourced, almost identical Brix/SG instrument, using tap water and two wort samples, show that the readings matched. Made me happy, becuase I paid half the price of that cross- reference instrument owned by a fellow brewer. However I feel that it is only a most relevant and accurate instrument for measuring the early stages of a brew. such as pre-boil, post boil and pre-pitch. I am a no-chiller, so will be measuring the last point as a matter of interest/confirmation of the second point. Should be the same, if it's not, then a project shall be to work out why.To answer the OP's question "Are they that good" probably depends on the user's requirements. How much of the process do you want to measure during a brew-day? As a tool, and not just a toy, my understanding is that it would be quite valuable to an AG brewer, and being a recent convert myself to both the AG method and the refractometer, it's already quite (theoretically) clear to me how this will assist in determining just how accurate the ingredients calcs & the boil time are, and give me some guidelines on how I can tweak processes/determine additions over future brews.

 

[Florian]

I'm just about to buy one myself, just not 100% sure yet which one of the folllowing two:

1. 0-32% Brix scale, and also SG scale.

2. 0-18% Brix scale, no SG scale, so only goes to about 1.072, but therefore the scale seems to be easier to read, as there is 'more space per Brix'.

Both are the same price on ebay. I kind of tend to the 0-18 % Brix one, simply because of the larger scale. Haven't brewed over 1.072 OG yet and doubt that this will happen very often.

Any ideas?

Florian

 

[WarmBeer]

I'm just about to buy one myself, just not 100% sure yet which one of the folllowing two:

1. 0-32% Brix scale, and also SG scale.

2. 0-18% Brix scale, no SG scale, so only goes to about 1.072, but therefore the scale seems to be easier to read, as there is 'more space per Brix'.

Both are the same price on ebay. I kind of tend to the 0-18 % Brix one, simply because of the larger scale. Haven't brewed over 1.072 OG yet and doubt that this will happen very often.

Any ideas?

Florian

Craftbrewer have got Refractometers on special at the moment. $46 for the 0-32 Brix is a great bargain, imo.

No affiliation, just a happy customer.

 

[Florian]

I'm a happy customer too and have seen that bargain. Just wondering if the 0-18% Brix is easier to read? In other words, on the 0-32% Brix scale, do you find it difficult at times to read the exact value?
Do the CB ones come with a pouch or hard case?

Florian

 

[WarmBeer]

I'm a happy customer too and have seen that bargain. Just wondering if the 0-18% Brix is easier to read? In other words, on the 0-32% Brix scale, do you find it difficult at times to read the exact value?
Do the CB ones come with a pouch or hard case?

Florian

Mine only arrived yesterday, but I can confirm it is in a hard case.

As for readability, haven't even had time to unpack it and wander around the house measuring random liquids ("hmmmm, I wonder what's the specific gravity of tomato sauce?"), let alone use it on a brew yet :lol:

 

[drsmurto]

And you can taste test the sample

I start taking hydro samples as the wort comes out the chiller and don't stop until the beer hits the keg.

~80mL as a time and i get to taste the changes from bitter, sweet wort through to crystal clear beer. And since my hydrometer 'jar' is a 100mL measuring cylinder i can pretend i am taking a scientific measurement B) (i may or may not don a labcoat for this..... h34r: )

My refractometer only gets used on brewday to check pre boil OG.

 

[ianh]

Bought the 0-18% Brix version about 4 weeks ago. Basically for the same reasons you are looking at it. Never brewed anything over 1.070 and should be easier to read.

So far very happy with it. SG's (OG and FG) calculated using the refractometer in good agreement with the hydrometer.

I am an extract brewer and think eventually I will only use the refractometer.

 

[boobiedazzler]

I am an extract brewer and think eventually I will only use the refractometer.

How much faith can be put in post-ferment measurements with a refractometer ? While there are correction calculations, the device isn't any longer measuring within it's purpose-built range. Has anyone done the calcs and cross checked against a hydro to determine its worth as the only tool to use?

I wont be retiring my hydro just yet.

 

[ianh]

How much faith can be put in post-ferment measurements with a refractometer ? While there are correction calculations, the device isn't any longer measuring within it's purpose-built range. Has anyone done the calcs and cross checked against a hydro to determine its worth as the only tool to use?

I wont be retiring my hydro just yet.

Won't be retiring mine either till I have checked a number of brews using both methods.

Initial results show reasonable agreement with the FG using the refractometer just slightly higher than the hydrometer.

 

[dpadden]

In the home brewing environment, as long as you include the correction (either spreadsheet or BeerSmith) the Refract is more than close enough during ferment. I double checked back to the hydro for a while but ditched it soon after....

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

it depends,b i use my refractometer for measuring my sparge run off as a few drops cools instantly, rather than cooling 70ml. If your question relates to accuracy then that is a difference question. My new hydrometer is ~3x more accurate than the last standard issue, pure brew porn. 0.001 increments yet you can easily interperate to ~0.0005. For and extra $100 again your can go 0.0005 increments and easily guestimate half division.


Smashin

Great! I could see myself miss all my targets in High Definition!