Refractometer

[MattSR]

Since I like to do a yearly batch of russian imperial, I grabbed the 64 brix model that also has the SG scale.

Havent used mine yet, but the time to brew is coming very soon

 

[ianh]

Be interested in hearing feedback. I could be tempted to buy another one and keep the first one for testing my grapes.

Sorry for delay replying. Very happy with mine, now I have done a few brews, good agreement between refractometer and hydrometer for both OG and FG.

Will probably just use the refractometer in future.

 

[wambesi]

How did I brew prior without one!!

First (well second if you count the comp thread) real post since I went o/s and I just had to give it a mention. I finally bought myself a refractometer (as well as a bunch of other stuff) and must say it is soooo much easier and quicker than the 'ol hydrometer.

Also hit every mark I had to on my first brew day in almost 9 months....

I bought the one from Ross with both Brix and SG, just makes it easier I guess.
I should have got one so much sooner.

 

[toadskin]

How did I brew prior without one!!

First (well second if you count the comp thread) real post since I went o/s and I just had to give it a mention. I finally bought myself a refractometer (as well as a bunch of other stuff) and must say it is soooo much easier and quicker than the 'ol hydrometer.

Also hit every mark I had to on my first brew day in almost 9 months....

I bought the one from Ross with both Brix and SG, just makes it easier I guess.
I should have got one so much sooner.

I got one off Ebay with the Brix and SG but how do you read the damn things. Mine just gives me blue slowly fading to white but it is impossible to pick any particular line like they show in the instructions. I took a guess at 1025 but my hydrometer gives me 1016. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[unrealeous]

I got one off Ebay with the Brix and SG but how do you read the damn things. Mine just gives me blue slowly fading to white but it is impossible to pick any particular line like they show in the instructions. I took a guess at 1025 but my hydrometer gives me 1016. Am I doing something wrong?

You should be able to focus it by turning the front section (eyepiece).

 

[[email protected]]

I got one off Ebay with the Brix and SG but how do you read the damn things. Mine just gives me blue slowly fading to white but it is impossible to pick any particular line like they show in the instructions. I took a guess at 1025 but my hydrometer gives me 1016. Am I doing something wrong?

The exact same problems identified on the first page of this post. Make sure the covers fully closed.

 

[LesSin]

Bought mine and used it on my last two batches, great tool, wish I had bought it years ago. I make sure its zeroed before each reading and have tested it against my hydrometer each time, no discernable difference between the hydrometer and the refractometer.

 

[a1149913]

just to bring this back to the surface, i've noticed in beersmith 2.0 there is a section for the refractometer. I was originally put off with the complexities of FG readings but it seems that beersmith 2.0 will do the conversion from brix to sg in the presence of EtOH.

Has anyone tested this to see if its accurate?

JT

 

[Wolfy]

just to bring this back to the surface, i've noticed in beersmith 2.0 there is a section for the refractometer. I was originally put off with the complexities of FG readings but it seems that beersmith 2.0 will do the conversion from brix to sg in the presence of EtOH.

Has anyone tested this to see if its accurate?

JT

BeerSmith has always had such a function, its not new with the new version, so one would presume its accurate.

 

[Gar]

Just got my first Refractometer :kooi:

I noticed on THIS website it states;

"When looking through the monocular, be sure you are using natural light to view the readings; you should not read a refractometer in the prescence of fluorescent light."

Does this really matter?

I'd like to use it after dark if possible and my shed lights are fluerescent.

 

[Wolfy]

I find when I use it with 'indoor light' (compact-fluorescents or old incandescent globes) it is not always as clear and easy to read as when daylight/sunshine is used, but it still seems to work fine. However the 'problem' could have as much to do with the time of day, what is being tested and how much of a sample has been consumed than anything else.

 

[Gar]

I find when I use it with 'indoor light' (compact-fluorescents or old incandescent globes) it is not always as clear and easy to read as when daylight/sunshine is used, but it still seems to work fine. However the 'problem' could have as much to do with the time of day, what is being tested and how much of a sample has been consumed than anything else.

Cheers, I didn't think it would make much of a difference.

Websites seem to have conflicting information on the subject... I would have tested it with a hydrometer but my hydrometer vessel has a bit of brewers droop going on (left it too close to the heat)

 

[Muscovy_333]

Hi Guys,

I'm under the impression that you use your refractometer to get an accurate reading at high temps after sparge?
The refracts that i researched mentioned an automatic temp calibration between 10-30 degrees C.
And is 0-18brix the better choice for accuracy given i do not brew over 1.060?

Sorry to bombard with questions...but you all seem to know what your talking about!

Ta

 

[bignath]

Hi Guys,

I'm under the impression that you use your refractometer to get an accurate reading at high temps after sparge?
The refracts that i researched mentioned an automatic temp calibration between 10-30 degrees C.
And is 0-18brix the better choice for accuracy given i do not brew over 1.060?

Sorry to bombard with questions...but you all seem to know what your talking about!

Ta

Hi Muscovy,

people use refractometers for lots of reasons. For me, i started using it because of it's minimal impact on my volume of beer. Small sample required and all that. Once i got used to it, i found it just as accurate as my hyrdo, but SO much more convenient. Love the fact i can use it at any stage IMMEDIATELY in my brewing process.
It's not easy trying to take gravity readings pre boil, or during the boil with a hydro.

If i was not an AG brewer, i probably would have stuck with my hyrdometer. It really shines as a useful tool probably more so for the AG'ers - we have pre boil, post boil, during the boil etc. readings that we like to do that other methods of beer production don't need to worry about.

I wouldn't worry about ATC, as the thermal mass of 3 drops on the prism surface that was once boiling hot, will drop in temp ridiculously fast anyway.

And lastly, i would love to have a 0-18brix refract. Mine is 0-32. Surely a 0-18 would be easier to read.

 

[Muscovy_333]

Thankyou,

Exactly what i was after.
I'm an AG man myself and have used refractometers in my previous life.

Apologies for the silly question regarding temp...of course 3 drops will cool down quickly!
A lot quicker than my current method of taking samples pre-boil, during and after and dumping them in the fridge to cool before hydro'ing.
0-18brix sounds like the best tool for the job.

thanks again

Musc

Hi Muscovy,

people use refractometers for lots of reasons. For me, i started using it because of it's minimal impact on my volume of beer. Small sample required and all that. Once i got used to it, i found it just as accurate as my hyrdo, but SO much more convenient. Love the fact i can use it at any stage IMMEDIATELY in my brewing process.
It's not easy trying to take gravity readings pre boil, or during the boil with a hydro.

If i was not an AG brewer, i probably would have stuck with my hyrdometer. It really shines as a useful tool probably more so for the AG'ers - we have pre boil, post boil, during the boil etc. readings that we like to do that other methods of beer production don't need to worry about.

I wouldn't worry about ATC, as the thermal mass of 3 drops on the prism surface that was once boiling hot, will drop in temp ridiculously fast anyway.

And lastly, i would love to have a 0-18brix refract. Mine is 0-32. Surely a 0-18 would be easier to read.

 

[raven19]

0-18brix sounds like the best tool for the job.

Until you make a big beer with an OG above 18 Brix...!

 

[lukasfab]

anyone got links to good priced ones

 

[Muscovy_333]

Until you make a big beer with an OG above 18 Brix...!

Have no interest in BIG beers myself so its no prob.
But if i start making wine...well thats something to consider!

 

[ianh]

anyone got links to good priced ones

I got one similar to this Link

 

[lukasfab]

I got one similar to this Link

you happy with it? easy to read?

 

[Malted]

you happy with it? easy to read?

I got one exactly like that. It is easy enough to read the scale and can be used in the shed at night. Needs to be calibrated more often than I thought it would, easy and quick to do though.

Edit: also remember to flush out the pitpette after use and prefereably with a sterilisier solution - I have forgotten sometimes and have had things growing in the plastic pipette next time I went to use it. Sure they're cheap but I intend on using them for as long as they are serviceable

 

[MarkBastard]

I love my refrac, I'm now convinced my newest hydro has serious flaws. I was using hydros for years and always having my beers finish exactly as expected in Beer Smith.

My refrac using correction tables is now measuring beers finishing exactly as I expect them to. For example I did a wit that went from 1.048 to 1.011, which is exactly what I was expecting.

However I have a somewhat interesting question, what do you guys that don't use hydrometres do when you add fermentables after fermenting has started? I had a Dubbel OG 1.062 that I added 500ml of Candy Syrup to 5 days into fermentation. Final SG (uncorrected) was 1.034. I guess you have to somehow add the Candy Syrup to the OG to work it out? I had a go at it but I got the following, which seems too high ABV surely?

OG 1.062
Adjusted OG 1.073
Measured FG 1.034
Corrected FG 1.010

ABV: 8.3%
Apparent Attenuation: 85.7%

It was a fresh wort kit that was supposed to have OG 1.060 and have a final ABV of 7.4% with candy syrup addition.

I don't actually have Candy Syrup in Beer Smith so I used 600g table sugar as the FWK said you could use 600g table sugar which would be equivalent to 500ml Candy Syrup (can that be right? Sounds wrong to me)

 

[ianh]

I love my refrac, I'm now convinced my newest hydro has serious flaws. I was using hydros for years and always having my beers finish exactly as expected in Beer Smith.

My refrac using correction tables is now measuring beers finishing exactly as I expect them to. For example I did a wit that went from 1.048 to 1.011, which is exactly what I was expecting.

However I have a somewhat interesting question, what do you guys that don't use hydrometres do when you add fermentables after fermenting has started? I had a Dubbel OG 1.062 that I added 500ml of Candy Syrup to 5 days into fermentation. Final SG (uncorrected) was 1.034. I guess you have to somehow add the Candy Syrup to the OG to work it out? I had a go at it but I got the following, which seems too high ABV surely?

OG 1.062
Adjusted OG 1.073
Measured FG 1.034
Corrected FG 1.010

ABV: 8.3%
Apparent Attenuation: 85.7%

It was a fresh wort kit that was supposed to have OG 1.060 and have a final ABV of 7.4% with candy syrup addition.

I don't actually have Candy Syrup in Beer Smith so I used 600g table sugar as the FWK said you could use 600g table sugar which would be equivalent to 500ml Candy Syrup (can that be right? Sounds wrong to me)

No that is not correct the amount of sugar would be less than 500g. Sugar has a potential of 1.046 and candi sugar 1.036 also would need to take gravity/SG into account.

Edit just checked candi syrup potential 1.029

 

[Cocko]

TLTR the last 9 pages... did scan.

Question:

When buying a refractometer, yes it will be on eBay unless convinced otherwise, are the 'suger/wine/beer' ones any different to the 'salinity' for marine use? as opposed to 'Body fluids' one? Or is SG simply SG?

 

[Aces High]

TLTR the last 9 pages... did scan.

Question:

When buying a refractometer, yes it will be on eBay unless convinced otherwise, are the 'suger/wine/beer' ones any different to the 'salinity' for marine use? as opposed to 'Body fluids' one? Or is SG simply SG?

The main difference from what i understand is the actual range at which they read. If you get one in the beer wort range it will be a lot easier to get an accurate reading than one for salinty which may have a wider scale
I just recieved this one the other day, pretty good value for money and it seems accurate http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230923820996

 

[benno1973]

Cocko - not 100% sure, but I would assume that they are different because...

1. The refractive index of sugar and the refractive index of salinity are different, so they would be printed with different scales on them to reflect this. You can create a conversion chart if you can be bothered making up solutions of known gravities, but it's just far easier to buy the beer/wine refrac in the first place.

2. Seeing the number of ads on ebay that specifically state 'wort refractometer' or 'salinity refractometer' I would only assume that they must be different, or all those sellers would be trying to flog them to the widest market possible and advertising them as 'wort/salinity/urine/sperm refractometer'.

My suggestion is to get one with ATC - much handier for doing readings on the fly as you're sparging and so on.

 

[spog]

Cocko - not 100% sure, but I would assume that they are different because...

1. The refractive index of sugar and the refractive index of salinity are different, so they would be printed with different scales on them to reflect this. You can create a conversion chart if you can be bothered making up solutions of known gravities, but it's just far easier to buy the beer/wine refrac in the first place.

2. Seeing the number of ads on ebay that specifically state 'wort refractometer' or 'salinity refractometer' I would only assume that they must be different, or all those sellers would be trying to flog them to the widest market possible and advertising them as 'wort/salinity/urine/sperm refractometer'.

My suggestion is to get one with ATC - much handier for doing readings on the fly as you're sparging and so on.

:icon_offtopic: sperm on a refractometer?,i have heard of brew porn but.. whoa! sorry could'nt resist. ...cheers...spog...

 

[Cocko]

:icon_offtopic: sperm on a refractometer?,i have heard of brew porn but.. whoa! sorry could'nt resist. ...cheers...spog...

 

[Bribie G]

I find it's convenient to lick mine clean after use so I can also get a taste of the sample for evaluation of its quality.


Also the refractometer.


Erm why did this thread get necroed?

 

[jammer]

I thought everyone had sg readings on it, like mine....
Sounds like a world of hassle!