What to trust? Refractometer or Hydrometer

[blotto]

Great post guys. I was just about to ask this exact question when brewing with my refractometer for the first time.

I bloody pitched another yeast and everything thinking it had stalled at a brix of 7!! Now I know!

That's exactly what I did! Now like others I just use the refractometer before I pitch the yeast. Plus I had trouble in the past getting two readings the same with the refractometer so I went off it a bit.

 

[Mr B]

Temperature compensating means just that.
Just calibrate it at your ambient temperature. Works fine for me. I only need to adjust mine very slightly maybe 2 to 3 times a year.

Hmm, I do mine every time I use it. Have to adjust it most times. Its the standard $45 one, cant remember which store I got it from.

My latest theory is that it depends on ambient temp, but not really sure.

I cube, and generally the cubes measure a couple of points over the measurement at the end of boil on brew day (sample cooled to ambient or a bit above)