Is this refractometer really as easy as this?

[Wolverine]

http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/otherequi ... actor.html

it looks a little pricey. And it says just x the Reading by 4 to get the gravity Reading
is it really that easy. Also is a shame it doesn't go below 1000 not much good wine making
if anyone knows where I can get a good cheap one can you point me that way I don't know alot about these things . I would just like a digita. More acurate way of reading the sg
I hav read that they don't work well for taking the fg as the alcohol messes up the Reading is that nonsense or fact?
Cheers
ben

 

[Aleman]

Brew UK Refractometer It looks a little pricey. And it says just x the Reading by 4 to get the gravity Reading is it really that easy?

For starting gravity it really is that easy . . .although it is not quite multiply by 4 depending on the sugar adn the concentration . . close enough though.

Also is a shame it doesn't go below 1000 not much good wine making

It's not used for measuring the final gravity so that is irrelevant . . . Alcohol causes the reading to go up so once fermentation is under way you have to use a set of formulae to determine a current gravity.

if anyone knows where I can get a good cheap one can you point me that way I don't know alot about these things . I would just like a digita. More acurate way of reading the sg

eBay - Simple Optical Ones . . . Or a really fancy Digital One . . . For Beer Making a 0-20% Brix reads to about 1.080 and a 0-32% Brix reads to 1.128

I have read that they don't work well for taking the fg as the alcohol messes up the Reading is that nonsense or fact?

Fact - Can determine the Gravity knowing the optical brix reading and the Original Gravity using formulae . . . most software has this built in.

 

[hairybiker]

I got mine of ebay (<£20) with direct OG reading, no messing converting the reading. Must admit it makes taking OG reading much easier - you only need a SMALL amount of wort (about 1cc!) adn as long as it is cool (20 deg) you get a fast & accurate reading. :thumb:

 

[evanvine]

Tony
Confirmation or disagreement please.
My refractometer is so old it is graduated in % sugar!
Am I right in thinking that 100 grams sugar made up to 1 ltr (10%) = 1.036?
Also will this be a linear scale?
IE 20% = 1.072 :hmm:

 

[Aleman]

My refractometer is so old it is graduated in % sugar!

% Sugar = % Brix :thumb:

Am I right in thinking that 100 grams sugar made up to 1 ltr (10%) = 1.036?

:hmm: Sucrose has an extract potential of 360ldk (litre degree kilo Stupid way of expressing it makes more sense to say degrees/kilo/litre) so 10% of a kilo = 100g made up to a litre Gives 1.036 . . . So you are correct :whistle:

Also will this be a linear scale? IE 20% = 1.072 :hmm:

20% of a kilo is 200g = 2 x 36 = 72 . . .Looking good so far.

To make a Brix Solution, follow the procedure below:
• Place container (such as a glass vial or dropper bottle that has a cover) on an analytical balance.
• Tare the balance.
• To make an X BRIX solution weigh out X grams of high purity Sucrose (CAS #: 57-50-1)
directly into the container.
• Add distilled or deionized water to the container so the total weight of the solution is 100 g.
• Note: Solutions above 60 %Brix need to be vigorously stirred or shaken and heated in a water
bath. Remove solution from bath when sucrose has dissolved. The total quantity can be
scaled proportionally for smaller containers but accuracy may be sacrificed.
Example with 25 %Brix:

%Brix     g Sucrose    g Water    g Total
  25       25.000       75.000    100.000

I'm sure I have a fuller table than that though . . . . Unfortunately not with the SG conversion, as most refractometers are used in the wine industry and ten to be more concerned with Brix or Oschle

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I've just bought this one off ebay from Hong Kong which was on the page linked to by Aleman.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

I haven't used one before, so will let you know how I get on when it turns up.

 

[evanvine]

Many thanks Tony. :thumb:
I never new that "Brix" and "% sugar" were one and the same!
:

 

[31bb3]

I bought one from ebay it was around £20 from uk seller really quick postage great bit of kit

 

[dennisking]

Mine was bought as a xmas present from my daughter so I don't know where it came from but I guess its Hong Kong or similar and probably was the cheaper end of the market. But I now could not do with out it, invaluable tool for the brewer.

 

[Sean_Mc]

I bought one from ebay it was around £20 from uk seller really quick postage great bit of kit

Sadly the company we got ours from Eddie don't seem to sell them any more through ebay.

Just to echo what others have said, a great little tool which I find invaluable when fly sparging and handy too for checking fruit and musts for country wines

 

[mashman]

I don't know for sure of course but I imagine that the business end of these instruments, the optical reader is the same bit of kit on a cheap one as on one costing lots more cos I can't imagine there being lots of companies making different quality optics. Probably they offer cheaper ones due to a plastic housing as opposed to aluminium.

 

[Wolverine]

Right thanks for the replies guys from what I understand now it's good for taking the og Reading but gets more complicated once alcohol is thrown into the equation.
can you get a digital hrdrometer that works at both ends of the process?
The reason I would like one is that Im sure o keep getting funky readings on mine I've even tested two in water at 20*c and they were 4 points higher than 1.000 i was Reading it right I'm sure at the water level not the curve up the hydrometer.
should I just take into acount the error and always read 4 points higher or buy a new hydrometer that works ?
i should be getting the correct abv as both readings will be out the same way but it just bothers me thats all.

 

[evanvine]

should I just take into acount the error and always read 4 points higher or buy a new hydrometer that works ?

Annoying I know, but compensating for the error is by far the cheaper option.
You could try gently tapping the hydrometer on a hard surface to try and shift the paper scale, never worked for me though!

 

[Aleman]

Can you get a digital hrdrometer that works at both ends of the process?

Well There is an Automatic Density Meter, but they tend to be expensive

Buy Better quality hydrometers. Hamstead homebrew sell several narrow range hydrometers. Stevenson Reeves also make better quality ones suitable for Excise Purposes . . .but be prepared to cough up 80 or 90 quid each for them . . . and you need the set!

Alternatively buy a refractometer, and download the evaluation copy of promash, the refractometer calculations are free to use, and you can measure at both ends of the scale easily

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I bought one from ebay it was around £20 from uk seller really quick postage great bit of kit

Hi Eddie,
Can you post the link to the one you bought please.

Little pud

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Heres one thats in the UK

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-0-32-ATC-Brix ... 53e6c18769

 

[31bb3]

not the same seller however looks the same as the one RWsteve just posted

 

[John_McC]

Hi all first posting so be kind :-) anyway been using a refractometer for a while now and use this site (http://www.onebeer.net/refractometer.shtml) for the calcs. Hope this helps
Cheers John

 

[evanvine]

Welcome to the Forum John and thanks for the URL! :thumb: