GNBrews
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- Joined
- Mar 24, 2007
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Let me preface this post by saying I'm a total newb at using my new refractometer. 
My problem is that when measuring liquids that have any color other than water clear (eg. beer and wine), my refractometer (with ATC) is reading *much* higher than my hydrometer.
For instance, when I measure the gravity of a batch of Welch's wine I've been fermenting, my hydrometer reads 1.010. However, when I place a few drops on the refractometer, it measures 10.2% brix (1.041). Measuring the gravity of a batch of Apfelwein that's finished, my hydrometer reads 1.000. The refractometer reads 5.4% brix (1.021).
I played around with creating plain sugar water solutions, and the hydrometer and the refractometer definitely jive when measuring those.
Sugar water experiments:
Hydrometer Refractometer
1.013 3.2
1.025 6.0
1.052 13.0
What am I doing wrong?
EDIT: Nevermind, as I said I'm a total refractometer newb. Read more...duh. I didn't realize that you need to use some fancy algorithms to calculate the gravity once there is alcohol in solution. Guess this thing is useful only as a pre-fermentation measure.
My problem is that when measuring liquids that have any color other than water clear (eg. beer and wine), my refractometer (with ATC) is reading *much* higher than my hydrometer.
For instance, when I measure the gravity of a batch of Welch's wine I've been fermenting, my hydrometer reads 1.010. However, when I place a few drops on the refractometer, it measures 10.2% brix (1.041). Measuring the gravity of a batch of Apfelwein that's finished, my hydrometer reads 1.000. The refractometer reads 5.4% brix (1.021).
I played around with creating plain sugar water solutions, and the hydrometer and the refractometer definitely jive when measuring those.
Sugar water experiments:
Hydrometer Refractometer
1.013 3.2
1.025 6.0
1.052 13.0
What am I doing wrong?
EDIT: Nevermind, as I said I'm a total refractometer newb. Read more...duh. I didn't realize that you need to use some fancy algorithms to calculate the gravity once there is alcohol in solution. Guess this thing is useful only as a pre-fermentation measure.
