Anyone ever used a brix refractometer?

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I bought it after my 2 year old broke my third(!) hydrometer - I compared 1 darn sample in my hydro to my new refractometer and it was right on - near as I could tell. Then my son broke another hydro...so I've been using the refrac since then.

http://brew.stderr.net/refractometer.html is a nice calc to convert gravity to brix and back. I doubt i'll go back.
 
I got one when I switched to all grain. Makes doing hot side measuring quite a bit easier/faster.
 
http://brew.stderr.net/refractometer.html is a nice calc to convert gravity to brix and back. I doubt i'll go back.

Thanks for the link, but I've got a question about how you use it. There are 3 calculators; I enter 8 brix in each and get wildly different readings: 1.032, 1.050, and 1.083. When is each calculator called for? I'm expecting a refractometer soon, and would love to know how this site works.
 
Thanks for the link, but I've got a question about how you use it. There are 3 calculators; I enter 8 brix in each and get wildly different readings: 1.032, 1.050, and 1.083. When is each calculator called for? I'm expecting a refractometer soon, and would love to know how this site works.

That site is self explanatory.
1st will give you straight conversion pre fermentation,
2nd gives you post fermentation readings and
3rd will calculate original gravity from post gravity
 
That site is self explanatory.
1st will give you straight conversion pre fermentation,
2nd gives you post fermentation readings and
3rd will calculate original gravity from post gravity

1) Enter the OG and get brix, or brix and get OG
2) Enter the OG and the post ferment brix, and get ABV
3) Enter post ferment gravity and post ferment brix - gives corrected OG
 
I've been using one for several years now. For pre-fermentation readings, it is not quite as accurate as a good hydrometer (you may be out by 0.001 or 0.002), but with my eyesight, I can't read a hydrometer that accurately. As I don't need the hydrometer on brew day, I don't break them any more. The cost of the refractometer has been more than recovered by not having to replace broken hydrometers.
Where I find it indispensable is taking gravity readings while fly sparging, and stopping the sparge when the gravity gets down to 1.010 (2.5 brix). With the refractometer, I get an accurate reading within 5 seconds, using one drop of runnings. It is virtually impossible to do this in a reasonable time with a hydrometer.
There are calculators that can be used after fermentation has started, but I have not found them to be very accurate. I now use a finishing hydrometer for that.

-a.
 
I use both. I use refractometer during the boil, and confirm with a hydrometer reading after it is chilled down, and at this point the wort is usually already pitched and in the basement. During fermentation I use the refractometer and morebeer's spreadsheet. When it's done I confirm with hydrometer reading.
 
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