Refractometer question?

Is it possible to take all of my gravity readings with a refractometer? Or is this something I just should use for the the mash and OG....I tried a search for this(since Im sure this has been covered) but couldnt find much.

Thanks,
Slappy

If you want to do it manually, see Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Projects and Equipment - Refractometers

An easier way is to get some brewing software that will do the arithmetic for you. I use Promash which does it, and I'm sure other popular packages do as well.

It won't be as accurate as a hydrometer once fermentation has started, but it gives a fairly good estimate. I have found that Promash gives a fairly accurate reading of the FG if the OG was less than about 1.060, but gets progressively more inaccurate as the OG increases. Other people have said that the Promash FG calculator is very accurate for all gravities.

-a.

I believe (but I'm new to refractometers), you can use it up to fermentation...

I used it a couple days ago on a patially fermented mead and it the reading was way off compared to a hydrometer.

But, refractometers are so freaking easy and so freaking cool for mash, pre-boil, and post boil readings

So...is this something worth grabbing when doing all-grain?

Slappy White said:

So...is this something worth grabbing when doing all-grain?

Click to expand...

I did my first refractometer readings last night with AG and it was sweet! A couple drops and done. No gathering samples, cooling, etc...

there's a post on here about getting 'em cheap on e-bay. I got mine for $12.

You read the Brix, divide by 1.04 to get plato and then multiple by 4 to get gravity

Sounds like a good tool to have, and sounds even better for 12 bucks...thanks for the input.

Slappy White said:

So...is this something worth grabbing when doing all-grain?

Click to expand...

Absolutely!

When doing all-grain you can't be messing with cooling a sample and what-not during the boil process.

I'd make sure and spend the extra money on an ATC refractometer though. The temp correction will avoid having to use a correction table, which just adds more time figuring the OG.

I've been unsuccessful when trying to use it post pitching. Beersmith has a feature that will allow you to calculate the gravity using the refractometer reading and the OG, but the numbers come out way off for me. It seems like the calibration settings affect the OG calculation but not the fermented wort gravity calculation.