Hallo,
I am new here and this is my first post, so I would like first to express my pleasure in being part of this very knowledgeable community.
And now let me come to the question: I have a stupid problem which I cannot solve.
Any time I take a measure of a beer sample with the refractometer I obtain swinging results: one moment is let's say 5,0 °B and ten seconds later it's 5,5 °B. That frustrates me. I attribute this to the yeast in suspension, which clouds the sample and makes the refractometer's work uncertain.
I do let all things involved (refractometer, sample) get to room temperature for a few hours, and I filter the sample with some paper towels, but I see that the result is not clear enough. I am looking for some paper filter which would give me a clear sample so that the refractometer gives me an unambiguous measure.
I understand yeast cells are in the 5-8 micron diameter range, and that a coffee filter is totally inadequate for the purpose, having a typical porosity of 20 microns. I am looking for some kind of paper filter (or cloth filter) with a porosity of 3-4 microns. I cannot manage to find any: when the porosity is declared it is typically around 10 microns, and sometimes I see descriptions such as "qualitative" paper filters, but with no declaration regarding the dimension of filtered particles.
I only need this for the refractometer. It's not important to me that the filtered liquid is drinkable etc. it's not beer for myself
Also, it is not important that the filter is fast, I can wait one hour or two before taking the measure, not problem. If the filter is made out of cloth, I would like something reusable.
What do you use to solve this problem? What would you suggest?
Thanks in advance
I am new here and this is my first post, so I would like first to express my pleasure in being part of this very knowledgeable community.
And now let me come to the question: I have a stupid problem which I cannot solve.
Any time I take a measure of a beer sample with the refractometer I obtain swinging results: one moment is let's say 5,0 °B and ten seconds later it's 5,5 °B. That frustrates me. I attribute this to the yeast in suspension, which clouds the sample and makes the refractometer's work uncertain.
I do let all things involved (refractometer, sample) get to room temperature for a few hours, and I filter the sample with some paper towels, but I see that the result is not clear enough. I am looking for some paper filter which would give me a clear sample so that the refractometer gives me an unambiguous measure.
I understand yeast cells are in the 5-8 micron diameter range, and that a coffee filter is totally inadequate for the purpose, having a typical porosity of 20 microns. I am looking for some kind of paper filter (or cloth filter) with a porosity of 3-4 microns. I cannot manage to find any: when the porosity is declared it is typically around 10 microns, and sometimes I see descriptions such as "qualitative" paper filters, but with no declaration regarding the dimension of filtered particles.
I only need this for the refractometer. It's not important to me that the filtered liquid is drinkable etc. it's not beer for myself
Also, it is not important that the filter is fast, I can wait one hour or two before taking the measure, not problem. If the filter is made out of cloth, I would like something reusable.
What do you use to solve this problem? What would you suggest?
Thanks in advance