Refractometer calculator or hydrometer is wrong

[IronsGateBrewery]

ok folks here is my dilemma
i brewed a vienna lager with a OG of 1.052 (hydrometer)= 13 Brix (refractometer)
11 days later i am reading 6 Brix
According to every refractometer calculator for fermenting wort i can find says that my FG is now sitting at 1.006
seeing as how i over shot my expected of 1.011(beersmith) i took a hydrometer reading
my hydrometer says 1.018
so either ALL the calculators are way off or my hydromter is way off

Refractometer is calibrated and the temperature is within 1 or 2 degrees of hydrometer calibration temperature

What would you trust?

 

[brew_ny]

What would you trust?

the Hydrometer as Refractometers and alcohol do not work so well together

all the best

S_M

 

[skunkfunk]

It is known that most refractometers are off on their measurements of wort. You are supposed to take 30 measurements with a refractometer, compare them to measurements of the same wort with a hydrometer, and track it on a spreadsheet to come up with your refractometer's "wort correction factor." This is in addition to the calculations that must be made if measuring after fermentation has begun.

Have you done this?

 

[flars]

ok folks here is my dilemma
i brewed a vienna lager with a OG of 1.052 (hydrometer)= 13 Brix (refractometer)
11 days later i am reading 6 Brix
According to every refractometer calculator for fermenting wort i can find says that my FG is now sitting at 1.006
seeing as how i over shot my expected of 1.011(beersmith) i took a hydrometer reading
my hydrometer says 1.018
so either ALL the calculators are way off or my hydromter is way off

Refractometer is calibrated and the temperature is within 1 or 2 degrees of hydrometer calibration temperature

What would you trust?

In distilled water does your hydrometer read 1.000 at 60° or 68°? Calibration temperature is printed on the card inside the hydrometer.
Have you corrected the hydrometer reading for the temperature of the sample? Unlikely temperature would cause such a great divergence in results.
Was there CO2 bubbles in your sample lifting the hydrometer up?
Was the hydrometer resting on the bottom of the sample tube?

I would go with the hydrometer reading if you handled your sample correctly.

 

[IronsGateBrewery]

a friend reminded me to calibrate my hydrometer.... im an idiot
the hydrometer was off by .006 hit my target perfect

 

[petrolSpice]

a friend reminded me to calibrate my hydrometer.... im an idiot
the hydrometer was off by .006 hit my target perfect

A hydrometer should not be off by that much. If it is throw it away. Did you calibrate with distilled water at 60F? Using tap water can throw it off by several points.

Also, a refractometer does not work very well when alcohol is present. I have both a hydrometer and a refractometer and have never gotten them to match, pre or post fermentation, even when using the online converters. I only use the hydrometer now.