As the title states which one does everyone prefer. I have been using a hydrometer but may purchase a refractometer due to the lower volume needed and the lack of temperature calibration.
Let the debate begin
Let the debate begin
As the title states which one does everyone prefer. I have been using a hydrometer but may purchase a refractometer due to the lower volume needed and the lack of temperature calibration.
Let the debate begin
I often use both, because I'm curious to see if they differ. But generally, as others have said, refractometer for pre-pitch, hydrometer for post-pitch.
Refractometer for mash/pre-boil/post-boil gravity readings…hydrometer anytime after I pitch yeast.
Calculators that supposedly convert brix to SG after fermentation have been off for me 100% of the time. Trial and error and each time there is some error. I prefer and always recommend a hydrometer if alcohol is present.
These hydrometer vs. refratometer threads come up fairly regularly and I've never understood why it is that some people get sketchy results measuring FG while others, including me, get reliable results.
Mine is a $25 model from Hong Kong. I calibrate before every use. I use the MoreBeer spreadheet. My beers tend to be "fairly normal" and usually have an OG that's between 1.040 and 1.060. A difference that's +/- 0.1 brix is acceptable to me, but +/- 1.0 is not - basically the same amount of error I'm likely to get by misreading my hydrometer.
A question for you guys:
Would it make sense to anyone here to calibrate the refractometer to your (lab quality) hydrometer reading? Say, mix up some sugar water to anywhere between 1.04 and 1.06 and take a hydrometer reading. Then, straight away take a drop or two from the cylinder and calibrate the refractometer to the hydrometers reading.
The reason I ask is I'd like to use the refract for pre-boil and SG and then use the hydrometer for FG readings and yet know there is minimal various between to two devices so that ABV is NOT guess work.
So in direct response to the OP, I'd like to use both but it brings up the above question...
I'm also interested in the practical aspects of this question. I never get consistent readings between my cheap hydrometer (from a brewer's best equipment kit) and cheap refractometer. The difference in OG for the last batch (Pliny clone) was 0.005 at 1.070 on the hydrometer and 1.075 (converting from Brix) on the refractometer (averaged over several measurements from different parts of the wort). I did calibrate the refractometer using condensed steam from the boil, and I've previously tested the hydrometer using tap water, and both are within 0.002 on those tests.
I think I need to make a set of calibrated sugar solutions that target different SGs to get a cross calibration between the two, because at the moment I don't trust either instrument that much. And I guess I should drop the money on the set of precision hydrometers linked above.
I prefer both.
some points to consider:
It would be interesting to see if your hydrometer reading is consistently lower than that refractometer if you repeated your experiment. Since you never measured BOTH devices with the SAME solution (other than your Pliny clone) you can't be sure that your hydrometer just doesn't read 0.005 lower than your refractometer.
Furthermore, you don't know what the difference is between hydrometer and refractomer is when you read something other than water. Just because two measurement devices correspond at 1.000 doesn't mean they will at 1.040, 1.070 etc. We assume linearity between [sugar] and measurement when there may not be.
Also, there is certain amount of measurement error with a device like a hydrometer. Take your hydrometer and have three different people read it; chances are those three people will interpret where that liquid crosses the graduations in the hydrometer differently.
Finally, one has to consider if the fourth decimal on a hydrometer reading is significant. It is possible that, although the paper scale goes down to 0.001 that if you tested it with two sugar solutions that differed by 0.005 that it would be able to see a difference with that hydrometer. If this is the case, then the operator needs to not consider the third decimal place as part of an accurate reading (i.e it is not significant, and instead of reporting 1.074, you only report 1.07).
Anyway, I've ordered the set of precision, narrow range hydrometers linked above, so I'll compare those to the cheap one and the refractometer in a couple of different sugar solutions and worts and report back.
A question for you guys:
Would it make sense to anyone here to calibrate the refractometer to your (lab quality) hydrometer reading? Say, mix up some sugar water to anywhere between 1.04 and 1.06 and take a hydrometer reading. Then, straight away take a drop or two from the cylinder and calibrate the refractometer to the hydrometers reading.
The reason I ask is I'd like to use the refract for pre-boil and SG and then use the hydrometer for FG readings and yet know there is minimal various between to two devices so that ABV is NOT guess work.
So in direct response to the OP, I'd like to use both but it brings up the above question...
Enter your email address to join: