Is a Refractometer worth it?

[cessick7]

Ughhhh!! I just broke another Hydrometer (my third one). Does anybody use a refractometer in place of a hydrometer and is it worth the extra cost?

 

[BrewKnurd]

Ughhhh!! I just broke another Hydrometer (my third one). Does anybody use a refractometer in place of a hydrometer and is it worth the extra cost?

Might not be an extra cost if you're gonna keep breaking hydrometers.

I actually just got a refractometer for christmas. Main benefit for me is that I check my gravity multiple times throughout the brew day (pre-boil, once or more mid boil, post boil), and its a pain to have to grab 1/2 cup, cool it, and take the hydrometer reading. Refrac will simplify that significantly.

 

[Carter1932]

yes it is.

 

[Sparqui]

Can you use it after fermentation starts?

 

[Revvy]

A refractometer is not really a "replacement" for a hydromter, it doesn't work the same way in all situations. Once fermentation has begun alcohol and co2 throws off the readings in a refractometer. There are online calculators that supposedly can compensate for those elements, but I don't trust them.

I only use my refract for pre-yeast pitch reading, but once fermentation begins I go back to the hydrometer.

But on brew day it's convenient to take multiple readings during the ag process where it is invaluable.

 

[iaefebs]

I hardly ever use a hydrometer anymore. I even lent it out to a new brewer and don't miss it at all. I have done multiple checks with the hydrometer and compared them to my refractometer during all phases of the process including FG. I now use the calculator in BeerSmith 2.0 but before that I used the online ones. I also use a refract to check gravity in my starters. I recommend a refractometer that reads in Brix, the ones that read in SG seem to be the ones that cause people trouble.

 

[Homercidal]

For the cost it's totally worth it if you only use it pre fermentation.

The big ting for me is that it only takes a moment to cool the tiny sample and give a reading.

When I first got mine I checked the gravity on two brews against my hydrometer and it was dead on, both pre and post fermentation (using a phone app).

I've meant to test it against my hydrometer the past 2 batches but didn't. Not having to cool the wort before testing is nice.

 

[cessick7]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I need to start shopping for a nice refractometer and probably another hydrometer. Anybody here have one of the refractometers from China that are sold on Ebay?

 

[A4J]

I was actually wondering the same thing. A refractometer is on my next list of things to buy.

 

[Homercidal]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I need to start shopping for a nice refractometer and probably another hydrometer. Anybody here have one of the refractometers from China that are sold on Ebay?

I bought a cheap one off ebay and it's been fine. I don't think they are all that much more to buy from one of the online LHBS's either.

 

[wailingguitar]

In commercial settings, I have only EVER used or seen used a hydrometer when brewing high-gravity beers... and then only during vorlauf when waiting for the gravity to get above a certain point. Otherwise, only hydrometers. As Rev noted, alcohol and dissolved CO2 affect the readings. Rather than springing for a Refrac (cool toy though it be) I would rather spend that money on two pro hydrometers... a low scale and a high scale that read degrees Plato (usually like 0-15 and 15-30)...I have also seen 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30P Read Plato as XX.x which gives you a greater effective range than SG. These hydros are also temp corrected... in the sense that they have a thermometer built in that tells you what to add or subtract dependent on the temp.

 

[Breck09]

When I first got mine I checked the gravity on two brews against my hydrometer and it was dead on, both pre and post fermentation (using a phone app).

What's the app?

 

[Polboy]

I have refractometer and like it a lot but im still using (and breaking) hydrometer as well, just like to double check everything, so far after 4-5 batches using both im getting very close reading (during and after fermentation) when using online calculators for alcohol correction, i guess when i break the last hydrometer i have i will stop using them

 

[MSP]

I was on the verge of buying a refractometer, but I didn't realize you really couldn't use them after fermentation begins. I don't have trouble breaking hydrometers, but rather reading them! So maybe I'll just buy a nicer hydrometer. Or maybe both, I dunno.

 

[scottland]

I have one, and don't find it all that useful.

 

[DeGarre]

Refract can tell when the fermentation is done and it's bottling time when the value hasn't changed in 2-3 days - without wasting precious beer.

 

[brewtus_]

Love using a refractometer on brew day as opposed to a hydrometer. It's faster and easier and find it a great tool taking gravity measurements when mashing, sparging, preboil and OG. I only use my hydrometer to take a final gravity reading. I also never take gravity readings any time through the 3-4 weeks of primary fermentation.

 

[iaefebs]

I was on the verge of buying a refractometer, but I didn't realize you really couldn't use them after fermentation begins. .

I use a refractometer through the entire process. I have compared readings, I don't understand why so many people have trouble using it. I thought it was people using a refractometer that was calibrated in Specific gravity rather than Brix having problems. Now I just wonder if this is the new version of using a boil pot made of SS or Aluminum. Old opinions based on what??

 

[wailingguitar]

Well, in my case, it comes from working in the brewing industry and, as I said, never using one OR seeing one used at any time other than vorlauf on high gravity brews... I'm talking about guys who are graduates and instructors at Seibel's... If cats like John Meier and John Mallett prefer hydrometers, there must be a reason. I know I sure wouldn't deign to think I know more about it than they do...

 

[MichaelBrock]

I use a refractometer through the entire process. I have compared readings, I don't understand why so many people have trouble using it. I thought it was people using a refractometer that was calibrated in Specific gravity rather than Brix having problems. Now I just wonder if this is the new version of using a boil pot made of SS or Aluminum. Old opinions based on what??

The issue is that once the wort has alcohol in it, the refractometer is no longer measuring the sugar content of water but rather the sugar content of a "varying mixture of water and alcohol". Since the water and alcohol have different densities the refractometer is no longer accurate. There are calculators which will attempt to compensate for the alcohol content by guessing at the alcohol content but many people don't trust them.

 

[iaefebs]

The issue is that once the wort has alcohol in it, the refractometer is no longer measuring the sugar content of water but rather the sugar content of a "varying mixture of water and alcohol". Since the water and alcohol have different densities the refractometer is no longer accurate. There are calculators which will attempt to compensate for the alcohol content by guessing at the alcohol content but many people don't trust them.

I completely understand this argument since it is the same one posted on every thread that has ever been about using a refractometer during the fermentation. Use a calculator... Compare readings with your hydrometer then report back your results.