OG FG issues

[Kevin0778]

Hey,
So I did a coopers kit with some added hops. Boiled some DME 3lb and did the hop additions. Then added the coopers kit and racked. I have a refractometer and at that time I tested the OG. It was 1035, which is a little lower than I thought it would be. But either way I pitched my yeast and fermented. It seemed to ferment just fine. So this week I racked it into a secondary and took another reading with my refractometer and it was only 1026?!?!? I don't understand. So I decided to test it with my hydrometer. And that reads at about 1016. Now I'm totally confused. Is my refractometer not reading properly? It does read water at 1000. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[mswebb]

Once you start fermenting, there is alcohol present and a refractometer can't read correctly. There are calculations to correct and get close to the actual reading but a hydrometer is best after ferment starts.

 

[geoffm33]

Refractometers cannot give you an accurate reading in the presence of alcohol.

 

[geoffm33]

Hey,
So I did a coopers kit with some added hops. Boiled some DME 3lb and did the hop additions. Then added the coopers kit and racked. I have a refractometer and at that time I tested the OG. It was 1035, which is a little lower than I thought it would be. But either way I pitched my yeast and fermented.

...

Also, did you add water top up in the fermenter? If so, it's often times difficult to get the wort and water mixed thoroughly enough to get an accurate OG reading.

 

[kh54s10]

Refractometers are not accurate with the presence of alcohol. There are online calculators that will make a correction. There is still some error factor.

Added: I type too slowly!!

 

[Kevin0778]

Thanks everyone! I wasn't aware of that really. My bad I guess. Next time I know!