Refractometer?

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Minjin

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Contemplating on purchasing a refractometer, but I recently read that after fermentation starts when alcohol is present the refractometer readings are skewed. If that's the case then why purchase one just for the intial OG reading?

What are the best model's of refractometers and Hydrometers?
 
if you know your OG you can calc uour FG. good iphone app for that
 
Not to be mean but what does your comment have to do with anything I asked about???
 
After fermentation starts a formula is required to use a refractometer. There are plenty of spreadsheets, web sites, applications and phone apps that will do the math for you. Refractometers are great, I highly recommend that you get one.
 
That was the answer I was looking for. Thanks.
Recomendations on brands, or retailers?
 
I got mine off of ebay back in January(ish).... about $30 to my Houston house if I recall. It can be calibrated if necessary, but it came spot on when checked with pure room temp water as well as when compared with a hydrometer reading right before I pitched yeast.

For my purposes, I saw ZERO benefit by spending a fortune on another model. I'm not a professional brewer and I don't play one on tv.

Spend $30 bucks or so and be happy :)
 
After fermentation, the refractometer won't work. People use calculators to compensate, but none of them are particularly accurate- they're all basically just guesses at about how much alcohol has been produced. Use a hydrometer for post-pitch gravities.

The reason to get one for pre-pitch gravities is 1)You don't need to pull a big sample and 2) You can measure gravity at every point in the brew day to make adjustments on the fly. You can get gravities during and after the mash to see if you need to go longer, you can get your pre-boil gravity to make sure you have all the sugar you need, in case you want to add DME or something, and you can check how the boil is progressing (boil-off is where it usually is) as well as taking your final pre-pitch OG. It's more of a tool for advanced all-grain brewers.
 
If you have a tube full of beer after ferment , Take a couple drops from that tube and check it with a refractometer, use a calculator and decide for yourself.
 
Www.seanterrill.com has a refractometer calculator that I've found to be pretty accurate for FG (+/-.002)

and like I said before, great iPhone, and droid apps for calcs. You most likely will have your phone with you and can get the results quickly.

Most that do the hydro refract comparisons, post the results are exactly the same between the two. (or very close).

Only need 3 drops with refratometer. No need to cool the wort or make temp corrections. (refract is ment to be used with cooled wort, but with only 3 drops it will quickly cool to the same temp as your refractometer) OG quickly found with the x4 method. 12 brix = 1.046 OG,,,,then just use the online or mobile apps to figure out your FG.
 
Hi, I bought a refractometer and I'm relatively happy with it. I would recommend that you take at least a couple of measurements as I have found that my readings vary slightly. I'll have to get out of the habit of checking against my hydrometer as it sort of defeats the object using both devices. Hard to stop checking though!
 
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