Rising Brix

[humbaba]

So I'm new to mead making and have several batches going. Despite attempting to be prepared things just didn't work out that way so lots of things are iffy (like mostly I don't have OG readings). But what brings me to post is that the refractometer readings on two of the batches have risen. For example, 2018-10-12 had a reading of 15.1 and today (2018-10-20) had a reading of 15.7.

Other batches are playing nice and the numbers are going down while another batch doesn't even register on the scale (>30 brix) so I can't tell if its going up or down.

The one thing I'm fairly confident of is the refractometer readings. I made sure to calibrate it before use and keep it clean and cared for.

So my question is: how could the brix be going up over time? I know that as the alcohol content goes up the brix readings on the refractometer mean less and less, but can they actually go up?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Probably didn't dissolve the honey well enough. Fermentation/time may have helped it dissolve, increasing the reading.

Definitely get a hydrometer. And a stirring tool

Welcome to HBT!

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

I have had a grav number rise over the first couple of days, most likely was as RPh said, you did not get your must well mixed to begin with. No big deal, just recalibrate your OG to the new reading.

And to be honest, a point or two does not make a huge difference in the final outcome. That is unless you were starting really high.

 

[humbaba]

thanks, that helps! I'll use the drill attachment to stir it good

 

[azaxev]

Going to resurrect this old thread.

Just noticed one of my wines Brix went from 9.0'Bx to 10.2'Bx within 1 month after racking and cold-crash (left it outside on the porch).

Turns out culprit is temperature. My last measurement was room temperature and now is 2'C outside. When sample was left in pipette for half hour, it came back to expected Brix.

Refractive Index is highly temperature dependent.

 

[MightyMosin]

Hydrometers also change readings based on temperature... but the range which the change is noticed is pretty wide and not very big.

Most hydrometers are calibrated at 60 °F (15.6 °C), but some are calibrated at other temperatures such as 58 °F (14.4 °C), 68 °F (20 °C), or even 70 °F (21.1 °C).

At these temperatures, 5 °F (2.7 °C) too warm reduces the apparent specific gravity by about half a point (0.0005) and 5 °F too cool increases it by about a quarter of a point (0.00025),