Suggested Refractometer

[djonesax]

Im tired of breaking hydrometers and thought about switching to a refractometer. Heck a month ago after breaking my only hydrometer, I ordered two hydrometers so I would have an extra but one of them arrived broken. I have since then broken that and have another on the way.

I was looking at refractometers and they have some for 30 bucks on Amazon but I dont know much about them or what brands are good.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

David

 

[chrishanson]

I'm interested in the answer to this too, I've been thinking about picking one up myself.

That said, I do know that refractometers are good for pre-fermentation measurements but need to be adjusted after fermentation begins so you may want to keep a hydrometer around anyway.

 

[SDFarmer]

You mentioned pre and post, etc. If I remember correctly the refractometer doesn't work so well when there are solids in the sample, causing reading errors and that is why you don't hear so much about during/post fermentation use...

 

[ajwillys]

Honestly, I think the optical one's are all the same regardless of the "brand" that's stamped on them. As for when to use them, any time pre-fermentation with a clean (solids free) sample.

Personally, I grabbed this one for 50% off about 6 months ago:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NX0WHS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I highly recommend it.

 

[ndinh]

I use mine pre boil, pre fermentation before pitching, during fermentation and post fermentation without issues. I've checked them against my hydrometer and it's pretty darn close. As for adjustment, there are programs online that will adjust post fermentation numbers. I'd recommend getting one with both Brix and SG. Mine only has Brix so I have to convert it everytime.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I think you should just stop measuring stuff. You sound like a total klutz that will just break your refractometer. Or buy a plastic hydrometer.

Okay, fine, don't listen to me, Klutzy McKlutzerson.

I bought one very similar to the "Refractometer RF15 with Automatic Temperature Compensation (0-32 Brix)" from Amazon. It has temp correction and lists brix only. It's currently selling for $22.50.

I've read that at least some of the refractometers that list both brix and SG aren't that good because the SG scale is not very accurate. It's very easy to print out a chart that converts from brix to SG and just consult the chart whenever you take a reading, so I'd buy one that lists only brix.

Even though the device is temp correcting, it's usually a good idea to cool the very small sample of wort down close to 68° before taking the reading. In my experience, the closer one gets to the calibrated temperature for anything in homebrewing, the more accurate your readings will be, even if your devices are listed as "temp correcting." It's very easy and takes very little time to cool down ten drops of wort.

 

[b-boy]

The only issues I've ever had with my refractometer was at very cold temperatures, like 5F. At those kind of temperatures I get nonsensical readings. I just take it into the house, and warm it up a bit, and it's fine.

 

[djonesax]

So my new hydrometer came in the mail today...... BROKEN! I could hear the glass rattling around in the box before I even opened it.

I'll be ordering a Refractometer soon.

David

 

[cbier60]

Personally, I grabbed this one for 50% off about 6 months ago:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NX0WHS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

That's an awesome instrument, but you don't have to spend anywhere near that to get a conventional 'manual' refractometer that will give you accurate readings. I have had this one for about a year and have been very pleased with it. There are a lot of inexpensive ones for sale on ebay or Amazon. I can definitely recommend this seller, nis_sales (National Industrial Supply) on ebay or magnum_media on Amazon. Pay the little extra to get the aluminum instead of plastic housing, and I'd also recommend the hard plastic case.

I use mine pre boil, pre fermentation before pitching, during fermentation and post fermentation without issues. I've checked them against my hydrometer and it's pretty darn close. As for adjustment, there are programs online that will adjust post fermentation numbers. I'd recommend getting one with both Brix and SG. Mine only has Brix so I have to convert it everytime.

If you use the post-fermentation corrections from Sean Terrill's website or spreadsheet, your results will accurately match your hydrometer readings. Most of the other calculators, such as at Morebeer or Brewer's Friend, have pretty big errors, predicting a FG much too low.

I've read that at least some of the refractometers that list both brix and SG aren't that good because the SG scale is not very accurate. It's very easy to print out a chart that converts from brix to SG and just consult the chart whenever you take a reading, so I'd buy one that lists only brix.

Many of them are incorrect, just using a linear factor of 4X, which is valid up to ~1.040/10 Brix, but in error at 1.084/20 Brix. The one I referenced above says it is in error for the SG reading, but it is actually corrected. However, the SG reading is only valid pre-fermentation; once there's alcohol present, you always need the Sean Terrill correction from the Brix reading. Thus, the corrected dual scale is nice to have, but not a necessity.

 

[djonesax]

Thanks for the info, I will look into these options.

 

[jmark]

One other thing to note with the manual refractometer... Get one that you can calibrate... Mine is the same one as referenced above that has the correct brix/SG reading at 1.084, but was out of calibration by almost 7 gravity points even though I thought that it was fine because it properly reflected 1.000 with distiller water. It took comparing a preboil reading using it against two hydrometers before I figured the bad calibration out (with wort cooled to 60F to remove any ATC or hydrometer adjustment). So much for the crazy efficiency I thought I had gotten!!!!