I got a portable refractometer with ATC as a Christmas gift. It only measures in Brix. I began using it exclusively....big mistake! I did my first wine over the winter (after also receiving a wine making kit for Christmas from the in-laws). It was supposed to get down to get down to 2.6 Brix after primary. I thought I had made the mistake of fermenting at too cold of a temperature in my basement (about 63-64 F). It only got to around 7.5. I moved it upstairs, gave it a swirl and let it sit but it never came down any further. I decided to just go with it and finished the kit as is. When it came time to bottle, I only bottled half, thinking I didn't want a whole load of crap wine and dumped the rest. When we drank the first bottle, it wasn't bad at all and I regretted my decision.
I ran to the LHBS and purchased a new wine kit. It was now spring/summer and not wanting to make the same mistake, I fermented in an upstairs closet (72-74 F). After primary, I still showed a reading of 7.5 ish Brix. This is when I got worried. I had also been brewing beer in the interim and had not been double checking any readings with my hydrometer.
I quickly ran out and got some distilled water to recalibrate the refractometer (as that is what is recommended in the instructions). After calibrating, I rechecked the wine and to my surprise, I got the same reading as before, 7.6, or 1.030. Now I was really perplexed. I then did a gravity reading which came out to .994. Needless to say, I racked the wine and decided not to trust the new fangled device anymore.
I have read and re-read all of the instructions for the refractometer and I'm pretty sure I've done everything correctly. On my most recent Belgian Dubbel, I pulled out the stops. I calibrated the refractometer to ambient temperature....again (about 74 F). Checked the beer with it and it showed...7.6 Brix. Checked it with the hydrometer...1.012. Just to make sure it wasn't the hydrometer, I did a test with distilled water which came out to 1.000 on the nose. Everything was at ambient temperature.
I know the refractometer is supposed to be calibrated at 68 F but I can't imagine it would make that big of difference. It's off by a measure of 4.5. Am I doing something wrong or is this device just broken? I've seen it get higher than 7.6 and I know it reads lower as well. What's the deal?
I ran to the LHBS and purchased a new wine kit. It was now spring/summer and not wanting to make the same mistake, I fermented in an upstairs closet (72-74 F). After primary, I still showed a reading of 7.5 ish Brix. This is when I got worried. I had also been brewing beer in the interim and had not been double checking any readings with my hydrometer.
I quickly ran out and got some distilled water to recalibrate the refractometer (as that is what is recommended in the instructions). After calibrating, I rechecked the wine and to my surprise, I got the same reading as before, 7.6, or 1.030. Now I was really perplexed. I then did a gravity reading which came out to .994. Needless to say, I racked the wine and decided not to trust the new fangled device anymore.
I have read and re-read all of the instructions for the refractometer and I'm pretty sure I've done everything correctly. On my most recent Belgian Dubbel, I pulled out the stops. I calibrated the refractometer to ambient temperature....again (about 74 F). Checked the beer with it and it showed...7.6 Brix. Checked it with the hydrometer...1.012. Just to make sure it wasn't the hydrometer, I did a test with distilled water which came out to 1.000 on the nose. Everything was at ambient temperature.
I know the refractometer is supposed to be calibrated at 68 F but I can't imagine it would make that big of difference. It's off by a measure of 4.5. Am I doing something wrong or is this device just broken? I've seen it get higher than 7.6 and I know it reads lower as well. What's the deal?
