Refractometer software, WARNING!

The forum for discussing all kinds of brewing paraphernalia.
User avatar
yojimbo
Piss Artist
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:14 am
Location: GLOUCESTER

Re: Refractometer software, WARNING!

Post by yojimbo » Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:29 pm

Also just had a thought , on beer engine does the corrected brix value mean thats the equivilant sucrose brix value ?

Think that makes sense lol.
Seems my correction factor is 1.01 that gives me og 1.063 , brix reading of 15.6 and a corrected brix of 15.45 .
Did yer like that?

User avatar
orlando
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7197
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt

Re: Refractometer software, WARNING!

Post by orlando » Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:54 am

GW emphasises that a refractometer reading of wort is only ever an approximation. Because a refractometer is set up to read the refractive index of sucrose wheras wort is a mixture of maltose & dextrins and obviously changes that mixture depending upon what you're brewing. As he says "the calibration factor is not a fixed figure, but varies according to wort composition. Different types of beer may require different calibration factors. Also, a hydrometer responds to all dissolved solids, solids such as protein, but the refractometer does not. This implies that different calibration factors may be required at different stages of the brewing process

This is before the complication of fermentation and how yeast and CO2 bubbles mess with it further.

The take home lesson for me in all this then is if you are going to use a refractometer you have to use a hydrometer as well to calculate the calibration factor for EACH brew and not have a single default setting as different brews will of course have different fermentables, how many of us know that and act accordingly?.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

User avatar
gregorach
Under the Table
Posts: 1912
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:07 am
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Refractometer software, WARNING!

Post by gregorach » Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:05 am

orlando wrote: The take home lesson for me in all this then is if you are going to use a refractometer you have to use a hydrometer as well to calculate the calibration factor for EACH brew and not have a single default setting as different brews will of course have different fermentables, how many of us know that and act accordingly?.
Or you just have to accept that none of these measurements are actually that accurate anyway. How good do you think your hydrometer really is?
Cheers

Dunc

User avatar
orlando
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7197
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt

Re: Refractometer software, WARNING!

Post by orlando » Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:34 am

Fair point, I guess you have to have something and as long as they are "equally wrong" then it will allow a degree of consistency beyond merely guess work.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

Post Reply