Refractometer

[Colliefish]

Anyone use these.
I saw it on a YouTube video earlier.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... ID=EBAY-GB

[bobsbeer]

I have a very similar one I use all the time. Easy to use and accurate. I don't use it once fermentation has started as I can't be bothered with the correction calculation, and it's easier to use the regular hydrometer.

[Matt in Birdham]

Yeah I use mine all the time as well. I do still usually take a hydro reading at the start of fermentation, but the hydro always gives the same reading. The advantage of course being that it takes just a couple of drops of wort. I do use the corrections once fermentation has started, as the alcohol affects the reading significantly (I use this page).

[oldbloke]

I've got one but I don't use it much. I don't care too much if my ABV is a % out either way from my target. If I did I'd use it more. When I have used it it seems to agree better with projections from known sugar content than my hydrometer does.

[f00b4r]

Anyone recommend a source of them, they seem cheap on eBay and Amazon but whether they are all the same quality is a different matter?

[alexlark]

Had mine on ebay from Hong Kong. Had a similar one from there too when I kept marines. Do the job just fine. Use it all the time for OG.

[Haydnexport]

I use one every brew, very handy for checking runnings from the mash as ,you only need a couple of drops and you dont have to wait long for the drops to cool to get an accurate reading like a hydrometer, even if i do use both If your going to get one , get one with both brix and sg , my current one is a brix only, i have a conversion chart, but it would have been handier buying the right one to start

[Aleman]

Brix to SG is not a linear conversion . . .Use a conversion chart

[Colliefish]

Cheers guys. Great feedback.
Thank you.
Mark.

[f00b4r]

Brix to SG is not a linear conversion . . .Use a conversion chart

I have seen the real relationship before when researching and it made me vow to buy a brix only to prevent me being lazy and inaccurate, especially since it is so quick to convert the reading.
Are you able to answer how accurate the online calculators for using once fermentation has started are?

[Aleman]

I use Sean Terrils stuff. I actually still use an accurate hydrometer as well as the refractometer . . . and Seans conversion and the Hydro agree pretty well . . . Note I generally work with beers up to 1.050 so I am not aware of what anything over this does with Seans Calculation.

As for lazy and inaccurate . . . I use the multiply it by 4 conversion when I'm in a hurry with unfermented wort . . . Use the calculator at the end though

[f00b4r]

I use Sean Terrils stuff. I actually still use an accurate hydrometer as well as the refractometer . . . and Seans conversion and the Hydro agree pretty well . . . Note I generally work with beers up to 1.050 so I am not aware of what anything over this does with Seans Calculation.

As for lazy and inaccurate . . . I use the multiply it by 4 conversion when I'm in a hurry with unfermented wort . . . Use the calculator at the end though

Sound good. I like both the idea of not having to cool a hydrometer jar during brew day and also being able to take regular readings from small stovetop test batches in demijohns.

[Cornel]

Foob4r, have a look at the refractometer being sold by BrewUK. I bought mine from them last year and happy thus far.

[orlando]

I use Sean Terrils stuff. I actually still use an accurate hydrometer as well as the refractometer . . . and Seans conversion and the Hydro agree pretty well . . . Note I generally work with beers up to 1.050 so I am not aware of what anything over this does with Seans Calculation.

As for lazy and inaccurate . . . I use the multiply it by 4 conversion when I'm in a hurry with unfermented wort . . . Use the calculator at the end though

If you get a copy of Beersmith there is a very handy tool in it for both calibrating the refractometer to your hydrometer and converting Brix measurements.

[Aleman]

Beer Smith uses the 'standard' conversion formula . . . Which does not yield results as good as Sean Terrils 'simplified' formula IMO.