refractometer advice

[swheatbeer]

Was thinking about acquiring a refractometer so I can measure the last good bits of the mash runoff and the gravity of wort out of the boiler without either cooling or adjusting for hydrometer reading temps.

found this one on ebay from HK. Anyone familiar with these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/0-32-Brix-Wort-SG ... 2a0fe26f1e

[Wolfy]

I think there are a few recent threads asking the same thing (both here and on the AHB forums).
That model looks very similar to mine which has become an invaluable tool for me, and - from what I have read - all the other home-brewers who have purchased one.

My only suggestion would be to try and find one with the largest and clearest scale you can find, IMHO that one with dual-scales looks like the SG side would be difficult to read.

[Talisman]

Thats the one I just got. The scale I's easy to read. Took a couple of weeks to arrive. Cone in a little pouch case with some pipettes too.

[WishboneBrewery]

I think you can use Distilled or RO water to calibrate them... mine was pretty close with Tap water too. I have the single scale version of this.

[Talisman]

Yup these can be calibrated

[hotmog]

I looked at that one, but since I never brew anything above 1075 OG, I decided that a 0-18 Brix version would be more useful, more accurate, and easier to read, so I bought one of these a week ago: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... SA:GB:1123 (still awaiting its arrival).

[Aleman]

The dual scale one is only useful for checking run off gravity (and any one who can multiply by 4 can do the conversion just as well) Once you have alcohol in the mix the Gravity scale is useless and you must use the Brix scale and a calculator.

I also have one of the 0-18 Brix refractometers . . .nice and easy to read scale, and fine for the beer I usually make

[hotmog]

Good point. For checking final gravity once alcohol is present you need to apply a formula. Here's a link to one on-line calculator: http://onebeer.net/refractometer.shtml. I've taken the formulae it uses and used them to create a spreadsheet, which incorporates additional validation corrections (eg the Corrected Final Gravity &ABV% by Brix in that calculator will not give correct results if the values entered are both zero, both equal, or the Final Brix value is greater than the Starting Brix). OTT, I know, for all practical purposes, but it was fun programming!

You can access it here if you want to try it out: http://www.dadween.plus.com/images/Refr ... ulator.xls

[Wolfy]

OTT, I know, for all practical purposes, but it was fun programming!

You can access it here if you want to try it out: http://www.dadween.plus.com/images/Refr ... ulator.xls

Very OTT, but cool too, thanks for that.
I've been using the BeerSmith 'Refractometer tool' but will include your calculations into my 'brewing calculations' spread sheet.

[hotmog]

OTT, I know, for all practical purposes, but it was fun programming!

You can access it here if you want to try it out: http://www.dadween.plus.com/images/Refr ... ulator.xls

Very OTT, but cool too, thanks for that.
I've been using the BeerSmith 'Refractometer tool' but will include your calculations into my 'brewing calculations' spread sheet.

Ha ha, glad you like it. You'll need to "Unhide" Row 5 to see all the formulae; not sure if you will have the necessary permissions, so if not, here they are:

B5: =IF(B4>C4,B4,C4)
C5: =SUM(1.001843 - 0.002318474*B5 - 0.000007775*B5*B5 - 0.000000034*B5*B5*B5 + 0.00574*C4 + 0.00003344*C4*C4 + 0.000000086*C4*C4*C4)

[Wolfy]

Thanks, but the row was not hidden or locked, just made so small as to be almost invisible - was just a matter of re-sizing it.

[hotmog]

Thanks, but the row was not hidden or locked, just made so small as to be almost invisible - was just a matter of re-sizing it.

Well I'm blowed - I see what you mean! Thanks for highlighting what was a potential security issue. I've now corrected it (hopefully) by protecting the worksheet, so that row cannot be resized and it remains locked.

Edit - that didn't work out, as it made the whole sheet read-only so it wasn't possible to enter the Brix values .

So, it's back to the previous version, but it would be good to know how (if it's possible) to protect a worksheet generally whilst allowing shared read/write access only to specified cells.

[beermonsta]

Thanks, but the row was not hidden or locked, just made so small as to be almost invisible - was just a matter of re-sizing it.

Well I'm blowed - I see what you mean! Thanks for highlighting what was a potential security issue. I've now corrected it (hopefully) by protecting the worksheet, so that row cannot be resized and it remains locked.

Edit - that didn't work out, as it made the whole sheet read-only so it wasn't possible to enter the Brix values .

So, it's back to the previous version, but it would be good to know how (if it's possible) to protect a worksheet generally whilst allowing shared read/write access only to specified cells.

Just asked the missus, shes an accountant and used to excel. She says select every cell in the spreadsheet (click the box above the number 1, to the left of letter A) Then right click, format cells, protection tab, then select locked. Then deselect everything and only select the cells you want to be protected. Then repeat the right click, format cells, protection tab, then De-select locked. Then finally go to tools, protection, protect sheet. If you want to hide your formulaes too then make sure you are clicking the "hidden" box under protection tab too.

[hotmog]

Thanks, but the row was not hidden or locked, just made so small as to be almost invisible - was just a matter of re-sizing it.

Well I'm blowed - I see what you mean! Thanks for highlighting what was a potential security issue. I've now corrected it (hopefully) by protecting the worksheet, so that row cannot be resized and it remains locked.

Edit - that didn't work out, as it made the whole sheet read-only so it wasn't possible to enter the Brix values .

So, it's back to the previous version, but it would be good to know how (if it's possible) to protect a worksheet generally whilst allowing shared read/write access only to specified cells.

Just asked the missus, shes an accountant and used to excel. She says select every cell in the spreadsheet (click the box above the number 1, to the left of letter A) Then right click, format cells, protection tab, then select locked. Then deselect everything and only select the cells you want to be protected. Then repeat the right click, format cells, protection tab, then De-select locked. Then finally go to tools, protection, protect sheet. If you want to hide your formulaes too then make sure you are clicking the "hidden" box under protection tab too.

Cheers Ben - that worked at treat!

PS. I don't want to hide the formulae themselves - I didn't create them, and they're in the public domain after all. I simply wanted to hide what is in effect a "working storage area" (for those of you old enough to remember COBOL) from intruding on the User Interface.