Is this normal?

[_jon_]

I have some smart water (vapour distilled) and went to calibrate the refractometer with it.. but when I put the smart water on, it already read 1.00

I think the issue is that I didn't know that the alcohol content would skew the results of the refratometer. It looks like it's better to use a refractometer for OG reading while brewing, and maybe a hydrometer for the FG readings when fermenting. Either that or try to decipher the hydrometer calculator lol

 

[terrym]

It looks like it's better to use a refractometer for OG reading while brewing, and maybe a hydrometer for the FG readings when fermenting. Either that or try to decipher the hydrometer calculator lol

Why not just use a hydrometer? They are so simple to use. Lower them into the liquid and take a reading. Job done. And if you want to be clever adjust for temperature. Apart from occasionally checking they are still in calibration by dunking in water occasionally, there's not much to go wrong, apart from when you drop them.

 

[terrym]

It looks like it's better to use a refractometer for OG reading while brewing, and maybe a hydrometer for the FG readings when fermenting. Either that or try to decipher the hydrometer calculator lol

Why not just use a hydrometer? They are so simple to use. Lower them into the liquid and take a reading off the scale. Job done. And if you want to be clever adjust for temperature. Apart from occasionally checking they are still in calibration by dunking in water occasionally, there's not much to go wrong, apart from when you drop them.

 

[Zephyr259]

Thanks for the information, I'm going to need to read it properly to digest it. All the recipes I've seen talk about IG, so Brix is just something else to confuse things. And that calculator seems to only work in Brix.

Brix is more or less sg divided by 4. There is a drop down menu which will let you use the sg reading from your refractometer.

Maybe your refractometer is out.
I got one from eBay and the readings are way out compared to my hydrometer

From what I've read, refractometers don't work perfectly in wort as they are designed for simpler sugar/water mixtures like fruit juice. With wort they are measuring Wort Refraction Index (WRI), in order to get a true reading of brix (or whatever) you need to calibrate the refractometer against a hydrometer and work out the wort correction factor. See this link.

The main benefit I see to refractometers is you can quicky check SGs at the various points of the brew day without taking big samples and needing to cool them down. A hydrometer is going to be a lot more accurate for your FG reading (i'm temped by a finishing hydrometer) but using a refractormeter could let you see when it's done as the reading will remain static and it only takes a drop or 2 of wort to check (important in smaller batches).

Just found this overview article. https://www.brewersfriend.com/2013/...rrectly-for-maximum-accuracy-in-home-brewing/

 

[_jon_]

Oh the irony.. the "Cheap chinese knock off" in that link, is the exact one I have haha.

I'll have a read through all the articles.. but in the meantime I'll measure the wheat beer in a few days using a hydrometer. My only bug bear with a hydrometer is the sample needed. Getting 50-100ml of beer from the FV without compromising sanitation is a pain.

 

[Zephyr259]

Oh the irony.. the "Cheap chinese knock off" in that link, is the exact one I have haha.

I'll have a read through all the articles.. but in the meantime I'll measure the wheat beer in a few days using a hydrometer. My only bug bear with a hydrometer is the sample needed. Getting 50-100ml of beer from the FV without compromising sanitation is a pain.

Yeah, I want one for the same reason as I'm going to be making mead where you need to monitor gravity for adding nutrient additions and can't waste a sample every time. Folks say to just add it back in but brewers say never do that. The main reason I've been holding off is that that "cheap chinese" model is the only one available anywhere and it gets varying reviews. Most homebrewers seem to get on ok with it once calibrated.

I actually just splashed out on the high-end version he links to because I found one 2nd hand.

 

[photek1000]

Oh the irony.. the "Cheap chinese knock off" in that link, is the exact one I have haha.

I'll have a read through all the articles.. but in the meantime I'll measure the wheat beer in a few days using a hydrometer. My only bug bear with a hydrometer is the sample needed. Getting 50-100ml of beer from the FV without compromising sanitation is a pain.

I wouldn't stress over the sample, I use a cheap turkey baster that is sanitised like anything else, it slurps up about 30ml at a time so three dips is usually enough to fill the trial jar to around 90-100ml for a test.

I test after a week and if it looks pretty much fermented the following weekend I test again, or if not fermented I test the following week.

Simple to use, easy to sanitise and works.

 

[Bigjas]

My only bug bear with a hydrometer is the sample needed. Getting 50-100ml of beer from the FV without compromising sanitation is a pain.

I use a 100ml syringe. I just spray the end with StarSan and draw up about 70ml, which is enough for my trial jar. Nice and easy and never had a problem with poor sanitation.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I picked up one of these from Boyes: http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/wine-thief-pipette/
It works well but it has to be dipped deep into the FV, and, of course, it's another glass item that could easily break.
I bought a cheap Chinese knockoff refractometer and it seems to give a similar reading when compared to the hydrometer.

 

[jeg3]

My only bug bear with a hydrometer is the sample needed. Getting 50-100ml of beer from the FV without compromising sanitation is a pain.

If the top of the beer is clear I sanitise the hydrometer and drop it in the FV. If I want a taste, I sanitise the trial jar and dunk that in.

If you're thorough with sanitation there will be no issues

 

[Gerryjo]

I have some smart water (vapour distilled) and went to calibrate the refractometer with it.. but when I put the smart water on, it already read 1.00

I think the issue is that I didn't know that the alcohol content would skew the results of the refratometer. It looks like it's better to use a refractometer for OG reading while brewing, and maybe a hydrometer for the FG readings when fermenting. Either that or try to decipher the hydrometer calculator lol

That's exactly what I tend to do as I got caught out using the refractometer to check FG,but when checked against the hydrometer the reading was askew as I was not using a correction factor to allow for the alcohol.
Now I use the refractometer on brew day and the hydrometer for the rest.

 

[Cwrw666]

Never took a sample in all my life - take a clean hydrometer, rinse it in boiling water, then lift the lid and put it in the FV. Never had an infected brew doing this, but there again I only take a reading when I'm pretty sure fermentation has ceased after 2 weeks. I only really do it to check I haven't got a stuck fermentation and to work out the ABV.

 

[_jon_]

In the absence of anything else (at the moment), I just sanitised an auto siphon and siphoned off just enough to fill the trial jar. Tested it with the hydrometer, and it's reading about 1.009 - 1.010 (hard to tell as I was too impatient to wait for the small head to fully dissipate.

So assuming that the Hydrometer is a good reading, (it's reading 1.000 in water)... and assuming I don't have to account for alcohol with a hydrometer? (I don't think I do)... Then...

1.039 OG
1.010 FG

ABV 3.81%

If all is true, then I'm wondering whether it's worth keeping. Maybe I'll keg it, stick in the corner and keep it a few months... see what it tastes like. I had a small sample from the trial jar, and it tastes like very bland wheat beer.

Not very impressed tbh.

Fingers crossed that my Punk IPA is going to be okay. But I didn't take an OG from it, so won't be able to work out the ABV. As long as it tastes good, the ABV doesn't matter.

 

[_jon_]

Never took a sample in all my life - take a clean hydrometer, rinse it in boiling water, then lift the lid and put it in the FV. Never had an infected brew doing this, but there again I only take a reading when I'm pretty sure fermentation has ceased after 2 weeks. I only really do it to check I haven't got a stuck fermentation and to work out the ABV.

Most of my FV are carboys. If I drop a hydro in I'd never get it back out! :lol: :lol:

I have been thinking I should start fermenting in buckets, it does seem to make more sense and be more practical.

I've got a fermentasaurus for my next brew, which is going to make life nice and easy as I'll be able to remove the screw jar from the bottom of the butterfly valve. Once I've dumped the trub, it'll be just beer in the collection bottle.

 

[Pavros]

Never took a sample in all my life - take a clean hydrometer, rinse it in boiling water, then lift the lid and put it in the FV. Never had an infected brew doing this, but there again I only take a reading when I'm pretty sure fermentation has ceased after 2 weeks. I only really do it to check I haven't got a stuck fermentation and to work out the ABV.

I never rinse my hydrometer in boiling water. I'm scared that it will soften the glue holding the paper scale in place which will then move and give a false reading. Lukewarm water and then sanitise for me.

 

[terrym]

So assuming that the Hydrometer is a good reading, (it's reading 1.000 in water)... and assuming I don't have to account for alcohol with a hydrometer? (I don't think I do)... Then...

1.039 OG
1.010 FG

ABV 3.81%

If all is true, then I'm wondering whether it's worth keeping. Maybe I'll keg it, stick in the corner and keep it a few months... see what it tastes like. I had a small sample from the trial jar, and it tastes like very bland wheat beer.

Not very impressed tbh.

Fingers crossed that my Punk IPA is going to be okay. But I didn't take an OG from it, so won't be able to work out the ABV. As long as it tastes good, the ABV doesn't matter.

Although wheat beers are not usually big on hops, if you are a bit unhappy about your wheat beer being bland you could always bump up the hop flavour with a hop tea or dry hop. Hallertau or Tettnager are often used in wheat beers. Another suggestion is to add coriander and orange peel (boiled to sterilise) but I have no personal experience of this so others may be able to advise if you are interested.