Refractor

[Verb77]

I've just completed my latest brew and from reading my O/G to F/G its saying that the ABV is about 4% - 4.5%.
But from using my Refractor is shows that the ABV is closer to 8%.
Does anyone have any advice on this please.
:wha:

 

[dennisking]

Try testing both with water.

 

[daveozzz]

I could never get my (cheap ebay) refractometer to give me anything like the readings I was getting from the hydrometer... 3 different hydrometers all agreed, the refractometer however was just doing its own thing. Gave up on it.

 

[adomant]

Refractometer measures sugar so it is good for og but useless for fg so use hydrometer for fg

 

[daveozzz]

You can in theory use it for fermented wort if you do the appropriate calculation (or use a calculator in Beersmith or similar if you're mathematically challenged).. but my experience was either the refractometer or the calculation was way off.

 

[kebabman]

Refractometers are IMO very useful for various stages of the brewing process including FG, you just use software once wort has started fermenting, this is not a fault just a simple necessity.
However the only software that I have found to be accurate for refractometers is Graham Wheeler's Beer Engine, all the others software such as beersmith or on websites is dangerously incorrect as it gives finishing gravities of 1004 for me for high OG beers which is clearly wrong. This could encourage you to bottle too early and then create bottle bombs.
I have had my £20 ebay refractometer checked against expensive brewery saccharometers and it is very accurate when you use Beer Engine.