Which is better or more accurate?

[mitch]

I just started using a refractometer. However as an experiment i took SGs with both tonight on a summer fruit TC.
I got 2 seperate readings
R 1046
H 1042

Any comments or pointers greatly recieved.

The refractometer was correctly calibrated.

 

[Buffers brewery]

If you’re in doubt about accuracy you can calibrate both the refractometer and hydrometer with sugar solutions. There are charts that give SG or BRIX for different concentrations.

Hydrometers are best used for ABV calculations and this requires a measurement of the CHANGE in SG rather than accurate values of the SG. I use a refractometer during the mash to monitor SG progress (but it’s not essential). I take OG and FG readings using a hydrometer as alcohol effects the refractive index of the beer and if you use a refractometer for FG you have to apply a correction (can be found in the Calculators link at the top of the page.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

You mention SG not OG.

Any alcohol will skew the reading.

 

[hoppyscotty]

The more devices you use the more different readings you'll get. That's my experience. I tend to just stick with one device and go with that. I'm not after super accuracy so if I'm a few points out at one end then the chances are I'll be the same few points out at the other end if using the same measurement device so the end result as far as the beer is concerned is the same even if the numbers are not bang on.

But having said that I've found the refractometer and the hydrometer to be pretty close to each other so just use the refractometer for convenience and less wastage. Also found the refractometer to measure gravity after fermentation and use one of the online calculators to correct and find it correlates with hydrometer readings just as well.

Also use an iSpindel during fermentation, but only to track the trend of gravity drop rather than the actual numbers as that always disagrees with both the hydrometer and refractometer even though the calibration in sugar'd water is bang on.

I suspect stuff like temperature and contaminants in the wort/beer might have all these tiny affects (small bubbles, bits of solid matter in suspension etc).