Refractometer, hydrometer, proof and trale with scales
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
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In this video we try to explain the different scales used to measure the potential alcohol in a wash, wort or must.
The most clearly described video on the hydrometer. All the other videos on CZcams are confusing
Thank you for the first clear xplanation on this subject!
Anytime. I appreciate the comment.
George
Always great videos George thanks. I just bought a refractometer brand new on ebay for under twenty dollars so much easier to use and you don't have to fill your beaker to test. I also use the Brix scale much easier to track.
Get a refractometer folks. You will not regret it and to calculate your ABV the formula is simple and easy to use. Original gravity minus final gravity multiplied by 131.25 = Alcohol by volume. Sample calculation: 1.110 - .990 = .12 X 131.25 = 15.75 % ABV .
Very useful information. As a new homebrewer I was confused,which instrument I need to use. Alcohol meter or hydrometer, or brix hydromerer!
Now I got some clear idea.
Nice short and sweet and to the spot information.
A refractometer measures sucrose, which is basic sugar. Where as the wort we make for beer is actually maltose. So you can divide your brix reading by a default number of 1.04 which will get you a slightly more accurate reading, then convert over to SG. When it comes to taking measurements after you've pitched the yeast, I would go with the hydrometer as the alcohol will affect the refractometer readings.
Fantastic video. Thank you for all your effort.
Well explained, I've recently purchased a refractometer that only has BRIX, I was tempted to purchase another but looks like I can manage just fine with this one now. Many thanks.
Excellent video
This man is great
Thanks George! Good Video, as always!Cheers!
Very nice video. I wish you would have went a little into using the refractometer with a finished wine to calculate what the ABV is. Thanks!
northern brewer has a calculator on there website that will convert your final gravity reading to current gravity using the refractometer.
Thank you for the class.
Hey George, question for you. I just got my own handy-dandy refractometer, and I was very excited to use it. I've currently got a 7 gallon batch of wort fermenting away, whose OG I measured as 1.07 or so using a hydrometer, and I figured I'd double check that OG using my refractometer. Also, just for context, lately, I've gotten in the habit of saving 1 ounce samples at each stage of the process, keeping my samples in the fridge (1 oz of unfermented wort, 1 oz of fermented wort, etc.). So, upon receiving my fancy new refractometer, I warmed up my refrigerated sample of unfermented wort (bringing it to room temp), but the refractometer gave me a reading of 1.04.
Now, I know that alcohol can throw off the readings given by a refractometer. Hypothetically, (total thought exercise) if 7 gallons of unfermented wort also included ~2 gallons of set-back from a previously distilled wash (total hypothetical here), do you think there could be sufficient residual alcohol in that set-back (a little ethanol, some fusel alcohols) that it could throw off the refractometer's reading. I'm asking for a friend who asks me random questions.
This is very possible.
Can you please explain what the numbers mean? For example: 1.01 … does that mean that the liquid is 10% more dense?
Thank you my friend.. Another awesome video..
You're Fantastic
so, my juice shows in refractometer 17% brix, the same juice shows on hydrometer 70 (1.070) ... HOW MUCH % of sugar does this wine juice have? thank you.
actually, North Americans also use the Brix scale for measuring the sugar content of maple syrup. I have a refractometer that has a starting point of 50 Brix, proper maple syrup is 66.
Thanks
What about Oechsle? And what about space where there is no gravity?
What range-scale Frax should I purchase, 0-20, 0-40, 0-80 ???
Can I ask when you calibrated the refractometer and used it, did you test the same liquid with a hydrometer ? I cant find one that matches a hydrometer always way different
They are already calibrated at the factory and ready to go right out of the box.
What if you back sweeten a spirits, how does the sugar ...added sg to the final product, affect a proof/alcohol hydrometer reading? I assume you really never have a need for that measurement. But still curious. My hypothesis is that the proof scale and the hydrometer is designed for alcohol and water mix only, and any sugar weight would alter the reading. Am I correct.
You are correct
Hi, one question, can you use the refractometer for final gravity? Thanks for all your videos, been very helpful.
absolutely.
I hear something about an equation or calculator that needs to be used to read FG with refractometer. Would you happen to have that or how do we go about using refractometer for FG?
After my primary fermentation I transferred to the secondary after 7 days and it was too sweet plus it was above what it should be on the hydrometer, what I did was introduced more yeast and now I’m wondering did I make a mistake? It’s back bubbling and I’m hoping you can tell me is this gona work?
Did you add Potassium Sorbate ?
This will hinder further fermentation.
George
Barley and Hops Brewing I didn’t add anything but yeast it’s bubbling again hopefully this work
Unless you add Sorbate every time you add sugar to back sweeten it the yeast will start to eat again and fermentation continues.
George
Sir, I am going to survey drinking water salinity in sea coast area. Which instrument would be better to my survey. Please specify.
I would use the refractometer. Easier to manage and you can take many samples so much quicker.
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing Thank you Sir. One more question. How could I determine the salt proportion in the drinking water by brix measurement (i.e Degree) or Specific Graivity scale? I would be obliged if you please clear my point.
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing Sir, I think in the refractometer scale percentage is actually part per million ?
@@aparajitobanerjee4785 No it is not. Salinity is measured in PPM. The refractometer measures brix and specific gravity.
I did a quick search and found several charts and descriptions for using the refractometer and how to convert Brix to PPM.
My wash is fully fermented at .990 but this scale only goes down to 1.000 how does that work?
1.000 is the base (starting point ) and is the reading you should get from water. Water has no fermentable sugars in it so the specific gravity is 1.000. Alcohol is thinner than water and if you have enough fermentable sugar to change the gravity of the entire volume of water it can be below 1.000. A reading of .990 is not unusual and only means that the alcohol content of the water is high and therefor thinner than the water itself so your reading can be below 1.000.
When we distill we have a very high percentage of alcohol as opposed to water so a regular hydrometer will sink completely because it is so thin. That's why we use a proof and trale hydrometer (alcoholometer) to test spirits. Hope this helps
George
Hi, Thanks for the informative presentation. I have ever thought 1 brix equals to 0.5% abv. I am a bit surprised to see 5 brix equals to 5 abv.
How can one measure the ABV with a hydrometer after fermentation?
You need two measurements- one before fermentation and then one after fermentation. The difference between these two readings will indicate ABV.
George
yea i know that much but i saw somewhere where they took a hydrometer and put it in a test tube and then slowly poured their alcohol onto the tube and right when it started to float they read it and that gave them an estimated abv level. i didnt know if that was true or not
That may have been a proof and trale hydrometer. It is only used for spirits since the scale is way lower than a standard hydrometer. This would not work with a standard hydrometer because the scale is very different.
George
Refractometer isn't quite as delicate either. Don't know how many hydrometers I busted (they are super fragile, about anything will pop them) before ordering a refractometer(which is only about twice as much money... We're talking $10 vs $20…)
e British love to confuse the Americans as we expect our return when total confusion arises.
The wife says that the Scots invented the modern world. I argue but lose every time.
George
Scots brought Haggis and Football to the world and from then on nothing but headache for the English.