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Author Topic: Brix Hydrometer  (Read 2544 times)

Offline corkybstewart

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Brix Hydrometer
« on: March 15, 2013, 04:54:38 pm »
A couple of years ago a pro brewer gave me a brix FG hydrometer that has sat on a shelf until yesterday.  I didn't even it read in brix until I read the scale and it said 2.8.  I'm guessing that is around 1.011 specific gravity, am I correct?
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Online denny

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2013, 04:55:34 pm »
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2013, 05:02:42 pm »
Thanks Denny.  I need to work on my estimating skills, I missed it by 1/1000.  So I'm guessing my Amarillo Rye IPA is done-5 days from 1.070 to 1.011 with Nottingham yeast at 62F internal temp. 
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Offline davidgzach

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2013, 07:20:11 am »
Thanks Denny.  I need to work on my estimating skills, I missed it by 1/1000.  So I'm guessing my Amarillo Rye IPA is done-5 days from 1.070 to 1.011 with Nottingham yeast at 62F internal temp.

If you read the FG sample with the hydrometer, you need to look at Sean's conversion calc:  http://seanterrill.com/category/brewing/

I don't remember exactly why, but refractometers are not accurate for FG.  Probably says why there too!

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Offline AmandaK

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2013, 07:32:29 am »

I don't remember exactly why, but refractometers are not accurate for FG.  Probably says why there too!

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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2013, 02:20:47 pm »
Diane gave me this hydrometer several years ago but I haven't used it.  But we've remodeled our kitchen so all our stuff from the living room and kitchen have been stacked in the garage and I can't get to my my regular hydrometer and can't find my refractometer so I pulled this one out.  The problem I have with it is that it's very big and requires twice as much sample to fill the tube.  The advantage is that I have twice as much hydrometer sample to drink, and it is more precise since the scale only covers the FG range.  I've never used my refractometer for FG readings, it's not accurate without math and there's no sample to taste, and the sample tells me much more than the numbers alone will ever tell.
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Offline davidgzach

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2013, 02:29:26 pm »
Diane gave me this hydrometer several years ago but I haven't used it.  But we've remodeled our kitchen so all our stuff from the living room and kitchen have been stacked in the garage and I can't get to my my regular hydrometer and can't find my refractometer so I pulled this one out.  The problem I have with it is that it's very big and requires twice as much sample to fill the tube.  The advantage is that I have twice as much hydrometer sample to drink, and it is more precise since the scale only covers the FG range.  I've never used my refractometer for FG readings, it's not accurate without math and there's no sample to taste, and the sample tells me much more than the numbers alone will ever tell.

My bad.  I saw hydrometer and read refractometer.  Should have had more coffee this morning.....

Dave
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Brix Hydrometer
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2013, 02:40:00 pm »
The "multiply by four rule" will be off above about 1.040, but for any reasonable FG it's at least as precise as your instruments.

2.8 * 4 ~= 11.2, or 1.0112; as Denny posted it's actually 1.0109.
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