Hydrometer, Vinometer, Refractometer

[JaimesBeam]

I'm sure everyone knows how to use a hydrometer....

How about a Refractometer? They are a great tool. Just one drop of liquid,
And you know the Brix of your mix! They aren't too expensive these days
either.

Sadly the Refractometer doesn't seem to work with fermented solutions with
Alcohol. I keep getting wacky readings trying to use it post-fermentation.

So you can use. Vinometer which has a little capitulary tube that shows you
How much alcohol your wine has in it post-fermentation. Unfortunately they
Seem to be wildly inaccurate. I've had three, and only one gave me useful
Readings; the others always seemed to read five points too high.

I'm too cheap to buy a Cash Still Ebuiliometer, and it should like a headache
Too use as well. What the heck most of the time I do things by taste anyway!

Thanks, Jim

 

[stella_tigre]

So I thought if you know the starting refractometer reading, that you can use a calculator for subsequent readings to know where you stand? I asked for one for my birthday, looking forward to trying it out!

 

[phug]

I seem to recall vinometers only work on dry wines

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Refractometers are ball-park-y at best and typically used for harvest brix numbers/ initial wort brix for beer, and nothing else. Vinometers are also not only difficult to use but not terribly accurate. If you don't believe me, try a grocery store wine on it with a known abv on the label and see what comes up, or better yet, use it with a white wine to get an idea of their difficulties. Homebrewing hydrometers (ones sold online, at LHBS, etc) will also give you very ball-park estimates compared to their high precision counterparts. There is no substitute for high precision hydrometers, and an ebulliometer (pricey though they may be) and they're crazy easy to use. Not sure what this is about, seems like a spam post, but thought I'd shed a little light.

 

[JaimesBeam]

Given a starting Refractometer/Hydrometer reading before fermentation,
And a Hydrometer reading after/during fermentation, you can calculate
The amount of alcohol produced.

Jim