Refractometers...........

[fatbloke]

Ok, so after reading "Luc's" article on his blog about plum wine, and having the understanding of the "ancient wisdom" about sloes i.e. don't pick them until after the first frost....

I was parked up for my break today and there was some blackthorn next to the layby.

So I picked a couple of sloes, and tasted them. I expected them to be sharp, and they were.

Very remniscent of sharp gooseberries. Having never tasted "ripe" sloes, I don't know how they should taste at their best.

I was getting flashbacks of the pictures that Luc included in the article on his blog of the refractometer images...

So, while I appreciate basically how they work, do they work on "any" juice to get a measurement in gravity/brix or is it basically just for grapes and a bit "hit and miss" with other fruit ?

I'd like to know, because some of the sloes I've seen are huge (half of a standard plum size) and in other places, the bushes have already shed their leaves with just the fruit remaining.......

regards

jtfb

[lockwood1956]

They work with all fruit....all you need is one drop of juice and it tells you the sugar content...

I have one...and I just love it

[lockwood1956]

Bu sure and buy a sugar refractometer though (Brix) there are also alcohol and TDS ones

I bought mine from these guys

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REFRACTOMETER-WINEGROWER-WINEMAKER-WINE-BEER-ALCOOL-R06_W0QQitemZ120453031921QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET?hash=item1c0b8f67f1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

very very happy with it

but if you watch eBay they come up for under £20 second hand occasionally

[lockwood1956]

This one looks good

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Grape-Fruit-Juice-Refractometer-ATC-REF-711_W0QQitemZ350182677871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Restaurant_RL?hash=item5188839d6f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[fatbloke]

Excellent, TVM for that Bob.

It'll mean that I can take it with me to work and check the sloes etc when I'm parked up.......

Plus I'd guess it'd be vvv handy for checking other fruit as well

Just looked at the one you posted the link for Bob, after reading the "gumpf", I presume that while it mentions 0 to 140 degrees Oe, that that is the same as 1.000 to 1.140 for measuring gravity.... not being familiar with "degrees Oe" ???

Or would I need one that has slightly more familiar scale graduated in the usual gravity numbers????

regards

jtfb

[lockwood1956]

They measure the % of sugar.....so different to a hydrometer

19 Brix is close to 1.080

[fshfindr]

Spread sheet to convert Brix to SG.

http://valleyvintner.com/Refrac_Hydro/Refract_Hydro.htm

Richard L.

[fatbloke]

It's a PITA, because if you look at Luc Volders blog, you'll see that from the picture he shows for the refractometer reading, it shows a sugar level in "Oe" with a conversion to %ABV next to it. In his text, he alludes to the "Oe" as being the same as a gravity reading, which would be better for me, rather than to have to ponce around with converting degree's brix to a gravity reading.

It's just that all the refractometers on ebay seem to measure degrees brix etc. I've emailed Luc to see if he has any info about his refractometer i.e. where it came from or what make it might be to see if I can find the same type - more for ease of use and convenience of course. Otherwise I'll just have to get one that measures brix and get used to using that scale and converting it etc........

hey ho!

regards

jtfb

[Duffbeer]

John, I will have a look at mine later for make model etc as it has brix and potential alc scale. Though I know for sure it was an ebay purchase.

[NorthernWiner]

It's a PITA, because if you look at Luc Volders blog, you'll see that from the picture he shows for the refractometer reading, it shows a sugar level in "Oe" with a conversion to %ABV next to it. In his text, he alludes to the "Oe" as being the same as a gravity reading, which would be better for me, rather than to have to ponce around with converting degree's brix to a gravity reading.

John,

"Oe" refers to the Oechle scale, which is what Germany, Austria, and a handful northern European countries use for determining sugar content. It's not used anywhere else, and frankly, is kind of a PITA to use for that very reason.

My suggestion would just be to simply by a Brix refractometer, since that's what's used in the majority of the world, and what you'll most often find in English language textbooks as well. It's a very simple scale. Degrees brix equals the percent sugar. Doesn't get any easier than that.

And if you want to convert Brix to potential ABV it's a very simple calculation: B x 0.56 = ABV%

[fatbloke]

John,

"Oe" refers to the Oechle scale, which is what Germany, Austria, and a handful northern European countries use for determining sugar content. It's not used anywhere else, and frankly, is kind of a PITA to use for that very reason.

My suggestion would just be to simply by a Brix refractometer, since that's what's used in the majority of the world, and what you'll most often find in English language textbooks as well. It's a very simple scale. Degrees brix equals the percent sugar. Doesn't get any easier than that.

And if you want to convert Brix to potential ABV it's a very simple calculation: B x 0.56 = ABV%

Thing is Steve, that looking at the image that Luc uses and what he alludes to in his text, it seems that the Oechle sacle is the same as specific gravity or at least correlates directly to it.

hence I figured it might be a little more straight forward. After all, when you take a gravity reading at the start, you're measuring sugar content ????? and then the final reading is the same, which also then converts to an ABV measurement ? or that's how I understand it anyway.

Just means that if I have to get one with a brix scale on it then so be it, I was just trying to work out if it's possible to get one that reads directly into specific gravity measurements......

It can all be rather confusing can't it, as it'd be great to have just the one scale internationally.........

hey ho!

regards

jtfb

[fatbloke]

John, I will have a look at mine later for make model etc as it has brix and potential alc scale. Though I know for sure it was an ebay purchase.

Cheers Karl, it'd be handy to know of one thats "got form" as a decent, reliable bit of kit....

regards

jtfb

[NorthernWiner]

Thing is Steve, that looking at the image that Luc uses and what he alludes to in his text, it seems that the Oechle sacle is the same as specific gravity or at least correlates directly to it.

I think it's all a matter of where you live and what you're used to.

Me.. I haven't used SG in years. The SG and Oeschle scales are shown on my hydrometer, but so is Brix and that's the scale I look at. I also own two Brix refractometers, and most of the people I talk to - at least locally - talk Brix.

But just to my north we have Canadians, and they all seem to talk SG up there (and occasionally in Québécois French).

[fatbloke]

I think it's all a matter of where you live and what you're used to.

Me.. I haven't used SG in years. The SG and Oeschle scales are shown on my hydrometer, but so is Brix and that's the scale I look at. I also own two Brix refractometers, and most of the people I talk to - at least locally - talk Brix.

But just to my north we have Canadians, and they all seem to talk SG up there (and occasionally in Québécois French).

Sure I follow that. All my hydrometers are single scale, gravity. I've noticed over at Gotmead that the US mainly seems to use brix, but there are some who use brix and/or gravity scales. I'm surprise that the quebecois don't use something completely different

I'll probably end up getting a brix refractometer - as that's what most of the cheaper priced ones seem to be calibrated at. Though I'll have a dig round, as there might be a better option.

regards

jtfb

[fatbloke]

ha ha! now that explains quite a lot. Including why I should probably be looking for a refractometer that does have an "Oe" oeschle (I think that's how it's spelled) scale, because the Oe scale and specific gravity scale are directly related i.e. the SG of water being 1.000 and 0 in degree's Oe.

Which explains why it is that Luc Volders refractometer picture always does show degrees Oe, but then alludes to a measurement of 1.xxx in his text. Brilliant.

So now I've managed to find out what the score is with that, then I know what it is that I'm looking for.........

If I have to get a refractometer that has a Brix scale then that's what I'll get, but if I can find one that is calibrated as a degrees Oe, all the better. I just hope that I'll be able to find one cheap enough and not to have to pay the €68 that Brouwland want to charge......

Hey ho!

regards

jtfb