[zemo@AMERITECH.NET: Re: Plato / Brix]

Unless you have the brewing software ProMash ($25, www.promash.com) which has a calculator for "Determining Gravity During Fermentation". You enter the OG and your Brix/Plato reading. Example: My saison's OG was 1.063. My refractometer reading was 6.0 Brix. Final gravity: 1.005 Z ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray Daniels" <raydan(a)AMERITECH.NET> To: <CBS-HB(a)LISTSERV.UIC.EDU> Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 10:53 AM Subject: Re: Plato / Brix > Andy: > > Alcohol corrupts the reading of refractometers and they can't be used to > assess TG. (Visual properties of alcohol are different from those of > water/wort.) Sorry to disappoint you, but you'll have to use a good > old-fashioned hydrometer for that. (Either that or a pycnometer, but you > don't want to go there unless you have a scale that is precise to > hundredths of a gram.) > > The refractomerter is still great for OGs and assessing yield from the > mash. > > Cheers, > > Ray Daniels > Director, Craft Beer Marketing > Brewers Association > > ray(a)brewersassociation.org > 773-665-1300 Chicago Office > 303-447-0816 x125 Boulder Office > or 312-203-8383 cell > > > > As of January 1, 2005 we are officially the "Brewers Association." > Please note the new name and email address. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Chicago Beer Society Home Brewer List > > [mailto:CBS-HB@LISTSERV.UIC.EDU] On Behalf Of Andrew R. Smith > > Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 10:50 AM > > To: CBS-HB(a)LISTSERV.UIC.EDU > > Subject: Plato / Brix > > > > > > Question: > > > > Are the Plato and Brix scales interchangeable? Everything > > I've read so far says that they are, but I'm running into > > contradictions. > > > > Using my new, automatic temp compensation refractometer, > > calibrated with distilled water, I get a reading of ~ 6 Brix > > on a Paulaner Munich Lager (which should have a final gravity > > ~ 3 deg Plato). So, the obvious conclusions I'm coming up > > with are that either the scales are not completely > > interchangeable, my new refractometer is a dud, or I'm using > > my new refractometer incorrectly. > > > > I've got a Tripel that's been in the secondary for more than > > a month and has been hovering at ~ 9 Brix for the last two > > weeks (measured using the same technique as above). I've > > been reluctant to bottle it because Promash tells me that it > > should be ~ 3 deg Plato at FG. If the scales are > > interchangeable, I've got a slow/stuck fermentation. If they > > aren't, I might be able to get on with my brewing life and > > package my beer. > > > > Any help out there? > > > > Thanks a ton, > > Andy Smith > >