Sainstore Refractometer for Measuring Sugar Content for Beer or Wine

by Sainstore

Product Features

• More Accurate Than Your Homebrew Hydrometer
• Quick Results (Faster Than Your Homebrew Hydrometer)
• Free Copy of Learn To Brew: Recipe Formulation Made Easy Included
• Easy and simple to use

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000FBL2G0
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52 in Industrial & Scientific (See Top 100 in Industrial & Scientific)
  • #1 in Industrial & Scientific > Lab & Scientific Products > Lab Instruments > Meters > Refractometers

Product Description

This refractometer from Learn To Brew is for measuring the sugar content of beer and includes an automatic temperature compensation of 10 - 30 degree Celsius. No tools are needed for calibration. This refractomerter can replace your homebrew hydrometer and is much more precise. It is ideal for brewing and is extremely easy to use. Just drop some wort or beer on the lense and gaze through the eye piece to measure the sugar content in degrees Brix, which is easily converted to Specific Gravity. A conversion table from Degrees Plato to Specific Gravity is included. This item is of premium quality and at an exceptional price and is packed in a protective plastic case. 0 - 32 Degrees Brix, RESOLUTION 0.2% ACCURACY 0.2% (You won't find that in a homebrew hydrometer)Plus, with the purchase of this item you will receive a complimentary copy of Learn To Brew: Recipe Formulation Made Easy computer program. Be sure to see the other beer, wine, and kegerator related items sold by Learn To Brew.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works for OG reading just not for FG., May 13, 2011

By 

Robert R. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sainstore Refractometer for Measuring Sugar Content for Beer or Wine

Overall this is a great deal. It was the cheapest I could find. I homebrew, had a gift card, and figured I would give the gadget a try. Shipping was insanely fast. I received it within two days of placing my order. The overall quality is good. Comes with a plastic case to store it, a small screwdriver, and a small plastic dropper.

I have a hydrometer and take readings frequently. I used the refactometer and hydrometer on a couple of different brews and the Opening gravity is usually dead on, but when you read the Final gravity that is a different story.

For example I took reading using both the hydrometer and the refactometer for OG. They came out the same or with a .001 difference. Although when I took the FG reading the refactometer gave me a FG of 1.001. I used several different calculators and spreadsheets online and they gave me approximately the same readings.

I knew it wasn't right so I took a reading with my hydrometer and it gave a reading of 1.018 which is close to what it was supposed to be. For some reason the reading isn't accurate once alcohol is introduced.

When your beer starts to ferment and alcohol becomes present, the refractometer's accuracy diminishes. There are online calculators that say they compensate for it. I just haven't found any that work consistently. Bottom line...it doesn't work on FG and you should always use a hydrometer to ensure accuracy.

I read this online prior to purchasing so it wasn't a big deal to me. I got it as a extra gadget and really enjoy how easy it is to take OG readings. Plus you only need one small drop, which means more beer for drinking!

Also, it didn't come with the "complimentary copy of Learn To Brew: Recipe Formulation Made Easy computer program" like they say.

And why are there pictures of horses on this item???

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad..., April 3, 2011

By 

Joe S. "Joe" (Ventura, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sainstore Refractometer for Measuring Sugar Content for Beer or Wine

Quality piece of equipment but, like Mike W. said no disc or conversion table was included and the "complimentary copy of Learn To Brew: Recipe Formulation Made Easy computer program" was also absent.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly what I thought I was getting based on description., March 8, 2011

By 

Mike W. (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sainstore Refractometer for Measuring Sugar Content for Beer or Wine

1. Tools are included for calibration.
2. An instruction manual is included with an image that shows a refractometer with a split measuring gravity on one side and brix on the other which would have been handy since I didn't receive the disc that LTB claims they ship alongside. You can find conversions online in a pinch.
3. The case is nice and durable.
4. I don't have a point of reference to tell whether the item is accurate since my calibration went fine and my brix consistently shows up lower than my specific gravity listing on my hydrometer.