Refractometer Delima

[topkeg]

So last year I splurged and bought the $60 refractometer to use instead of the traditional hydrometer. I calibrated it to 0 and all seemed well. Now my last couple of batches, I just haven't been able to ferment dry. So today while racking two batches of pee and a batch of loquat I get this... .990 with hydrometer but 1.028 with refractometer. What's going on here??

 

[dralarms]

Need to recalibrate with pure water (distilled or ro filtered).

 

[cmason1957]

Absolutely nothing wrong. In the prescence of alcohol your refractometer reads high. There are spreadsheets that you can use and on line programs which offer corrections.

 

[topkeg]

Cmason1957, thanks! Figures, user error!

 

[dralarms]

Oooops, missed that you were trying to read wine and not juice. Sorry

 

[sour_grapes]

Here is a good site explaining this effect and how to compensate: http://valleyvintner.com/Refrac_Hydro/Refract_Hydro.htm