# Refractometers



## ffemt128 (Jul 26, 2012)

Is there any benefit to a refractometer vs a hydrometer for the home wine maker? What would one recommend if they were looking to purchase one?


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## joea132 (Jul 26, 2012)

I bought one on eBay last year or the year before. It's still sitting in the case and never sees the light of day. It's more convenient to use on the loading docks when buying grapes to ballpark the sugar content. I always forget to bring it and my wine comes out fine!!


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## robie (Jul 26, 2012)

When making fresh or frozen grape wine, it is sometimes a little more difficult to get a good SG reading with a hydrometer. One has to get out all the solids in order to get a true reading. That means filtering with a coffee filter or something similar.

With a refractometer, one just takes a small drop of the juice and place it on the reading surface and it is ready to read.

They are more valuable in the vineyard, though.

Understand that taking an SG reading with a refractometer after fermentation starts requires a special conversion. Its direct reading is only accurate when no (zero) alcohol is present.


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## ffemt128 (Jul 26, 2012)

joea132 said:


> I bought one on eBay last year or the year before. It's still sitting in the case and never sees the light of day. It's more convenient to use on the loading docks when buying grapes to ballpark the sugar content. I always forget to bring it and my wine comes out fine!!


 


robie said:


> When making fresh or frozen grape wine, it is sometimes a little more difficult to get a good SG reading with a hydrometer. One has to get out all the solids in order to get a true reading. That means filtering with a coffee filter or something similar.
> 
> With a refractometer, one just takes a small drop of the juice and place it on the reading surface and it is ready to read.
> 
> ...


 
Understanding that the post fermentation reading requires a conversion to SG, there are apps as well as conversions tables for this. Only doing fresh grapes once a year now, I'm pondering if it would be beneficial to purchase one for use with juice and other wines as well as fresh grapes.


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## Julie (Jul 26, 2012)

Doug,

It would be a huge benefit when you pick the muscadine grapes


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## robie (Jul 26, 2012)

Julie said:


> Doug,
> 
> It would be a huge benefit when you pick the muscadine grapes



Yep, and if you treat it well, it will last many, many years. 
The conversion works really well and is very reliable. 
Buy it!!! make sure you get one that compensates for temperature.


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## ffemt128 (Jul 26, 2012)

robie said:


> Yep, and if you treat it well, it will last many, many years.
> The conversion works really well and is very reliable.
> Buy it!!! make sure you get one that compensates for temperature.


 

Any recommendations from AMAZON as to which one from those who have one. I checked and there are alot of different options.


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## Runningwolf (Jul 26, 2012)

I own two of them. I have a handheld and also a Hannah digital I got on Amazon. Make sure you get one with the auto temp compensation one.


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## ffemt128 (Jul 28, 2012)

Well I ordered a Refractrometer from AMAZON, this is the one I ordered.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ISDQ0S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Hope it was a good choice, it has ATC. Not knowing anything about them I chose this based on the revies. I down loaded the app WineMakersToolbox that Runningwolf mentioned in a previous post. It has the conversion tool in the app plus so much more. It's all in one convientient place on my phone now. Order was Prime eligible so it will be waiting at my door when I get home cant wait to try it out.


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## Runningwolf (Jul 28, 2012)

Doug, at $38 you did good. This will work fine for you. Remember these are really meant to be used out in the vineyard.


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## SmallTown (Aug 2, 2012)

robie said:


> Yep, and if you treat it well, it will last many, many years.
> The conversion works really well and is very reliable.
> Buy it!!! make sure you get one that compensates for temperature.


 
*Where do you get the conversion chart at?*


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