Which Type Of Refractometer Is Best?

If you're thinking of purchasing a refractometer (also known as a refractometer, hydrometer, or brix) to use in your brewery, winery, distillery, or beverage making venture, it's easy to get frustrated with the number of options available. There are different types of refractometers and they each have their unique uses. In this blog post I will introduce the three main types of refractometers and give brief explanations about their applications.

The first type is the wet/dry reference refractometer which is used for measuring the specific gravity (or density) of liquids and solutions. The second type is the temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractor which is used for measuring things like alcohol content or sugar content in water. The third type is a digital refractometer which can be purchased with an attached printer that can take measurements on its own using measurements from a set point in space.

The Types of Refractometers

Wet/Dry Reference Refractometer: This type of refractometer is used for measuring specific gravity (or density) from a liquid or solution.  Temperature-Compensated Wet/Dry Reference Refractor: This type of refractometer is used for measuring things like alcohol content or sugar content in water. Digital Refractometer: A digital refractometer measures readings using measurements from a set point in space. This type is also used to measure temperature and can be easily upgraded with an attached printer that can take measurements on its own using measurements from a set point in space.

Wet/dry reference refractometer basics

A wet/dry reference refractometer is a type of refractometer that is used to measure the specific gravity (or density) of liquids and solutions. This type of refractometer is typically used in breweries, wineries, distilleries, and beverage making ventures. The wet/dry reference refractometer has two components: a hydrometer and a prism. The prism is what you use to read the measurements on the hydrometer. In addition, there are two types of prisms that can be used with this type of refractometer: birefringent or ordinary. The birefringent prism has an index of 1.5 which means that light travels through it at different speeds depending on its orientation with respect to the direction it's going. This allows for easier measurements when your sample contains strongly polarized light such as red wine or beer. The ordinary prism does not have an index number so it doesn't matter if your sample contains strong polarized light or not because measurements are taken from where you view them rather than from where they are actually located in space. There are plenty of other useful features that come standard with this type of refractometer such as measuring temperatures in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit as well as counting Brix units out to 8 decimal places (brix). Many also come equipped with a digital display, calibration kits, and calibration standards

Temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractometer basics

The temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractometer is an instrument that measures density of a liquid by providing a temperature-compensated reading for the relative density. The scale on the refractometer is displayed as degrees Brix. This type of refractometer has many applications in industries such as beverage making, winemaking, brewing, and distilling. Some popular uses include measuring alcohol content or sugar content in water, determining the specific gravity of a solution, and determining moisture content.

Digital refractometer basics

The digital refractometer is the most accurate type of refractometer in terms of measurement.  The digital version also has a printer that can take measurements on its own using measurements from a set point in space. The digital refractometer has two major benefits over other types of refractometers: it's more accurate and it's more convenient because you don't have to manually measure anything. The downside is that they are more expensive than the other types of refractometers and the printer is an extra purchase. If you're thinking about purchasing a refractometer for your brewery, winery, distillery, or beverage making venture, there are three key features to keep in mind: accuracy, convenience, and price. There are several other features that can assist you with these three considerations including simplicity and ease of use as well as portability.

What is a digital refractometer?

A digital refractometer is a type of refractometer that can be purchased with an attached printer that can take measurements on its own using measurements from a set point in space. These digital refractometers are also known as "smart" or "self-reading" refractometers. This means that it doesn't require the user to use a separate sensor like other types of refractometers. Instead, it uses an internal sensor and software with pre-programmed instructions to calculate the readings automatically. These smart digital refractometers are typically more expensive than other types of refractometers, but they give more accurate results because their results are taken automatically by the software and not manually by anyone else. They're also easier to use because there's no need for calibration, unlike some of the other types of refractometers that require calibration first before taking measurements.

Which type of refractometer is best for your brewery?

The principal thing to consider is why you need your refractometer. Some common uses for a refractometer are measuring specific gravity, alcohol content, and sugar content in water. For these types of measurements, you should use the wet/dry reference refractometer or the temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractor. The wet/dry reference refractometer is a great option as it will give you readings with a high degree of accuracy and precision while the temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractometer can be used to measure things like alcohol content in wine or sugar content in water faster than traditional methods. If you're more interested in taking measurements that are not related to density, such as air pressure or humidity, then the digital refractometer might be the right choice. This type of measurement requires calibration with a set point that is referenced against ambient atmospheric pressure or relative humidity. This makes this type of machine useful for applications where there is not 100 percent control over what is being measured using a wet/dry reference refractometer. While both types of wet/dry reference refractometers have their uses, I would recommend using the temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractor for most brewery applications because it has superior accuracy and precision when compared to its counterpart at measuring specific gravity and alcohol content in liquids or sugar content in water.

Conclusion

What type of refractometer is best for your brewery? This is a question every homebrewer should ask themselves before buying a refractometer. A temperature-compensated wet/dry reference refractometer is a great option for your brewery. These types of refractometers have a fixed temperature of 20°C, which ensures you can accurately measure alcohol content at any temperature. They are also quite affordable and are easy to use.