Fast Gravity Readings Using Only a Few Drops
Measure the sugar concentration and specific gravity of unfermented wort with this Three-Scale Refractometer with Automatic Temperature Compensation.
Unlike a traditional hydrometer, a refractometer requires only a few drops of liquid. This makes it ideal for checking mash runnings, monitoring sparge gravity, measuring pre-boil wort and tracking gravity during the boil without removing a large sample.
The clear optical display provides separate scales for Brix, sugar solution specific gravity and brewing wort specific gravity, allowing home brewers to take quick readings throughout the brewing process.
Why You’ll Love It
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Measures Brix and specific gravity
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Three easy-to-read measuring scales
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Designed for brewing wort and sugar solutions
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Requires only a few drops per reading
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Ideal for all-grain brewing
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Useful for checking mash and sparge efficiency
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Automatic Temperature Compensation
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Simple distilled-water calibration
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Adjustable focus eyepiece
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Durable metal body with rubber grip
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Protective carry case included
Why Use a Brewing Refractometer?
A refractometer measures how much light bends as it passes through a liquid sample. The reading changes according to the concentration of dissolved sugars.
Because it only requires a few drops, it is especially useful during the mash and boil when repeated hydrometer samples would waste wort and require a larger sample to be cooled.
It allows brewers to quickly monitor extraction efficiency, pre-boil gravity and changes in wort concentration during the boil.
Three Measuring Scales
The refractometer displays:
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Brix: Measures the approximate concentration of dissolved sugar
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SG Sugar: Specific gravity scale for sugar dissolved in water
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SG Wort: Specific gravity scale designed for brewing wort
The dedicated wort scale helps account for the different composition of malt-based wort compared with a simple sucrose solution.
Features
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Three-scale optical display
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0–30° Brix measuring range
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1.000–1.120 specific gravity range
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Automatic Temperature Compensation
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ATC operating range of approximately 10–30°C
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Adjustable eyepiece focus
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Metal body with rubberised grip
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Manual calibration adjustment
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Daylight-readable optical scale
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Compact and portable design
Specifications
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Product: Three-Scale Brewing Refractometer
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Measurement scales: Brix, SG Sugar and SG Wort
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Brix range: 0–30° Brix
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Specific gravity range: 1.000–1.120 SG
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Temperature compensation: Automatic
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ATC range: Approximately 10–30°C
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Calibration: Distilled or deionised water
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Sample size: A few drops
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Display: Optical scale
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Body: Metal with rubber grip
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Power required: None
What’s Included?
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Three-scale refractometer with ATC
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Protective carry case
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Sample pipette
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Calibration screwdriver
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Cleaning cloth
How to Calibrate
Place several drops of distilled or deionised water onto the clean prism.
Close the cover plate gently so the water spreads evenly across the prism without bubbles or dry patches.
Point the refractometer towards a bright light, look through the eyepiece and adjust the focus until the scale is clear.
Use the supplied screwdriver to turn the calibration screw until the boundary line reads 0° Brix or 1.000 SG.
Clean and dry the prism after calibration.
How to Use
Place a few drops of cooled wort onto the clean prism using the supplied pipette.
Close the cover plate and allow the sample to spread evenly. Hold the refractometer towards a bright light and look through the eyepiece.
Read the result where the blue and white sections meet on the required scale.
After taking the reading, rinse or wipe the prism with clean water and dry it using a soft, non-abrasive cloth.
Can I Place Hot Wort Directly on the Refractometer?
No. A small sample cools rapidly, so allow it to cool before placing it on the prism.
Very hot wort can produce an unstable reading and may damage the cover plate, prism adhesive or temperature-compensation mechanism.
Can I Measure Original Gravity with It?
Yes. A refractometer is ideal for measuring original gravity before fermentation begins.
The SG Wort scale provides a direct wort-specific gravity reading, while the Brix scale can also be converted using brewing software or an online calculator.
Can I Measure Final Gravity with It?
Not directly.
Once fermentation begins, the alcohol in the sample changes how light is refracted. The displayed reading will no longer represent the true specific gravity without applying a correction calculation using the original reading.
For final gravity, use a brewing hydrometer or enter the original and current Brix readings into a suitable fermented-wort refractometer calculator.
Does ATC Cool Down a Hot Sample?
No. Automatic Temperature Compensation does not physically cool the sample.
ATC helps compensate for normal temperature differences within its operating range. Hot wort should still be allowed to cool before testing.
What Is the Difference Between SG Sugar and SG Wort?
The SG Sugar scale is calibrated for a basic sucrose-and-water solution.
Brewing wort contains malt sugars and other dissolved compounds, so the SG Wort scale is adjusted specifically for wort and is generally the more appropriate scale for beer brewing.
Do I Still Need a Hydrometer?
A refractometer is excellent for measurements taken before fermentation and for monitoring changes using very small samples.
A hydrometer is still recommended for confirming final gravity because alcohol affects refractometer readings after fermentation begins.
How Often Should It Be Calibrated?
Check the calibration before each brew day and whenever the refractometer has experienced a significant temperature change or impact.
Calibration takes only a few moments and requires distilled or deionised water.
Why Buy from Border Brewing Supplies?
Border Brewing Supplies stocks refractometers, hydrometers and accurate brewing measurement equipment for home brewers throughout Tweed Heads, the Gold Coast, Northern Rivers, Brisbane and the wider Queensland–New South Wales border region.
Shop online for Australia-wide delivery or select Click & Collect from our Tweed Heads South home brew shop.
Recommended Products
Complete your brewing measurement setup with:
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Brewing hydrometer
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Hydrometer measuring cylinder
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Digital brewing thermometer
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pH meter
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Distilled water
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Sample pipettes
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Brewfather brewing software
