Refractometer

General lesson - don’t buy cheap stuff off eBay (when will I learn).

Thought my stout had stalled at 1.045

Nope, was just a crap eBay purchase. My hydrometer confirmed the expected gravity of 1.014

General lesson - don’t buy cheap stuff off eBay (when will I learn).

Thought my stout had stalled at 1.045

Nope, was just a crap eBay purchase. My hydrometer confirmed the expected gravity of 1.014

Did you use a correction factor for the presence of alcohol? I've yet to find one that applies to my beers.

Use a hydrometer for your FG bud. The main use of refractometers is quick samples during the brewday and measuring starting gravity - the reading will warp once alcohol is present, although that's quite a difference!

My hydrometer only seems to givej an accurate reading before yeast is added AND when I've take a hydrometer reading as well! !

Ahh, that’s interesting man (in best Lebowski voice).

The alcohol thing had not occurred to me.

Cheers, far out man.

Northern Brewer website has a good calculator for this.

[Jeltz]

I find my cheap refractometer pretty accurate for OG and also for FG but you have to use the correction formula.

I use the tool within beersmith mobile but I used to have an android app which did it specifically, I was sceptical with my current brew as it was suggesting a FG of 1.008 but when I checked it with a hydrometer I found it was right.

I have two refractometers, one cheap plastic Chinese made one, and a more expensive much heavier one (probably also Chinese made!). I got the second because I didn't trust the cheap one. Result is they both give the same readings!

I found the same with ph meters too. Sometimes the cheap stuff is just as good!