A refractometer is an optical measuring device used to measure the refractive index of various liquids. There are different types of refractometers, some of which are stationery and others handheld. However, they all work on the same principle of the refractive index of light.
With a refractometer you can measure the sugar content of fruit and malt, the water content of honey, the ability of antifreeze to keep liquids frost-free, the density of urine or the acid content of a battery. Likewise, a refractometer can measure saline solutions in seawater and the alcohol content of clear spirits or the alcohol solution in ex. IPA alcohol in geothermal heating systems.
The Plato Gravity Scale is a measure of the concentration of dissolved solids in a brewery herb. Degrees Plato (°P) is used to quantify the concentration of extract (mainly sugars derived from malt, but also other soluble materials in herb) in weight percent.
A 10°P herb will contain 10 g of extract per 100 g herb. The measurement of the herb's gravity is important for brewers, as it is an indicator of the beer's potential alcohol strength. As a very rough guide, each 1°P generates approx. 0.4% alcohol by volume - a 12°P herb will on average produce approx. 5% alcohol by volume, depending on the extent to which sugars have been fermented.
The Plato scale differs slightly from the Balling scale in that the measurement of the specific gravity used to determine the dissolved solids content is performed at 20°C for the Plato scale and 17.5°C for the Balling scale.
The refractometer is equipped with Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC), which automatically corrects temperature deviations during use. The body is made of copper, which makes this refractometer very durable and resistant to chemical corrosion and the service life is increased many times compared to ordinary aluminum housings.
The refractometer has the following specifications:
• Measuring Range: 0-18° Plato
• Resolution:0,1° Plato
• Accuracy: ± 0,1° Plato
• With Built-in Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC)
• Size:(Length x Ø dia.): 203x Ø40 mm
• Weight: 235 gram
• Material: Full Copper
Main areas of application:
• Alcohol production
• Beer brewing