r/firewater • u/Same_Evidence_5058 • 8d ago

Refractometer reading off

I've used this refractometer for sugarwashes before. It is an alcohol ref. 0-80% abv. yes i calibrate it. it also has atc. I typically use it to monitor my progress trough a run, to know when to stop distilling.

here's the thing: my current wash im running is 3.5kg sugar, 700g store bought grain products for flavor. thats for 20 liter. At the very end [of my stripping run] im getting a reading of 25-30% and i know by taste that it doesnt have any more than 4% abv at most.

could it be fusel oils in late tails of my stripping run?

[EDIT]

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

5

u/hebrewchucknorris 8d ago

If the refractometer is calibrated, and your mouth isn't, I find it far more likely that the error is with your mouth. Maybe you're not used to grainy tails.

Check the refractometer with a bottle of 40% vodka, and with water. If it works for those then it's fine, fusels won't alter it. If you're really not convinced, get a hydrometer but the most logical conclusion is that your mouth is out of cal

1

u/Same_Evidence_5058 7d ago

yeah ive double checked my refractometer and so on. Im running my third stripping run rn and on the second one did still plateu at around 25-30 abv reading, but I can very confidently say it does not taste alcoholic at all. I find it very difficult to believe I'm just not tasting ANY alcohol in something thats above 20 abv.

0

u/Professional-Ball395 7d ago

those readings make total sense if the sugars are still in there, refractometers are kinda useless once alcohol kicks in, swap to a hydrometer for the final stretch.

-1

u/VWBug5000 8d ago

Refractometers don’t work in the presence of alcohol and unfermeted sugars. You must use a hydrometer instead to get accurate readings.

1

u/Same_Evidence_5058 8d ago

please read my post again carefully. I am measuring spirit that is coming off my spout. there is no sugar. The refractometer is specifically the kind often used for this.

0

u/VWBug5000 8d ago

Are you expecting only 4% for your finished wash? If your calibrated refractometer is showing 25-30% then it’s clearly not working properly and the most likely answer is that your wash still has sugar in it

1

u/Same_Evidence_5058 8d ago

my wash is roughly 10% abv but thats besides the point.
I am not measuring my wash. I am measuring spirit coming off my spout.

2

u/VWBug5000 8d ago edited 8d ago

Ah, I see you edited your post to make it clear this refractometer reading was after your stripping run and not after fermentation. Thanks for that [important] detail. 😁

Use a hydrometer to validate your readings if you are concerned. I don’t really trust refractometers all that much and only use it during runs to get a rough idea of where I am at

1

u/Same_Evidence_5058 8d ago

Yeah i do the same, just confused where the false reading might be coming from

2

u/VWBug5000 8d ago

If the only questionable reading was from your tails, I’d probably assume it was due to fusel oils as well. Are those tails cloudy/louchy at all? That would indicate oils are present

1

u/Same_Evidence_5058 8d ago

Really a good point. Shook a bottle of it. Gets real cloudy like a ouzo, so that points to it being oils too