Plato/Brix and Beersmith

Does anyone use Plato in Beersmith?

I bought a refractometer (the one with the brix scale only) and am using it along with Morebeers spreadsheet to track the gravity of my last brew. I have also been taking a reading with a hydrometer. So far the reading in the spreadsheet and the hydrometer have matched, but when I switch measurements in Beersmith, the program tells me that the final gravity estimate much lower than the brix reading I am getting with the refactometer. Is this because Beersmith doesn’t account for the alcohol but the spreadsheet does?

Thanks!
Dano

As far as I know, yes.  The FG estimates in beersmith are for hydrometers, regardless of the scale you are using.

No, it’s because the reading from the refractometer isn’t the actual gravity in Brix/Plato. It’s just an estimated SG based on an assumed relationship between the refractive index and the sugar content. When there’s alcohol in solution, that assumption is no longer accurate.

http://seanterrill.com/2010/06/11/refractometer-estimates-of-final-gravity/

Thanks Tom and Sean!

If anyone using a refractometer hasn’t seen/used the MoreBeer spreadsheet it seems to be pretty good!
http://morebeer.com/public/beer/refractbeer.xls

Thanks!
Dano

That hasn’t been my experience, but of course if it works for you that’s all that matters.

I’ve got to agree with Sean, the morebeer sheet doesn’t work for me.  Sean’s is better IME. :slight_smile:

MoreBeer’s is the only one I have used and I am still checking the results against the hydrometer.

I’ll use both for awhile, not that I doubt that Sean’s is more accurate.