Fermenting Wort Calculation Question

[L1truckie]

Recently picked up a refractometer and used it in conjunction with my hydrometer on my last brew, all was well and each instrument verified the other, until until today when I went to check my fermenting beer after 16 days.

When I punch in the refractometer reading as just a number IE: 7.5, it coincides with my hydrometer, 1.030 ....but when I use Beer Smith and Brew Calc, turning "fermenting wort" ON and entering the OG it gives me 1.016, which is where I'm aiming for a FG, maybe a little lower. 1.016 would be great, but I know it's not there yet...

I've read that refractometers can be misleading once alcohol is being produced, which is why I thought "fermenting wort" would correct this...obviously I'm not understanding the use of that correction, or use of that tool/calculation...and because both instruments gave basically the same reading while it was fermenting, does that negate the argument of refractometers not being precise during fermentation? Am I an idiot and missing the obvious or???

Btw...the beer is a Saison, started at 1.053 and im thinking it's stuck at the dreaded 1.030 fermenting at 90 degrees....I swirled it and am going to wait it out to get real dry. Will check it again in a week.

 

[L1truckie]

A day later and no takers....hmmmm.....no one? Anybody? Am I not clear enough? Wrong forum? Lol :cross:

 

[brewbobaggins]

Sounds like you're right on with the refractometer idea of it not always reading already-fermented liquids correctly. Even with the calculator, I've had many misreadings with refractometers. When in doubt, trust your hydrometer.