Often, the assumption is that what drives people into the beverage industry is their love for all things sips. That’s a fair assumption, but there’s another factor that may prompt a 9-5 businessman to exchange his suit and tie for a flannel and stir spoon—the love for science.
After all, making beverages is a progression of chemistry experiments. And, as with all scientific pursuits, there’s a vocabulary list of need-to-know terms to ace. We’re likely all familiar with the ubiquitous ABV (alcohol by volume) percentages seen on alcoholic beverages, but how many of us are familiar with Brix? Probably not many.
So what is Brix, why does it matter, and how do we measure it? Let’s find out.
What Is Brix?
Brix is the amount of pure sucrose (in grams) that is found per 100 grams of any liquid.
Okay, now take off your hats, and let’s break that down like humans. Basically, Brix is the percentage of sugar that’s in a liquid. Actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that as sugar sucrose and sugar are not interchangeable (there are other types of sugar), but this is the easiest way to think about Brix.
So, if you have a liquid that has 20 grams of sugar for every 100 grams of the liquid, it would have 20% sugar and, hence, 20° BX.
Pop quiz! Here are some additional things to know about Brix:
- It was created by German mathematician Adolf Ferdinand Wenceslaus Brix.
- It is written as degrees Brix.
- Its relationship to the percentage of sucrose is not a perfect 1:1 ratio. Many factors can affect Brix, including the purity of the liquid and the sucrose, other dissolved solids, and the temperature of the liquid when the measurement is taken.
Why Do We Care?
Chemistry hats back on. Do we remember how alcohol is made? Alcohol is the result of yeast breaking down sugar through a process called fermentation.
You can take your hats off again. Put simply, alcohol is sugar. So the reason it’s useful to measure something like Brix is that it can help us determine how much alcohol we’ll have once fermentation is complete. The more sugar, the higher the Brix level, the more expected alcohol. So, how is that done?
- Before starting fermentation, take a Brix reading of your liquid.
- Multiply your result by about 0.59 (slightly more than half).
- Your resulting number is your potential alcohol content. So, with our earlier reading of 20° BX, what is our expected ABV? 20 x 0.59 = 11.8. Your potential alcohol content is 11.8%
- This isn’t a perfect equation. There’s a range somewhere between the multipliers 0.55 and 0.65 where your ABV could fall. There are also techniques you can use during fermentation to affect the process, but Brix gives you a good idea of what your ABV is likely to be.
So What?
Brix is used in both the wine and beermaking industries for reasons that go well beyond simply satiating curiosity about possible ABVs.
- In Winemaking:
- The longer a grape is left to ripen, the more sugar will develop in it. By measuring the Brix in grapes at the vineyard, winemakers can determine the best time to start harvesting.
- If winemakers determine more alcohol will be needed, they can add more sugar before fermentation to reach a higher ABV.
- During fermentation, yeast basically eats the sugar, which will lower the Brix reading. These readings can be monitored and when the Brix reaches 0, it signals fermentation is complete.
- In Beer:
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- By taking readings at all points before and during fermentation, brewers can keep track of their mash efficiency (how much sugar is being pulled from the grain).
- Brix readings allow brewers to know how the recipe is progressing and when to add certain ingredients.
- Same as wine, Brix can signal how fermentation is going and when it is complete.
- By taking readings at all points before and during fermentation, brewers can keep track of their mash efficiency (how much sugar is being pulled from the grain).
How Do You Measure Brix
Now that you’ve been convinced of Brix’s usefulness, you may be wondering how you’re supposed to go about measuring it in the first place. Glad you asked. There are several ways you can measure Brix:
- Hydrometer
- Pycnometer
- Optical Refractometer
- Digital Refractometer
- Digital Density Meter
Rather than focus on all of these methods, let’s look at two of the most common ones found in the beverage industry, the hydrometer and the refractometer:
- Hydrometer – A hydrometer is made of glass and consists of a weighted tube that will float when placed into a test tube with the liquid being measured. This measures the density of the sample. The higher the density (and, hence, the higher the Brix), the higher the hydrometer will float.
While this is a useful tool for measuring Brix, it does require a high-volume sample size. Also, seeing as it’s made of glass, it could be broken and is not easy to clean.
- Refractometer – A refractometer uses an optical sensor to measure the amount of mass fraction or refracted light that passes through your sample. The more sugar in your sample, the more refraction there is, which signifies a higher Brix level.
Refractometers are generally more expensive than hydrometers, but they allow you to use a much smaller volume of sample liquid. For this reason, they are generally preferred for Brix measurement.
It’s worth noting that regardless of the tool being used, some calculations will be needed to determine Brix, especially to control for temperature. However, some refractometers do have internal temperature controls for more accurate readings.
Are There Alternatives to Brix?
You may be used to using a different measurement or you’re working with partners who prefer a different way of measuring potential alcohol content.
Thankfully, there are other options and you can use some of the same tools to measure for them as well:
- Specific gravity – Specific gravity is a popular choice amongst home brewers. It measures the density of your sample compared to pure water. That means your specific gravity reading will always be over 1.0 with the numbers after the decimal showing how much more dense your sample is than water.
- Plato – Popular in Europe, this is another measurement very similar to Brix. In fact, you’ll likely only see a minuscule difference between the two, but some people believe Plato is the more accurate of the two.
- Balling – When we talk about measuring sugar content in a liquid, the Balling scale is whats being referred too. The Balling scale has been around since 1843. (Both Brix and Plato were developed as improvements over the Balling scale.)
While these three are the measurements you’re most likely to see, there are a couple of others worth touching on that may come up during your chemistry experiments:
- Oechsle – The Oechsle scale is another way to measure the density of grapes. Not used much in the United States, you’re most likely to see this in the countries of Germany, Luxembourg, or Switzerland.
Also, the Oechsle scale has both old and new variations. The old is calculated using specific gravity measurements. The new uses a refractive index.
- Baumé – Developed by Antoine Baumé in 1768, this is another scale to measure specific gravity. In America, you may come across this scale in the pharma industry. As for its use in the beverage industry, you’ll likely only find it in French-speaking countries, though it has been used in Spain, Australia, and New Zealand as well.
Can You Convert Brix into Other Measurements?
If you measure in Brix and you’re dealing with a foreign brewer who measures in Plato, what are you to do? It’s like you’re speaking two different languages.
It isn’t actually that big of a deal. As stated earlier, Plato and Brix are very similar and nearly interchangeable. But no matter what measurement you have, you can convert it into any other measurement using the power of math.
What Else Should You Know?
When it comes to Brix, that pretty much covers it. If this primer shows anything, though, it’s that making a great beer or wine takes a lot more than just knowing what tastes good—it’s an endeavor that requires precision, patience, and a little bit of science. Once you’ve put in all that work to make the best product, you want to make sure it gets out to the most people possible in a high-quality, economical way.
That’s where we come in.
At Wildpack Beverage, we offer the services you need to ace your next batch. From sleeving that catches the eye to co-packing services that allow you to grow, we’re here to ensure your effort ends up where it’s supposed to: in the hands of as many people as possible.
Sources:
Vinepair. What Is Brix in Wine (And Beer)? https://vinepair.com/articles/what-brix-wine-beer-sugar/
Hyperleap. Adolf Ferdinand Wenceslaus Brix. https://hyperleap.com/topic/Adolf_Ferdinand_Wenceslaus_Brix
Winemaker. Understanding Brix Readings. https://winemakermag.com/article/cellar-dwellers-4
Alcohol.org. What is alcohol? https://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-its-effects/about-alcohol/what-is-alcohol
Mettler Toledo. Brix Measurement. https://www.mt.com/us/en/home/perm-lp/product-organizations/ana/brix-meters.html
Brewha. Eight ways to improve mash efficiency. https://brewhaequipment.com/blogs/how-to-brew-beer/9504551-how-to-improve-mash-efficiency-or-how-to-save-money-and-have-consistent-tasting-beer
Craft Beer and Brewing. Specific Gravity or Just a Matter of Degree? https://beerandbrewing.com/specific-gravity-or-just-a-matter-of-degree/
