Hydrometers & Refractometers

Hydrometers & Refractometers for Brewing, Wine, Cider, Mead, and Distilling

Accurate gravity readings are one of the easiest ways to make better fermentation decisions. This collection includes hydrometers, refractometers, test jars, and related measuring tools for checking specific gravity, Brix, potential alcohol, and fermentation progress across beer, wine, cider, mead, sake, and distilled-spirit workflows.

Use a hydrometer when you want a direct specific-gravity reading before and after fermentation. Use a refractometer when you want a fast sugar reading from a small sample, especially before fermentation begins. After alcohol is present, refractometer readings need correction, so many brewers confirm final gravity with a hydrometer.

Helpful tools and next steps

• Use the ABV calculator after you have original and final gravity readings.
• Browse brewing yeast if attenuation, alcohol tolerance, or fermentation character is affecting your target ABV.
• For bottle conditioning, use the priming sugar calculator after fermentation is complete and gravity is stable.

Hydrometer or refractometer?

Most brewers keep both. A refractometer is convenient on brew day because it uses only a few drops of wort or must. A hydrometer is still the dependable choice for final gravity and ABV calculations because finished beer, wine, cider, and mead contain alcohol.