There are different ways to improve your brewing process. One important way is to measure and evaluate the results of your brew day. The results you obtain will help you assess your brewing ability. Also, they will help you identify aspects in which you can improve your brewing process.

Specific gravity measures the density of a liquid. It infers the contents of the liquid. However, specific gravity measures the sugar content in that beer. It compares it to water when it comes to brewing beer.

A hydrometer is a commonly used tool. It is readily available and inexpensive. However, it needs temperature adjustments depending on the current temperature. Also, it requires large sample sizes and risks of batch contamination.

On the other hand, a refractometer is also a popular tool. However, unlike a hydrometer, it does not measure the density of a liquid. It measures the refraction of light through the liquid and calculates the sugar content based on the results.

A refractometer doesn’t have as many drawbacks as a hydrometer. It is ideal because it needs a smaller sample size, and it is not affected by temperature. Also, it requires less equipment, and you won’t have to keep opening the fermenter often.