Brix to specific gravity converter
Hydrometers and refractometers read in different scales: brewers use specific gravity or Plato, winemakers Brix, Oechsle or Baumé. Choose the scale of your reading, enter the value and see the same sugar content on the other three.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use
- Pick the scale your hydrometer or refractometer shows.
- Enter the reading.
- Read the same value in specific gravity, Brix/Plato, Oechsle and Baumé.
Readings should be at the instrument’s calibration temperature (often 20 °C or 60 °F); correct hot samples first with the hydrometer temperature correction calculator.
- Brix from SG: −616.868 + 1111.14 × SG − 630.272 × SG² + 135.997 × SG³
- SG from Brix: 1 + Brix ÷ (258.6 − 227.1 × Brix ÷ 258.2)
- Oechsle = (SG − 1) × 1000
- Baumé = 145 − 145 ÷ SG; SG = 145 ÷ (145 − Baumé)
The two Brix formulas are separate fits to the sugar tables, so converting back and forth can move the last decimal.
Example
A wort at SG 1.05:
- Brix: −616.868 + 1111.14 × 1.05 − 630.272 × 1.1025 + 135.997 × 1.157625 = 12.39 °Bx;
- Oechsle: 0.05 × 1000 = 50 °Oe;
- Baumé: 145 − 145 ÷ 1.05 = 6.9 °Bé.
Tips
- Grape musts for dry table wine usually read about 19–25 °Bx; ripe sweet-wine grapes go higher.
- Take the sample after mixing: sugar settles, and a reading from the bottom of the vessel is too high.
- To turn original and final gravity into alcohol content, use the ABV calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert Brix to specific gravity?
The converter uses SG = 1 + Brix ÷ (258.6 − 227.1 × Brix ÷ 258.2). 20 °Bx gives 1 + 20 ÷ 241.009 = 1.083. The rough rule SG ≈ 1 + Brix × 0.004 gives 1.080, close for weak worts but further off for strong musts.
Are Brix and Plato the same?
Nearly. Both are grams of sucrose per 100 g of solution; the tables were made separately and differ only in the third decimal, far below what a hydrometer can read. The converter treats them as one scale.
What are Oechsle and Baumé?
Oechsle, used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, is (SG − 1) × 1000, so SG 1.090 is 90 °Oe. Baumé, used in France, Spain and Australia, is 145 − 145 ÷ SG on the scale for liquids heavier than water; 1 °Bé is roughly the sugar for 1 % alcohol.
Can I convert a refractometer reading taken after fermentation?
Not with this page. Alcohol bends light differently from sugar, so a refractometer reading of fermenting beer or wine needs a correction that uses the original reading as well. Use a hydrometer for final gravity.