Hydrometers & Refractometers

Hydrometers & Refractometers for Home Brewing

Shop hydrometers and refractometers for home brewing, winemaking and cider making. These essential measuring tools help monitor fermentation, calculate alcohol content and improve brewing accuracy for beer, wine, cider and spirits production.

Measure Fermentation with Confidence

Hydrometers and refractometers are among the most important tools in home brewing. They allow brewers and winemakers to monitor sugar levels, track fermentation progress and estimate alcohol content accurately.

Whether you're brewing beer, making wine or producing cider, reliable measurements help improve consistency and reduce guesswork throughout the fermentation process.

If you're new to home brewing, browse our beer starter kits, wine starter kits and home brew starter kits.

What Does a Hydrometer Do?

A hydrometer measures the density of liquid and allows brewers to determine how much sugar remains during fermentation.

By taking readings before and after fermentation, brewers can estimate alcohol content and confirm when fermentation has finished.

Hydrometers are widely used alongside beer kits, wine kits and cider kits.

What Does a Refractometer Do?

A refractometer measures sugar concentration using light refraction and typically requires only a small liquid sample.

Many brewers use refractometers during recipe formulation and before fermentation because readings can be taken quickly and conveniently.

Advanced brewers often use both hydrometers and refractometers to maximise accuracy throughout the brewing process.

Why Accurate Measurements Matter

Accurate readings help identify fermentation issues, confirm final gravity and calculate alcohol content more reliably.

Without proper measurements, brewers may bottle too early or miss fermentation problems that could affect flavour and quality.

These tools are particularly valuable when working with specialist brewing hops, brewing yeast, malts and grains and malt extract.

Useful Brewing Calculators

To get the most from your measurements, use our free brewing calculators.

• Hydrometer Calculator
• Brewing Calculators
• IBU Calculator
• Priming Sugar Calculator

These tools help brewers calculate alcohol content, bitterness and carbonation more accurately.

Equipment for Better Brewing

Hydrometers and refractometers work best alongside reliable brewing equipment.

Browse our brewing equipment, fermentation vessels, cleaning and sanitising and bottling equipment collections.

Good equipment and accurate measurements are key to producing consistent results batch after batch.

Hydrometer & Refractometer FAQs

Do I need a hydrometer for home brewing?

Yes. A hydrometer is one of the most useful tools for monitoring fermentation and calculating alcohol content.

What is the difference between a hydrometer and refractometer?

A hydrometer measures liquid density, while a refractometer measures sugar concentration using light refraction.

Can I use a hydrometer for wine making?

Yes. Hydrometers are widely used in wine making, cider making and beer brewing.

How do I calculate alcohol content?

Use a starting gravity reading and a final gravity reading with our Hydrometer Calculator.

Can I use the same equipment for beer and wine?

Yes. Hydrometers and refractometers can be used across beer brewing, wine making and cider production.

Related Collections

• Brewing Equipment
• Fermentation Vessels
• Beer Starter Kits
• Wine Starter Kits
• Beer Kits
• Wine Kits
• Cider Kits
• Cleaning & Sanitising
• Brewing Hops