Refractometer Saison 9.5 percent abv?

So I just kegged my Saison and took a final reading on the refractometer with a brix reading of 4. The original reading was at 15. Is this even possible? When I put the numbers into a calculator to compensate for alcohol present, it suggests that it finished at .989! That would be a 9.5 percent and Saison! Any thoughts on this? Or am on doing something wrong? I kegged two other batches tonight same calculator and they came out about where the alcohol should be. My witbier finished at 8 brix making it a 6 percent and apfelwein finished at 6 making it about 7.5 percent. I’m just not certain if I should be this certain or excited about this yet but they all had about the same original gravity of 1.060 or 61

I would suggest getting a finish hydrometer… it will only read up to 1.020… I don’t and won’t use a refractometer for the final product… But thats just me… If alcohol can throw of the reading, and then needing a calculator to correct the reading, then I just won’t be comfortable with what its saying… Sneezles61

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Seems a little high. If it fermented to 1.000 from 1.060 that’s about 7.9%. You’d have to go from about 1.068 to 1.000 to get 9. My two cents. Sounds like beer to me though! Cheers!

Have you calibrated your refractometer in plain water? Mine reads 0.2 Brix low. Yours might be even farther off, and values need correction if that’s the case.

I seriously doubt any beer would finish below 1.000 unless you used like 30% or more of simple sugars to dry it out, then maybe it’s possible.

My guess is your final Brix reading was a little lower than reality. As @sneezles61 mentioned above, using a hydrometer is the only way to know for sure.

I calibrated it using distilled water right before using. I’m assuming I misread it by a few points. The alcohol percent for this specific beer was suppose to be around 8.5 percent but I missed my OG by 20 points or so I thought. Saison yeast can finish around 1.004 as far as I know

I have notes from mine that Danstar Belle Saison finished at 1.002. Be interested to hear more about this beer after you have a pint or two. I’m also interested in your recipe if you’re interested in sharing. Happy brewing! :beers:

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Ive had both belle saison and wy3711 go down to 1.002 or below as well :grinning:

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I’ve had two pints of the Saison since I kegged it last week. Amazing!!! Bar far the best beer I have brewed thus far.

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See, even with perhaps some technical glitches, you can make perfectly great brews! The reading are to help you know if its a one and done or many whilst mowing the lawn!! Sneezles61

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