WINETECH Technical Yearbook 2020

TABLE 1. The correlation between Brix readings and the sugar concentration of grape juice.

surface will for example lose more alcohol due to evaporation. Higher temperatures and the method of juice and skin mixing can also promote alcohol evaporation. The sugar reading of the grapes or juice before alcoholic fermentation can frequently be too low, when all the sugar of for example raisins is not dissolved. The application of certain procedures can ensure that a more accurate estimate of the expected alcohol concentration of the final wine

is obtained. The analysis sample must be representative, the tolerance of the sugar reading must be borne in mind, the conversion factor of the yeast strain must be known and the circumstances, which can promote alcohol evaporation, must be limited (Glynn, 2019). REFERENCE Glynn, M., 2019. Just a spoonful of sugar. Wine Business Monthly , June 2019: 52-55.

Brix degrees

Sugar concentration (g/L)

14.0

136.0

Brix reading indicates sugar concentration too high.

18.0

180.5

Brix reading closest to sugar concentration.

22.1

226.4

Brix reading indicates sugar concentration too low.

26.6

273.2

Brix reading indicates sugar concentration too low.

29.9

308.8

Brix reading indicates sugar concentration too low.

WINETECH TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2020 161