Brix Conversion Calculator

What Is Degrees Brix (°Bx)?

Degrees Brix (°Bx) measures sugar content in a liquid.

• 1° Brix = 1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of solution
• 20° Brix = 20% sugar by weight

It’s commonly used in:

• Winemaking
• Brewing
• Cider production
• Fruit juice processing
• Food manufacturing

Brix is usually measured with a refractometer or hydrometer.

In simple terms, the higher the Brix, the more sugar is present.

What Is Specific Gravity (SG)?

Specific Gravity (SG) measures the density of a liquid compared to water.

• Pure water has an SG of 1.000
• A sugar solution will have an SG above 1.000
• The more sugar dissolved, the higher the SG

Brewers and winemakers use SG to:

• Measure starting gravity (Original Gravity)
• Track fermentation progress
• Estimate alcohol content

While Brix focuses on sugar percentage, SG focuses on density. They are closely related, which is why conversion is useful.

Why Use a Brix Conversion Calculator?

Manual conversion requires formulas and tables. A calculator makes it instant and accurate.

With a Brix conversion calculator, you can:

• Convert Brix to Specific Gravity
• Convert Specific Gravity to Brix
• Estimate potential alcohol (ABV)
• Calculate total sugar in a batch
• Switch between gallons and liters

It saves time and reduces mistakes, especially when scaling recipes.

How the Brix to SG Conversion Works

When converting Brix to Specific Gravity, the calculator uses a standard sucrose-based formula:

SG = 1 + (Brix / (258.6 − ((Brix / 258.2) × 227.1)))

This formula is widely used in brewing and winemaking calculations. It gives a close estimate for sugar-based solutions.

Example

If you enter:

• 20° Brix

The calculator returns:

• SG ≈ 1.083

That means the liquid is about 8.3% denser than water due to dissolved sugars.

How the SG to Brix Conversion Works

When converting Specific Gravity to Brix, the calculator uses a polynomial formula:

Brix = (((182.4601 × SG − 775.6821) × SG + 1262.7794) × SG − 669.5622)

This formula provides a reliable approximation for sugar solutions above 1.000 SG.

Example

If you enter:

• SG = 1.050

The calculator returns:

• Brix ≈ 12.4°

This tells you the sugar concentration in percentage terms.

Estimating Potential Alcohol (ABV)

One of the most useful features is the potential alcohol estimate.

The calculator uses this simple formula:

Potential ABV ≈ Brix × 0.59

So if your must measures:

• 22° Brix

Estimated potential alcohol:

• 22 × 0.59 = 13.0% ABV

Important:
This assumes complete fermentation to dryness. Real-world alcohol levels depend on:

• Yeast strain
• Fermentation temperature
• Nutrient levels
• Residual sugar

It’s an estimate, not a guarantee.

Calculating Total Dissolved Sugar in a Batch

If you enter a batch volume, the calculator also estimates total dissolved sugar.

Here’s how it works in simple steps:

1. Convert gallons to liters (if needed)
2. Convert liters to milliliters
3. Multiply by Specific Gravity to get total mass
4. Multiply by Brix percentage
5. Convert grams to pounds and kilograms

Example

Input:

• 20° Brix
• 5 gallons

The calculator estimates the total sugar weight in:

• Pounds (lbs)
• Kilograms (kg)

This is useful when:

• Adjusting sweetness
• Scaling a recipe
• Calculating sugar additions
• Planning fermentation strength

Step-by-Step: How to Use the Calculator

Using the Brix conversion calculator is simple:

1. Enter a numeric value
2. Choose the input unit:
   • Degrees Brix (°Bx)
   • Specific Gravity (SG)
3. (Optional) Enter batch volume
4. Select volume unit:
   • Gallons
   • Liters
5. Click Convert

The results will show:

• Specific Gravity (SG)
• Degrees Brix (°Bx)
• Potential Alcohol (ABV)
• Total Dissolved Sugar

If you want to start over, click Reset.

Common Use Cases

Winemaking

• Measure grape must sugar levels
• Predict alcohol before fermentation
• Decide whether to chaptalize

Brewing

• Convert refractometer Brix readings to SG
• Estimate original gravity
• Plan target ABV

Cider and Mead

• Balance sugar and alcohol levels
• Scale recipes accurately

Food and Beverage Production

• Control sweetness levels
• Standardize batch quality

Important Notes and Limitations

• Formulas are based on standard sucrose solutions.
• Real fruit juices contain acids and other solids.
• Refractometer readings after fermentation require correction.
• ABV estimates assume full fermentation.

Always treat the results as strong estimates, not lab-certified values.

Brix vs Specific Gravity: Quick Comparison

Both are useful. The calculator lets you move between them instantly.