How to Use a Brix Meter for Coffee

Use a Brix meter to measure the brew strength of your coffee.

Using a Brix meter to measure the brew strength of your coffee means the difference between brewing the perfect cup and getting a cup that may not taste as good. According to Alan Alder, the man who developed the Aeropress, the Brix meter was the best way for him to measure different brew strengths. The Brix meter was so small he was able to fit it in his pocket and take it with him to coffee shops. Using a Brix meter is easy, but the meter itself can cost hundreds of dollars.

Things You'll Need

• Clean eyedropper

Instructions

1. Brew or buy a cup of coffee.

2. Use your eyedropper to collect a few drops of coffee.

3. Drop a few drops into the well on your Brix meter. Wait about one minute for the coffee to cool and then check it. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), a reading of 1.5 on your Brix meter is a cup of coffee that has been brewed correctly. A lower reading indicates a weak brew, while a higher reading indicates a stronger brew. For example, espresso should have a Brix meter reading of between 3.4 and 7.5 to consider it brewed correctly.

Tips & Warnings

• Test different brands of coffee and even espresso for fun.

• Since the Brix meter measures sucrose, you must make sure there is no sugar in the coffee before you do your measurement. Sugar will throw off your reading.

References

• Scientific Gear: Brix Meter for Measuring Coffee Strength

Resources

• Coffee Chemistry: Brewing Fundamentals