🍷 Brix

Degrees Brix are a scale that shows how much sugar is in grape juice. One degree Brix means roughly one gram of sugar in a hundred grams of solution. The scale is named after the scientist who proposed it.

This value matters to winemakers. It helps decide when to harvest. The higher the Brix, the sweeter the grapes and the more alcohol the wine can reach. For dry wine, grapes are usually picked at 20–25 degrees Brix. It is measured with a refractometer: a drop of juice is placed on the instrument, which shows how light bends. The more sugar, the stronger the bend.

Different countries use different scales. Germany and Austria measure sweetness in degrees Oechsle, and France uses potential alcohol. But the idea is the same: judge ripeness and sweetness by the sugar in the juice. The Brix scale is also used for juices, honey and other products. For grapes it is tied to the idea of grape sugar.