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Specific Gravity ↔ Plato Converter
Convert between Specific Gravity (SG) and Plato/Brix measurements for brewing calculations.
Enter value in °P (Degrees Plato)
Quick Reference
| SG | Plato |
|---|---|
| 1.040 | 10.0°P |
| 1.048 | 12.0°P |
| 1.056 | 13.8°P |
| SG | Plato |
|---|---|
| 1.064 | 15.7°P |
| 1.072 | 17.5°P |
| 1.080 | 19.3°P |
About the Conversion
Specific Gravity (SG) and Plato/Brix are two different ways to measure the sugar content in wort. SG measures the density relative to water, while Plato measures the percentage of sugar by weight.
Key Points:
- Plato and Brix are functionally equivalent for brewing purposes
- Specific Gravity of 1.000 equals pure water (0°P)
- 1 degree Plato = 1% sugar by weight in solution
- These conversions assume no alcohol present (pre-fermentation readings)
- For fermented beer, alcohol affects the readings and requires correction
Common Uses:
- Converting between hydrometer (SG) and refractometer (Brix/Plato) readings
- Understanding recipes that use different measurement systems
- Calculating extract efficiency and sugar content
Frequently asked questions
- How do you convert specific gravity to Plato?
- An approximate conversion is °Plato ≈ −616.868 + (1111.14 × SG) − (630.272 × SG²) + (135.997 × SG³). As a rule of thumb, °Plato ≈ (SG − 1) × 1000 / 4.
- What is the difference between Plato and specific gravity?
- Both measure wort sugar content. Specific gravity compares wort density to water (e.g., 1.048), while °Plato (≈ °Brix) expresses dissolved sugar as a weight percentage (e.g., 12 °P). 1.048 SG ≈ 12 °P.