plant QUALITY. For instance, a poor, sour tasting grape from worn out land can test 8 or less BRIX. On the other hand, a full flavored, delicious grape, grown on rich, fertile soil can test 24 or better BRIX. I suggest that you remember that sugar is only one of the components of brix. Also remember that many other substances can falsely indicate "brix" readings (although those readings are valid in their own right). Try rubbing alcohol, whiskey, vinegar, or wine . Interestingly, cooking oil, molasses, syrup, and other thick liquids require a refractometer calibrated to read 30-90 brix. Honey is checked with a refractometer calibrated to measure the water within it instead of the solids in the water. HAND REFRACTOMETERS Professor Brix?s hydrometer worked, but it was cumbersome and required a tall graduate of juice to actually conduct the measure. This was OK for the vineyard wine cellar, but a nuisance to the grower in the field who wished to squeeze perhaps a single growing grape to judge its potential quality. Why do you both farm and tell the Brix story? I really am driven by an absolute conviction that our culture (and nation) are in danger of degenerating and dying out. To survive, we must feed our kids higher quality foods and it will never happen until families can identify good food and distinguish it from chemically grown junk. Here?s an interesting diversion that may help you understand where I'm coming from. Visit your dentist and ask him