Wine Glossary
Definition: Brix
Named for A. F. W. Brix, a nineteenth-century German inventor, the Brix scale is a system used in the United States to measure the sugar content of grapes and wine. The Brix (sugar content) is determined by a Hydrometer, which indicates a liquid's Specific Gravity (the density of a liquid in relation to that of pure water). Each degree Brix is equivalent to 1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of grape juice. The grapes for most Table Wines have a Brix reading of between 20¬? to 25¬? at harvest. About 55 to 60 percent of the sugar is converted into Alcohol. The estimated alcohol that a wine will produce (called potential alcohol) is estimated by multiplying the Brix reading by 0.55. Therefore, a 20¬? Brix will make a wine with about 11 percent alcohol.
Source: The Wine Lover's Companion, by Ron Herbst & Sharon Tyler Herbst
