Traditionally a refractometer is used, this instrument uses a prism to determine the amount of sugar in the grape. Although this is a very accurate instrument, it is too expensive and delicate to issue each picker or harvester with one. The result is that pickers rely on tasting the grape berry to determine the sugar content. This is a very inaccurate and uncomfortable method.
When grapes are harvested, especially table grapes, it is essential that the grapes are harvested at the right sugar concentration or content. When grapes are harvested for the export market, it is even more important to harvest them at the right ripeness because grapes with too low sugar content will be rejected.
What table grape producers needed was a, relatively accurate, low cost and easy to use device with a fast reading to enable them to issue one to each of their laborers, independent of their level of skills.
The Brixmaster is a mechanical device, using the specific gravity to determine the sugar contents of the grapes. The higher the sugar level, the higher the specific gravity of the grape, and vice versa.
The Brixmaster will not give a direct reading, but will, within seconds, indicate if the grape is above or below the sugar level tested for.
