Brix to Sugar Content Calculator
Degrees Brix express sugar as a percent by mass of the whole solution: 1 deg Bx is 1 gram of sucrose per 100 grams of solution. Brewers, winemakers, jam makers and juice producers measure Brix with a refractometer, but recipes and nutrition figures usually need grams of sugar per liter or per serving. This calculator converts a Brix reading to grams of sugar per 100 mL, grams per liter, and total grams in your batch. Because Brix is mass-based, the conversion to volume uses the solution density, which you should measure and enter for accuracy.
Brix to sugar formula
mass fraction = Brix / 100 (g sugar per g solution)
sugar per liter = Brix/100 * density(g/mL) * 1000
sugar per 100 mL = sugar per liter / 10
total sugar = sugar per liter * volume(L)
Density converts the mass fraction into a per-volume concentration. At the default density of 1.000 g/mL the result equals 10 times Brix grams per liter; real sugar solutions are denser, so measure your sample.
Notes on Brix measurement
- Brix is defined as grams of sucrose per 100 grams of solution (percent by mass).
- Refractometers report total soluble solids as sucrose equivalent, slightly overstating pure sugar in real juices.
- Temperature affects refractometer readings; use an automatic temperature compensated instrument or correct to 20 deg C.
- For volume conversions, enter the measured density of your sample rather than assuming water.
- Total dissolved solids include acids and minerals, not only fermentable sugar.
Brix to sugar: frequently asked questions
What does degrees Brix mean?
One degree Brix (1 deg Bx) equals 1 gram of sucrose per 100 grams of solution, that is 1 percent sucrose by mass. It is measured with a refractometer or hydrometer. Brix is a mass fraction of the whole solution, not a concentration per volume, so converting to grams per liter requires the solution density.
Why do I need the solution density?
Brix is grams of sugar per 100 grams of solution. To express sugar per liter (a volume), you multiply the mass fraction by the mass of one liter of solution, which is its density in grams per milliliter times 1,000. A sugar solution is denser than water, so you should enter the measured density of your sample rather than assuming 1.000.
What density should I use for juice or must?
Density depends on the sugar concentration itself. Measure it directly, or look up a Brix-to-density table from a standards body. As a rough guide, grape must near 20 deg Bx has a density close to 1.083 g/mL. For accuracy, enter your measured density; the default 1.000 assumes pure water and understates sugar mass.
How do I find total sugar in my batch?
Enter the batch volume in liters. The calculator multiplies grams of sugar per liter by the volume to give total grams of sugar in the whole batch, useful for fermentation, jam setting, or nutrition labeling estimates.
Is Brix exactly the same as sugar content?
For a pure sucrose solution, yes by definition. In real foods, Brix measures total dissolved solids, which includes acids, salts and other solubles besides sugar, so a refractometer slightly overstates true sugar in juices and wine must. Treat the result as total soluble solids expressed as sucrose equivalent.
Official sources
- USDA: FoodData Central (sugar composition).
- NIST: Office of Weights and Measures (mass and density).
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.