Brix to Specific Gravity Converter
Degrees Brix expresses sugar content as the percent sucrose by mass, while specific gravity expresses how much denser a solution is than water. Brewers, winemakers, and food technologists move between the two constantly. This converter applies the widely used cubic polynomial that fits sucrose-solution density tables, returning specific gravity from a Brix value, plus the gravity points used in homebrewing. The coefficients are an empirical fit, so the result is a close estimate; the arithmetic itself is exact and deterministic.
Brix to specific gravity formula
SG = 1.00001 + 0.0038661 * B
+ 0.000013488 * B^2
+ 0.000000043 * B^3
gravity points = (SG - 1) * 1000
For 12 degrees Brix, the polynomial gives a specific gravity of about 1.0484, or roughly 48 gravity points, a typical original gravity for a moderate-strength beer.
Brix and gravity facts
- One degree Brix equals one percent sucrose by mass in solution.
- Pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000 at the reference temperature.
- Gravity points are the decimal part of specific gravity times 1000.
- The polynomial fits pure sucrose tables and is an approximation for real liquids.
- Readings should be temperature corrected to about 20 degrees Celsius.
Brix to specific gravity: frequently asked questions
What is degrees Brix?
One degree Brix is defined as one gram of sucrose per 100 grams of solution, so it is the percent sucrose by mass. It is widely used in brewing, winemaking, and the food industry to express the sugar content of a liquid, measured with a refractometer or hydrometer.
What formula converts Brix to specific gravity?
This converter uses the commonly cited cubic polynomial SG = 1.00001 + 0.0038661 times B + 0.000013488 times B squared + 0.000000043 times B cubed, where B is degrees Brix. It is an empirical fit to sucrose solution density tables and is the standard approximation in homebrewing and winemaking references.
Why is this an approximation?
The relationship between Brix and density is tabulated empirically for pure sucrose solutions. The cubic polynomial fits those tables closely but is not exact, and real worts or musts contain sugars other than sucrose, so treat the result as a close estimate rather than a defined constant.
What is specific gravity?
Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a solution to the density of water at a reference temperature, so pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000. A sugar solution is denser than water, giving a specific gravity above 1, which rises with sugar content.
Does temperature affect the reading?
Yes. Both Brix refractometer readings and hydrometer specific gravity readings are temperature dependent and are usually referenced to 20 degrees Celsius. This converter assumes your Brix value is already temperature corrected to the reference condition of the source tables.
Official sources
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 16 June 2026. See our methodology.