Brix (or °Brix or °Bx)

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets

By Darra Goldstein

Published 2015

  • About

Brix (or °Brix or °Bx) is a measurement of dissolved solids in an aqueous solution. Each degree of Brix corresponds to 1 gram of dissolved solids in 100 grams of solution. Brix is usually measured via hydrometry or refractometry. Measuring devices are calibrated using a sucrose standard. Temperature influences both types of measurement and must be taken into account if the tools used are not self-correcting.

The Brix scale was developed by Adolf Brix in the mid-1800s. The scale is essentially a recalibration of a similar scale developed by Karl Balling in 1843. Brix recalibrated the scale from a reference of 63.5° to 59.0°F (17.5° to 15.5°C). Today, most Brix tables are calibrated to 68°F (20°C).