Plato scale 4286884 203280139 2008-04-04T13:14:05Z 62.245.183.149 The '''Plato scale''' is an empirically derived [[hydrometer]] scale to measure [[density]] of [[beer]] [[wort]] in terms of percentage of extract by weight. The scale expresses the density as the percentage of sucrose by weight, so a wort measured at 12° Plato has the same density as a water−sucrose solution containing 12% sucrose by weight, denoted as 12% [[Brix]]. It was developed in 1843 by Bohemian scientist Karl Balling, and improved by German Fritz Plato. For the brewer, it has the advantage over [[Gravity (beer)|specific gravity]] that it expresses the measurement in terms of the amount of fermentable materials. Degrees Plato are more popular in central European brewing, and occasionally feature in beer names—some [[Slovakia|Slovak]] or [[Czech Republic|Czech]] breweries feature 10° and 12° versions of their beers, for instance. Many Belgian breweries also do this, examples include [[Brasserie_de_Rochefort|Rochefort]] and [[Maredsous(beer)|Maredsous]]. ==Conversion== The relationship between degrees Plato and [[Gravity (beer)|specific gravity]] is not [[linear]], but a good approximation is that 1° Plato is worth 4 "brewers points" (the thousandths' part of the SG measurement), so 12° Plato corresponds to an original gravity of 1.048. [[Category:Brewing]] [[Category:Scales]] [[nl:Plato (biersterkte)]] [[fi:Plato]]