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A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Brix Levels

Updated: Sep 27

brix refractometer and a blue slush drink in front of a taylor frozen beverage freezer

If you're new to the soft serve or frozen beverage industry, you might not be familiar with all the industry terms yet. One important term to know is Brix.


What is Brix?

Brix measures the sugar content in a liquid solution. In the world of soft serve and frozen beverages, it represents the percentage of sucrose (sugar) by weight in the mix. One degree Brix (°Bx) equals 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. This measurement is crucial for achieving the right sweetness and consistency in your product, as well as for maintaining quality control during production.


Several factors can influence the Brix level of your product, including sugar content, alcohol content, and other dissolved solids like flavorings. It's essential to measure the Brix level of your product mix before pouring it into your frozen beverage machine or soft serve freezer, especially if you're making your own mix. If you buy mix from suppliers like Itaberco, Blackbird, Dole, Frostline, Cool Chiller, or Flavor Burst, follow the instructions on the packaging, as they have already optimized the ingredients for the best Brix level.


Why is Brix Important?

Understanding Brix and knowing how to adjust it in your product mix is vital for your business. The dissolved sugar content in your mix determines the freezing temperature in your soft serve machine or frozen beverage freezer.


  • Low sugar content results in a higher freezing temperature and a lower Brix level, which can cause the product to over-freeze in the hopper.

  • High sugar content results in a lower freezing temperature and a higher Brix level, which can cause the product to be runny and not freeze properly.

 

How to Perform a Brix Test

To measure the Brix level of your product mix, you'll need a Brix refractometer. Here’s a simple guide:


  1. Calibrate the Refractometer: Clean the refractometer lens and set it to zero using distilled water.

  2. Prepare the Batch: Extract the liquid product mix from the batch using an eyedropper.

  3. Apply the Sample: Place a few drops of the liquid mix onto the refractometer's prism.

  4. Read the Brix Value: Look through the refractometer's eyepiece to read the value at the boundary line between the blue and white areas.

  5. If your Brix is too high, adjust your product mix accordingly and re-test.


For more detailed instructions, visit this guide on WikiHow.


If your Brix level is too low, add more sugar. If it's too high, dilute your mix with other non-sugar ingredients.


Recommended Brix Levels

  • The recommended Brix level in soft serve product mix is between 20 and 30°Bx.

  • The recommended Brix level in frozen beverage product mix is between 13 and 18°Bx.


Remember, if you're making boozy soft serve or frozen cocktails, alcohol will also affect the freezing temperature, so adjust your mix ratios accordingly.


Final Tips

Checking the Brix level for every batch is essential and doesn’t take long. Ensuring the right Brix level before pouring your mix into the freezer can save you from having to drain and adjust the mix if the product over-freezes or under-freezes.


If you run into issues with your product mix and Brix level, feel free to call our team. We're happy to help you adjust your mix and troubleshoot any problems. Our expert technicians are well-versed in addressing over-freezing and under-freezing issues.

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