A hemocytometer is a small, specialized device designed for use with a microscope to quantitatively determine the number of individual cells in a small amount of fluid. A standard hemocytometer is the size of a large microscope slide, made of glass, and contains a central chamber where the fluid to be examined is inserted. When the hemocytometer is viewed under a standard microscope, the visual plane contains clear gridded areas. By counting the number of cells in this gridded area, one can quantify the number of cells in a volume of fluid, and thereby calculate the cellular concentration of a larger amount of fluid through multiplication. In the context of brewing, a hemocytometer is used to accurately ascertain the yeast concentration in a slurry or extract. In a standard brewing sampling plan, a hemocytometer is used in concert with a microscope to determine yeast concentration when preparing the yeast, as well as during fermentation.
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