Abv%

mcfadden23 · Jan 22, 2013

So I forgot to take a starting gravity on a Kolsch I brewed up. Went to my local home brew store and asked if there was anything I could use to get the ABV% on it and they told me to try a Minometer. Will this give a good estimation or no? Any input would be appreciated.

slomo · Jan 22, 2013

No a "manometer" measures pressure, and I dont think the pressure of fermented wort versus unfermented wort is different.

Uziyahu · Jan 22, 2013

I think the only sure way at this point is lab testing. IMHO I'd just drink it and not worry about it.

Otherwise, if you know your efficiency generally and have the recipe you can estimate the OG and compare that to your FG.

slowbie · Jan 22, 2013

Was it an extract recipe? If so, as long as you hit the correct volume in your fermenter, you can just assume you hit whatever OG your recipe said you would hit. You can't really miss by more than a point or two with extract.

mcfadden23 · Jan 22, 2013

Sorry autocorrect messed that up. I meant a *Vinometer*. It measures the ABV% of wine up to 24%. My Kolsch was reading 11%

slowbie · Jan 22, 2013

A vinometer won't work. It only works on dry wines, as it operates under the assumption that your wine has no residual sugars. Obviously beer will have residual sugars, so you're out of luck there.

mcfadden23 · Jan 22, 2013

Stupid autocorrect. I meant to say a *Vinometer*. On the box it says it measures the ABV of wine up to 24%. My Kolsch read 11% using this.

mcfadden23 · Jan 22, 2013

Thanks slowbie. It was a extrac recipe but I got it from a friend and he didn't have any sort of gravity readings for it.

slowbie · Jan 22, 2013

If you post your recipe we can tell you what your OG should have been. Otherwise you can put it into a recipe calculator like hopville and figure it out by yourself.

mcfadden23 · Jan 23, 2013

Still new to all of this stuff. I didn't even know there was a site like that. Thanks!!! Very helpful.

Abv%

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