Assistance with interpreting hydrometer readings please!

I have been looking through the numerous threads regarding the use of a hydrometer, and, believe it or not, I am still confused. I brewed a graff and took an original gravity reading. It read 64. I think the correct way to read this is 1.064. I got a final gravity reading at the 8 mark, very close to the red line at the top of the hydrometer. Is this 1.08? Having gotten these two figures, both at 68 degrees, how do I go about using these two readings to determine alcohol content? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, 64 is actually 1.064.

The formula for determining alcohol content (ABV%) is

(OG - FG) x 131.25

So if your OG (Original Gravity) was 1.064 and FG (Final Gravity) was 1.012 you would have...

(1.064 - 1.012) x 131.25 = 6.8%

It's probably 1.008.
(OG-FG)*131.25 = ABV
(1.064-1.008)*131.25= 7.35
so 7.4%abv

Great! Thank you. Does this make any sense?

1.064 OG minus

1.008 FG = .056

.056 x 131.25 = 7.35 ABV

Does that look about right?

Bevilaquafoto said:

Great! Thank you. Does this make any sense?

1.064 OG minus

1.008 FG = .056

.056 x 131.25 = 7.35 ABV

Does that look about right?

Click to expand...

You got it!

Thank you! I'm very happy. I have to get a hydrometer that's a bit easier to read, but I am very happy to finally know how. Thanks again everyone.

Bevilaquafoto said:

Thank you! I'm very happy. I have to get a hydrometer that's a bit easier to read, but I am very happy to finally know how. Thanks again everyone.

Click to expand...

there's an app for that (abv)

Bevilaquafoto said:

Great! Thank you. Does this make any sense?

1.064 OG minus

1.008 FG = .056

.056 x 131.25 = 7.35 ABV

Does that look about right?

Click to expand...

And by the way,it isn't expressed as ".056". You don't drop the one,so it's "1.056". Water at 66F being "1.000" you're adding the number to it that's over the gravity of water when you express it.

unionrdr said:

And by the way,it isn't expressed as ".056". You don't drop the one,so it's "1.056". Water at 66F being "1.000" you're adding the number to it that's over the gravity of water when you express it.

Click to expand...

The .056 is correct.It is the difference betweed OG(1.064) and FG(1.008) 1.064-1.008=.056

.056x131.25=7.35a=ABV