No Alcohol!!???

unpasturized cider. safale 4 yeast cane sugar were my ingredients. i let 1st prime for 2 weeks (in my basement which was like 65degrees) before 2nd prime. i tried to measure the alcohol content to day (2 weeks later) and 0% reads on the hydrometer. Tastes like watered down apple cider, no carb

where did i go wrong.

It fermented, and it is likely 6-9% alcohol. The scale you're reading is the "alcohol potential scale," which is only valid before fermentation. If it's reading zero, fermentation is complete. You have to subtract the potential reading after fermentation from the one before fermentation to get actual alcohol percentage.

More accurately, you should read the specific gravity scale on the hydrometer. It reads on a scale from about 0.990 to 1.200. If you take the difference of the readings before and after fermentation and multiply by 131, you get ABV.

A hydrometer does not measure alcohol content. It measures Specific Gravity. You then calculate alcohol content by measuring the difference between the starting SG before fermentation and the Final SG after ferment and multiplying this by 1.31.

I have no idea what you mean by "1st Prime" and "2nd Prime"

I suspect some reading up on the subject might be in order.

thanks for the quick response. i did not take a reading before i started my ferment (which i should have done). but the taste of the cider has no hint of alcohol to it. curious on why this is, but i guess we will have to wait until Thursday to really see if the cider packs a punch. once again thanks and cheers

Thursday? Which month? I don't even bottle a cider for 2-3 months. Then at least a couple months but really it is right at about a year. I have some cider that is pretty good now that I started October 08.

I guess you plan on serving it still (uncarbed) yes?

umm, guys, its the product of 131.25

yea my stuff is still uncarbed, i was hoping for that. but since the fermentation is done doesnt that mean the cider is ready? I've done alot of reading on the site and it said for it to sit for 2-3months, but also could be ready in a couple weeks.

so last night i cold crashed it, but now reading this, i have taken it out. I know the yeast can warm up and start to eat again.

so at this point should i just leave it in the fridge or take it out and let it sit for another few months?

i have the same issue. i didnt take a reading before i pitched the first time, and now mine reads zero as well, and also tastes like watered down apple juice (but with a hint of a mettalic taste). mine was brewing for about 3 weeks, but i was told that i need to put it in a secondary carboy after this first 3 weeks as it cant continue sitting on the old yeast cake/pad, so, should i switch it back and forth every few weeks for the next year or so? also is there anyway that i can more sugar or yeast to make it more boozy?

read the apfelwine recipe sugar= higher alcohol content