How much sugar for 18%ABV?

Let's say we have sugar and plain water to equal 1 gallon, how much sugar would it take to get 18%ABV?

if you can find the yeast to do it, a 5 lb bag would do it

lumpher said:

if you can find the yeast to do it, a 5 lb bag would do it

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I have the yeast, I have added 2lbs to 1 gallon and my hydrometer inicates 15 or so on the potential alcohol... yeah, 5 would do it, but would it OVER do it?

2 lbs in 1 gallon would only hit 6.7% or so. it's more fermentable than grain, but not incredibly so. if you have some sugar that can get 15% abv at 2 lbs for 1g water, you need to share it with the world. you'll get rich.

Don't want to be a negative Nancy but why would you want to have 18% alcohol water. Doesn't sound tasty at all, but try it all report back if it taste ok ill try it out.

deuce40 said:

Don't want to be a negative Nancy but why would you want to have 18% alcohol water. Doesn't sound tasty at all, but try it all report back if it taste ok ill try it out.

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For doing things that discussion of here is forbidden.

JuanMoore said:

For doing things that discussion of here is forbidden.

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Ugly sentence you have there, Juan.

bigbeergeek said:

Ugly sentence you have there, Juan.

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That it most certainly is. Grammatically correct, but rolls off the tongue like broken glass and cheap vodka. I blame the 3 IPA's and the scotch.

T_Baggins said:

I have the yeast, I have added 2lbs to 1 gallon and my hydrometer inicates 15 or so on the potential alcohol... yeah, 5 would do it, but would it OVER do it?

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There is a bit difference here....sugar takes up space, are we talking sugar in one gallon or sugar to one gallon? 3 pounds 11oz added to the gallon should yeild 18.

nm.........

First of all, I'm using any real information for application to my wine.

Second, what is forbidden about discussing amounts of sugar and the possible ABV? We are NOT discussing the "D" word.

Third, if your only getting 6.7 from 2 lbs/gal, YOU SERIOUSLY NEED SOME NEW SUGAR! The amount of natural sugars in the cider I get net more than that without adding any. I added 1lb/gal to a 5 gal batch of cider and it yielded 11%
according to the hydrometer AND the vinometer.

Fourth, we talking about adding X amount of sugar to Y amount of water/must to equal 1 gallon.

I have a few cans of various concentrates to toy with. I only have EC-118 right now. To use it up, I want to make 2 diff batches, 1 gal each. I want to push the yeast to it's limit without making a sweet wine or wasting sugar/other ingredients.

To be honest, I'm not in the game for award winning wine. I'm in it to get smashed. I don't care for snooty wine tasting connoisseur type activities, I like to get hammered.

If your in it to get hammered, just get some Turbo yeast and 5lbs of sugar. You can get that stuff up to 24% ABV.

Tnoodle said:

If your in it to get hammered, just get some Turbo yeast and 5lbs of sugar. You can get that stuff up to 24% ABV.

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Really? I did not know that... You got my attention now! :rockin:

Inner10 said:

There is a bit difference here....sugar takes up space, are we talking sugar in one gallon or sugar to one gallon? 3 pounds 11oz added to the gallon should yeild 18.

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I started a batch of apple/cherry concentrate the other night. I used 2 lbs to equal 1 gallon. Tonight, before pitch the yeast, I added another lb. I set my jug in the sink and funneled it in, letting extra volume spill over. Took another reading. OG is now 1.5 which equals 18% on the potential alc. scale.
Hopefully it won't stall. I'm using EC-1118, so it should handle it, and is good for re starting stalled ferments. I suppose I should add a little more nutrient after it bubbles for a few days?

T_Baggins said:

I started a batch of apple/cherry concentrate the other night. I used 2 lbs to equal 1 gallon. Tonight, before pitch the yeast, I added another lb. I set my jug in the sink and funneled it in, letting extra volume spill over. Took another reading. OG is now 1.5 which equals 18% on the potential alc. scale.
Hopefully it won't stall. I'm using EC-1118, so it should handle it, and is good for re starting stalled ferments. I suppose I should add a little more nutrient after it bubbles for a few days?

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Yep, a second nutrient feeding after about 1/3 drop in sugar is a good idea. If you really want to top out yeast feed it in stages.