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Formula to calculate alcohol % after a bourbon addition?

Discussion in 'General Homebrew Discussion' started by BeerIsDelicious, Jan 12, 2011.

 

  1. #1
    BeerIsDelicious

    Active Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    I should be able to figure this out, but for some reason my brain isn't working today (too much bourbon last night perhaps?).

    Anyway, I recently made a bourbon porter similar to the popular vanilla bourbon porter recipe floating around, and I wanted to correctly calculate the ABV after my bourbon addition.

    If I have 5 gallons of porter @ 6.7% ABV and add 10oz of bourbon at 45% abv, how many points does that raise the 5 gallons? What is the formula to calculate this?
     
  2. #2
    NorCalAngler

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    A little trial and error with this calculator shows 0.7% uplift in ABV diluting 10oz of 45% spirits in 5 gallons of water.
     
  3. #3
    BeerIsDelicious

    Active Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    I just did the following:

    (Beer Volume (in oz) * Beer ABV %) + (Bourbon Volume (in oz) * Bourbon ABV %) / (Beer Volume + Bourbon Volume)

    So,

    (640*.067) + (10*.45) / (640 + 10) = .073, or 7.3 % alcohol. That sounds about right I think.. hopefully my method is correct.
     
  4. #4
    charliedvrs

    Active Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    I did it by hand and came up with about the same. Resulted in 7.3% ABV (off by .1 from the calculator above, could just be rounding?). Just for fun, let me know if I'm missing something here:

    5gal=640 ounces. 640(.067)=42.88 alc oz.
    10oz(.045)= 4.5 alc oz.
    42.88+4.5=47.38
    new volume yield = 650 ounces
    650(x)=47.38 alc oz.
    x=.07289
    ~7.3%

    edit: looks like someone does math a bit faster than me! Same results though which is nice to see!
     
  5. #5
    AggieChemDoc

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    Simple dilution. M1V1 = M2V2
     
  6. #6
    dcp27

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    its right as long as your original ABV wasn't based on a FG after the bourbon was added since it'll lower it
     
  7. #7
    BeerIsDelicious

    Active Member

    Posted Jan 12, 2011
    Yep it was based on a FG BEFORE the addition of the bourbon. This beer tastes fantastic BTW and is hands-down, the best one I've ever brewed.
     
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