Alcohol content Riddle. Who can solve this?

[mrbeachroach]

O.k. My home-brewing homies let's see if we can figure this one out. I make a vanilla cider every year for my wife. The OG is 1.065

Fg is 1.024


This makes 5 and a half gallons. Now we are at 5.25 abv. But here is the kicker..... To get the vanilla extracted I make a extract out of 1 cup of 40% vodka on some vanilla beans and add it to the mix. So now what is my total abv for the 5.5 gallons of cider?

 

[Bellybuster]

How did you get to 5.5 gallons by adding 1 cup?

 

[TechyDork]

Probably about 6 ounces of 40% Vodka in 5 gallons. I wouldn't think it would raise the ABV of the batch much at all.

 

[brandonhagen1]

5.55 at most even 80 proof one cup to five gallons is minimal

 

[pdxal]

I'm too lazy to do the math for you, but the amount of alcohol added by the vodka is probably minimal. Someone else will come on here and help you with this.
More importantly, how do you have cider finish at 1.024? Do you pasteurize it before it finishes fermentation?
No cider should finish that sweet. Most finish in the 1.000 range.
Are you measuring FG with a refractometer? If so, you need to correct the value for the presence of alcohol.

 

[Malric]

I think it works out 5.64%.

5.5 * 16 = 88 cups
88 * .0525 = 4.62 cups
40% of 1 cup = .4 + 4.62 = 5.02 cups
5.02/89 = 5.64%

 

[Qhrumphf]

I think it works out 5.64%.

5.5 * 16 = 88 cups
88 * .0525 = 4.62 cups
40% of 1 cup = .4 + 4.62 = 5.02 cups
5.02/89 = 5.64%

This. Very easy math to do.

The thing is, there's more variance in whichever formula you're using to calculate the ABV initially (like the IBU formulas, they're all an estimate and nothing more).

 

[Malric]

This. Very easy math to do.

The thing is, there's more variance in whichever formula you're using to calculate the ABV initially (like the IBU formulas, they're all an estimate and nothing more).

Math is hard!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Math is hard!

That's why we have spreadsheets and calculators

 

[mrbeachroach]

Q. More importantly, how do you have cider finish at 1.024? Do you pasteurize it before it finishes fermentation?

No cider should finish that sweet. Most finish in the 1.000 range.
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A. Much sugar is added in the beginning to raise it to 1.064 as the juice is nowhere near that sweet. When it gets to around 5% by volume I cold crash it and then corny keg it on draft. So it is force carbonated. That's the only way to keep it sweet, carbonated, without the yeast eating the sugar and turning the cider into dry Apple wine and finishing at 9%. As no cider should finish that high gravity without being called wine.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Q. More importantly, how do you have cider finish at 1.024? Do you pasteurize it before it finishes fermentation?

No cider should finish that sweet. Most finish in the 1.000 range.
---------------------------------------------------

A. Much sugar is added in the beginning to raise it to 1.064 as the juice is nowhere near that sweet. When it gets to around 5% by volume I cold crash it and then corny keg it on draft. So it is force carbonated. That's the only way to keep it sweet, carbonated, without the yeast eating the sugar and turning the cider into dry Apple wine and finishing at 9%. As no cider should finish that high gravity without being called wine.

I have always allowed mine to dry out. Usually ending at about 0.993. Then I just back sweeten it after cold crashing and transferring off the lees. It makes it easier to get the same sweetness and same final ABV every time.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I have always allowed mine to dry out. Usually ending at about 0.993. Then I just back sweeten it after cold crashing and transferring off the lees. It makes it easier to get the same sweetness and same final ABV every time.

This. You could also try backsweetening with juice instead of sugar.

 

[TechyDork]

This. You could also try backsweetening with juice instead of sugar.

This is what i have always done as well. Let it ferment all the way out and then add juice or concentrate to get the desired flavor and then keg and force carbonate.