Alcohol%

[Akbrewbuck44]

Can anyone help me understand how to take my gravity readings? I don't understand how it works. I just took some regular store bought apple juice and pitched it with a dry IPA yeast. I took a reading of the apple juice before I added the yeast, no sugar added or anything. I read 1.600. Is that to high? how can I get my alcohol % between 5-7%? Please help any advice is welcomed.

 

[GHBWNY]

Can anyone help me understand how to take my gravity readings? I don't understand how it works. I just took some regular store bought apple juice and pitched it with a dry IPA yeast. I took a reading of the apple juice before I added the yeast, no sugar added or anything. I read 1.600. Is that to high? how can I get my alcohol % between 5-7%? Please help any advice is welcomed.

From "Brew Your Own" mag:

"Apples have enough sugar (approximately 1.050–1.060 SG or 12–15 ºBrix) to get you a 5–6 percent alcohol content without adding sugar."

I think you may have misread your hydro? Maybe 1.060?

 

[MaxStout]

Can anyone help me understand how to take my gravity readings? I don't understand how it works. I just took some regular store bought apple juice and pitched it with a dry IPA yeast. I took a reading of the apple juice before I added the yeast, no sugar added or anything. I read 1.600. Is that to high? how can I get my alcohol % between 5-7%? Please help any advice is welcomed.

Are you sure the reading wasn't 1.060?

Your final alcohol percentage is based on the difference between the original gravity (OG) and final gravity (FG). You can use an online calculator for this.

 

[mkyl428]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTvmYaQq6Mc[/ame]

 

[gratus fermentatio]

This should help:
http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/hydrometer_use.htm
Regards, GF.

 

[MindenMan]

The difference between before and after fermentation readings are the correct way to figure ABV %, just as mentioned above. Your yeast selection will have a bit to do with your O.G. vs. F.G. readings; the fermentable sugars in cider are usually 100% fermentable. Here is the wrinkle: some ale yeasts will ferment cider farther down than others will. Looking at a beer calculation from a 1.060 O.G., your F.G. will likely be 1.010, but that same yeast in cider may stop at 1.010 or it may stop at 1.000, so you never know until the fermentation is done. Does this help?

 

[Akbrewbuck44]

The difference between before and after fermentation readings are the correct way to figure ABV %, just as mentioned above. Your yeast selection will have a bit to do with your O.G. vs. F.G. readings; the fermentable sugars in cider are usually 100% fermentable. Here is the wrinkle: some ale yeasts will ferment cider farther down than others will. Looking at a beer calculation from a 1.060 O.G., your F.G. will likely be 1.010, but that same yeast in cider may stop at 1.010 or it may stop at 1.000, so you never know until the fermentation is done. Does this help?

Yes thank you

 

[MindenMan]

I'm glad I could help clear that question up. Here is an example I have currently, I am using 1084 Irish Ale yeast in a batch of hard cider. I made a cider starter before I pitched my yeast, and the fermentation took off like a rocket and overflowed the jug it is in. Here is my point, I took Gravity reading in the cider 3 times in two weeks and the Gravity never changed. No big deal right? Small wrinkle again; the Gravity was 1.012! So I poured off two 12oz bottles each with 1/2tsp of concentrate, and added 3/4 cup of table sugar dissolved in 24 oz of water to see if the fermentation would re-start; it did. I will wait another week and check the gravity again to see if it is ready to go into the freezer.