Measuring ABV

[schtickle8]

I just made a yarrow beer, as well as a mead. I didn't realize to measure the alcohol content that I had to check before and then after. Is their a way to measure ABV at least loosely with only measuring at the end of fermentation?
Many thanks for any help.

 

[mac_1103]

You can estimate what the starting gravity should have been based on the recipe and process. Or you can estimate what the original gravity was based on the final gravity and the expected attenuation of the yeast strain used. Both will probably be more accurate for the mead than the beer.

 

[Snuffy]

Yeah, it's guesswork at this point. I would hold my thumb up in front of the beer and close one eye and go, "Yeah... 6%". Then repeat with the mead and say, "Hmmm... 10%". Nobody w/o a lab can prove different.

 

[wallyLOZ]

You can get close (ballpark). Use a recipe builder and add your info. It will give you an estimated OG based on your info. Lots of factors will influence the true outcome, but again, it's a ballpark estimate. BTW, how are you measuring gravity? Hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[DBhomebrew]

You can use both a hydrometer and a refractometer then crunch some numbers.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

https://www.northernbrewer.com/pages/refractometer-calculator

 

[simbabrew]

I just made a yarrow beer, as well as a mead. I didn't realize to measure the alcohol content that I had to check before and then after. Is their a way to measure ABV at least loosely with only measuring at the end of fermentation?
Many thanks for any help.

If you want to spend some real money, you can get the EasyDens and SmartRef from Anton Paar. Together, they will give you an accurate reading without knowing the starting or final gravity.