measuring alcohol content???

[lucyc]

Hello,
I dont know if im on the right area here but, I have just made my very first try at nettle Ale. It tasted Lovely, but is there anything I can use to measure the alcohol content? Its VERY fizzy!
I dont know if a hydrometer will work? the brew is obviously all finished now, so if I put some in, will this give me the current alc %?
Thanks,

Lucy

 

[pompeiisneaks]

hydrometer calculations should always work, because it bases things off the density of water, not the thing you're fermenting, but to make it work, you need to start w/ an OG and then get a FG, if you don't have both you can't estimate alcohol %

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Hello,
I dont know if im on the right area here but, I have just made my very first try at nettle Ale. It tasted Lovely, but is there anything I can use to measure the alcohol content? Its VERY fizzy!
I dont know if a hydrometer will work? the brew is obviously all finished now, so if I put some in, will this give me the current alc %?
Thanks,

Lucy

HI Lucy: I'm not sure if this will work since it's made for finished dry wine, but it might be worth a shot: Vinometer :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies
Good luck on this, GF.

 

[Tusch]

I vinometer probably is a waste of money for this one. For future reference you need to take the specific gravity with a hydrometer, prior to pitching your yeast. This will give you your OG, or original gravity. Then when your brew is complete, you take the FG or final gravity. You then use the formula (OG-FG) x 131 = abv. I'm afraid you are lost on this one without having taken an OG reading. Now if you have a detailed recipe we might be able to help estimate your OG and if you take a FG we can then give you an estimate on abv.

 

[nakros]

I suppose you could always drink something with a known ABV carefully keeping track of how many you have until you pass out, and then try it with this brew and figure out the difference!

It seems like a much more enjoyable way to figure out the approximate ABV%.

 

[Tusch]

.... but awesome nakros haha