Melomel gravity ABV help

[SKBugs]

G'day all,

I need some help trying to work out my ABV for my melomel. I suspect it will be around 15% so probably not really too bothersome, but I may be serving it to my father-in-law and it is always good to come prepared with as much information as possible - if you get me.

As follows:

5.22 pounds of honey in water to make OG 1.141. Around a 1 gal batch.
71B in go ferm for two hours.

Used TOSNA protocols.

Fruit added after first addition of nutrient, all frozen and then thawed:
Cherries (sweet) 1.03 pounds
Blueberries: 1.1 pounds
Strawberries (came in the mixed berry bag): 6 ounces
Blackberries: 4 ounces
Rasberries: 2.5 ounces

After about 3 weeks the grav dropped to 1.000 - which brings it to 19% or something. This doesn't sound right, and i can be serving that to the old man unless I add a warning.

Unfortunately the Got Mead Calculator doesn't work for me, so i am wondering if anyone out there is one of those smart buggers and can lend a fella a hand.

Much appreciated.

Steve

 

[RPh_Guy]

Cherries (sweet) 1.03 pounds
Blueberries: 1.1 pounds
Strawberries (came in the mixed berry bag): 6 ounces
Blackberries: 4 ounces
Rasberries: 2.5 ounces

Without knowing the s.g. of the juice in all those fruits you cannot accurately estimate the ABV.

You could look up average s.g. for those fruit juices and then use a weighed average, perhaps considering 1/3 of the fruit as solids.

Alternately, the listed tolerance of 71B is 14%, so you could just say 14-16% and call it a day

 

[SKBugs]

That sounds like a good plan. 14 - 16 it is.
Thanks for the advice, it is very much appreciated

 

[bernardsmith]

You COULD say that it is 14-16% but absent the fruit a starting gravity of 1.141 has a potential ABV of 18% (and then some) and if your FG is 1.000 you hit that 18%. The fruit would add some sugar and add some liquid. I don't think that that would be a wash but let's ignore the 20 - 25 points they might add to the total SG you are still at a heavy 18% ABV.

 

[RPh_Guy]

The fruit definitely brought down the effective OG.

I'm not sure how much. I don't want to do the math.
http://www.brsquared.org/wine/CalcInfo/FruitDat.htm lists avg OG and extraction rate for each fruit.

 

[SKBugs]

I guess there is an argument for adding fruit to the secondary, so that you can predetermine your ABV prior to any additions.
The FG of 1.000 was with the fruit added for about 3 weeks so i would imagine that would also change things. But gravity is gravity and the hydrometer doesn't lie (human error not withstanding).
At 18% the mead will take a fair while to condition anyway, so I will take the comments under advisement for sure.
Thanks again for your help - what a great resource.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Adding fruit in secondary still changes the ABV.
If you juiced all the fruit and then took the s.g. of that before adding it, you could easily calculate the ABV.

There is also a method to measure ABV using a high resolution hydrometer.

Guessing is fine though, in my opinion. The equations we use are just approximations. The old equation that most people seem to use isn't even very accurate, or at least it's considerably different than the newer computer-created regression.

 

[SKBugs]

Yeah I think that is one of the benefits of being a homebrewer - approximation of ABV is acceptable. I like the idea of juicing the fruit if one is so inclined. If I find a melomel i really like and was making regularly it may be worth it to take the time to juice and record the SG.
Thanks mate,
Steve