Non-Alcoholic Brew Question

[PNP]

So I'm splitting a batch of pumpkin ale so that I can make 1/2 non-alcoholic for my pregnant wife. I heated to 180 degrees for a good period of time. Is there a good way to confirm the alcohol is gone? From what I've read, others simply taste. That doesn't seem so accurate to me. As I predicted, my refractometer reads the same as it did per-heat.
Should I just assume that a good 30-45 min @ 180 took care of it?

 

[Flakk]

Down one of the finished beers on an empty stomach and see how it goes. Otherwise there are always contract labs willing to test alcohol levels.

 

[zmanzorro]

I bet you could take a gravity reading of each and compare.

 

[ubnserved]

Long shot .... but I saw a breathalyzer last year at shopko. It was a Keychain and ran about 19 bucks. I'm sure someone could rig something that would draw the vapors through the machine.

 

[ubnserved]

So I'm splitting a batch of pumpkin ale so that I can make 1/2 non-alcoholic for my pregnant wife. I heated to 180 degrees for a good period of time. Is there a good way to confirm the alcohol is gone? From what I've read, others simply taste. That doesn't seem so accurate to me. As I predicted, my refractometer reads the same as it did per-heat.
Should I just assume that a good 30-45 min @ 180 took care of it?

This is one for saliva and alcohol I am sure you could find one that doesn't require saliva. http://www.walmart.com/ip/One-Step-Alcohol-Saliva-Test-Strip-5ct/15414468 I know Walmart sucks but it was the first that came up I also saw it at CVS.

 

[steelsoldier77]

Long shot .... but I saw a breathalyzer last year at shopko. It was a Keychain and ran about 19 bucks. I'm sure someone could rig something that would draw the vapors through the machine.

Or, and call me crazy, he could drink one or two and use the breathalyzer

 

[PNP]

Thanks all. I think best bet is for her to drink one... She hasn't had alcohol in awhile so we'll probably know pretty quick!

 

[dnslater]

I wouldn't worry too much if there is a little alcohol left.... 1-2%, unless she drinks a lot of them it won't hurt the baby........ probably another discussion for another time though.

 

[JimRausch]

If you want to be sure, White Labs has a kit for $35( at least that was the price last year). I ordered it through Northern Brewer. Unfortunately, the batch I heated and had tested didn't work- I only lost about 1% off the non-heated portion. But my temps were off- I heated to 170 on the stove then put it in the oven for 1/2 hour at 170. My oven temp was low by 10 -15 degrees. Now, I keep the oven temp. at 190 and check the temp of the beer every 5 minutes or so. I haven't sprung for another test kit though.

 

[NewJersey]

Im curious too as i want to knock up my woman soon and i have a friend that no longer drinks alcohol, but still likes beer

 

[Homercidal]

It's hard to tell with a hydrometer. The alcohol will actually lower the gravity, so removing some will raise the gravity, but there won't be much difference on the hydrometer.

My personal opinion is that small amounts of alcohol now and again are not bad for a baby. The danger is when you have a mother drinking a lot and often.

 

[JimRausch]

Yeah, last year as a Christmas gift for a friend that loves beer but chooses not to drink alcohol, I dealcoholized parts of 4 batches. He never complained so I believe it worked after that 1st batch. But no proof.
I did 12 bottles of my latest Irish Red for him a couple weeks ago.

 

[JimRausch]

I wouldn't worry too much if there is a little alcohol left.... 1-2%, unless she drinks a lot of them it won't hurt the baby........ probably another discussion for another time though.

Even commercial NA beers have 1-2%ABV, and can still be called NA. Ethanol and water are pretty miscible, so I doubt you could ever get down to zero ABV without boiling off most of the water. Last year when I was researching this topic someone posted an experiment that seemed to prove that. I think they had a spectrometer or something to do the testing. My takeaway was that 30 minutes at 170 should get you down to the 1-2% stage as long as you're starting at a 'normal' 5% or so ABV.

 

[Homercidal]

NA beer is required to have .5% or less alcohol.