Ready to bottle? Why is alch. So low?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

jcs401

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
649
Reaction score
7
Brewed a hefewiezen and it was in primary for 1week, activity slowed, moved it to secondary for a week and hydrometer reading is stable which looks like 1.010. However trying to figure out the alchol content which the reading Is about 1.5, is that seriously how much alchol is in my beer or did I miss something?? See pix

image-1498327794.jpg


image-1346170951.jpg
 
The 1.5 is on a "potential alcohol" scale found on many hydrometers that has some limited applicability when you are measuring the original gravity of wines that tend to ferment to dry (gravity of 1.000 or lower). It doesn't apply to your beer.

If you know what the original gravity or OG of your beer at the start of the ferment, you can take that and the final gravity or FG (1.010 in your case) and calculate the ABV% using online calculators like this one:

http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/

There is a formula for this calculation, it's easy and you can put it in a spreadsheet if you like.
 
Also should I be alarmed that when moving from the primary I took a reading and it was 1.013 now the last three readings have been 1.010??
 
Your reading the wrong side of the hydrometer.

To determine your ABV: you need to take a gravity reading BEFORE you add yeast, and AFTER the fermentation has completed. Before you add the yeast, the gravity is higher because of sugar, say around 1.050. That is the Original Gravity, abbreviated as O.G. After fermentation is done, the yeast has eaten all the sugar they can, leaving it at a Final Gravity, abbreviated as F.G.

Now you take your O.G., subtract it from your F.G., then multiply it by 131. For example, 1.050 - 1.010 x 131 = 5.24% ABV
 
Also should I be alarmed that when moving from the primary I took a reading and it was 1.013 now the last three readings have been 1.010??

Run around your living room three times screaming like a little girl if it makes you happy. But no, you shouldn't be alarmed :D

If you use a secondary, racking just before fermentation ends is OK. If you've got three FG readings of 1.010, you're good to bottle.
 
Sweet! Thanks for all the advice, seems such short time compared to my last octoberfest brew!! Lok
 
Of course, we all just passed up a GOLDEN opportunity to corrupt a new guy:

"Yeah, that sometimes happens in maltogastric fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae massholia, often found in hefeweizen yeast packets; the alcohol just gets consumed internally. It thankfully stops at 1.5. It sucks, but it could be worse. But the good news is that you can pound 6 or even 12 at a sitting with no ill effects!"
 
Back
Top