Whats my ABV?

[Brewdog333]

I mashed approximately 7 pounds of grain, batch sparged and ran off 5 gallons total. Boiled for one hour and will add sugar water on bottling day bringing total volume to 5 gallons. Brewgr software says this beer will be 4.2% Now imagine adding 6 pounds of apricot puree at day 3 after high krausen. I know there will be more fermentable sugars in this beer, making the ABV higher. Some people say that adding fruit does not add ABV because of added volume. But I did NOT add to 5 gallons, I added to 4 gallons and will add sugar water on bottling day bringing my total volume TO 5 gallons. I know damn well the ABV will be higher, But can I get some genius to tell me What's my ABV? Brewdog333

 

[danielthemaniel]

There are some factors to consider when calculating that. If you are adding after fermentation is completed then the abv addition will be minimal. For the full picture see this link: https://www.morebeer.com/articles/fruit_in_beer

 

[ajdelange]

2.0665 grams of sugar produces 1 gram of alcohol.

 

[Lefou]

Same question, different thread.
I guess he didn't like the answers from the General Homebrewing thread.

 

[Lefou]

Like we said before, you need to know the Brix or gravity of the added fruit to the finished beer in order to get a reasonable answer.
So what was the amount of sugar that was contributed by the fruit? If it was canned puree, the amount is printed on the container.

Refractometers and hydrometers are very useful tools.

 

[chickypad]

As per the other thread we need the brix of your puree and the OG of your beer prior to adding fruit. Since you won't cooperate and give us your actual numbers let me walk you through an example. Let's say your beer is 1.042 (if expected 1.010 FG then that would be about 4.2% ABV estimate). That is about 10.5 Brix. Let's say you have 4.5 gals, and you added 6 lbs of apricot puree made from whole apricots (like Oregon fruit brand for example). The brix of ripe apricots is about 12 (you can get this from various sources online).

Per the article here https://www.themadfermentationist.com/2010/10/adding-fruit-to-beer-increases-alcohol.html
the calculations would be:

1.042*4.5*8.35 = 39.15 weight of beer
New Brix = (39.15*10.5 + 12*6)/39.15+6 = 10.7

The OG in Brix of your beer has gone from 10.5 to 10.7, or 1.042 t 1.043, and if it ferments out to the same FG it will be 4.2 to 4.33% ABV. So minimal change as we are trying to point out.

My bigger concern would the the half gallon or gallon that you seem to say you are adding when bottling. That is only like 4-5 oz of sugar, right? Then you are really diluting your beer with that.

 

[Brewdog333]

Thanks everyone for your help. The sugar content of the apricot puree is almost 10 percent. 6 pounds of fruit should give roughly 1360 grams of sugar raising my ABV roughly half a percent. I do understand volume displacement, but I don't add fruit after the fact, I add after high Krausen. It ferments. I make 5 gallon batches, but I don't ferment the full 5. I have to save room for priming sugar. My 4.2 beer should wind up about 4.7 I got no refractometer------THANKS EVERYONE! Brewdog333

 

[Brewdog333]

And again I would like to thank everyone. I made this beer for my 20th anniversary and my wife LOVES it. And I will be collecting sexual favors from my hubby.....Brewdog333

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

And again I would like to thank everyone. I made this beer for my 20th anniversary and my wife LOVES it. And I will be collecting sexual favors from my hubby.....Brewdog333

A wife and a hubby? I always thought if there was three of us we would get more done around the house, but can’t see a situation where the drama wouldn’t increase ten fold.