RJ Spagnols ABV Confusion

So I'm trying to determine the ABV for the Chocolate Orange Port we recently bottled.

Day 01 - 1.116
Day 14 - 0.996
Day 70 - 1.026 (bottling day)

So it looks like the SG actually rose during the bulk aging. Is this a good thing or bad?

And which figure do I use for ABV?

Trashy does that kit have an f-pack that was added after the second reading? If so, it containes some source of sugar which raised the SG to the upper lmit. Did you take a reading right after adding the f-pack? It will not raise on it's own. Somebody else that made it also could let you know better what readings they got and you could probably use those readings for a rough calculation as long as neither of you fortified.

Yes, there was an f-pack, which was added after the 0.996 SG reading. I didn't take another SG after adding the pack....

appleman said:

Trashy does that kit have an f-pack that was added after the second reading? If so, it containes some source of sugar which raised the SG to the upper lmit. Did you take a reading right after adding the f-pack? It will not raise on it's own. Somebody else that made it also could let you know better what readings they got and you could probably use those readings for a rough calculation as long as neither of you fortified.

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trashy, your abv is 16.176 and the F-Pack does sweeten back quite a bit as a port is designed to be sweet.

wade said:

trashy, your abv is 16.176 and the F-Pack does sweeten back quite a bit as a port is designed to be sweet.

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Can you share with me which SG numbers you used for that? Also, what formula? If I try using 1.116 - 0.996 x 131.25 I come up with 15.75.

I also tried using this chart that came with my hydrometer and it's coming up with numbers around 14%

The "how quickly does Dixie get tipsy" test agrees more with the 16% number

Well doing some research I also came up with 1 calculator that was the same as your 15.75 but I used your SSG of 1.116 - .996 x 134.8 in which I retrieved off a few websites but there are so many different ways of doing it and different answers that I dont know if anyone knows which is the true answer anymore. The SG you got after adding F-Pack is null and void since it was done fermenting, although I have a question for you, with the W.E. choc. Rasp> port kit we had to add sugar during fermentation(Chapatalize), did you have to do this with your kit as that would up your abv and without knowing what your SG was up to before and after that addition there might not be a way of truly knowing your abv.

Using my calculator I get 16.38 % ABV with no adjustment for temperature.

Trashy- Does it taste good? Does it give you a little buzz? If this answer to both is YES, then the ABV is ~+-16%. Label it, drink it and ENJOY it!

masta - thanks, I'll go with that number!

appleman - yes and yes!

Did you chapatalize?