Sg question

[koda_ky]

I started my last batch with a 1.100 starting sg, it finished at 0.995. my question is what is the alcohol content of that batch. I get how it works for the most part and I never start without it now. but sometimes I still get lost on the alcohol content.

Thanks
Koda

 

[Tall Grass]

how many litres of juice (how much sugar per/litre was in that juice) and how much sugar did you add?

 

[ffemtreed]

(starting gravity - ending gravity) divided by .0074

in your case its roughly 14%

 

[Tom]

Koda,
What did you make?

 

[cpfan]

(starting gravity - ending gravity) multiplied by factor
some people use a factor as low as 131, others use a factor as high as 136. Personally I use 133

factor=131 -> (1.100 -.995) = .105 * 131 = 13.76%
factor=133 -> (1.100 -.995) = .105 * 133 = 13.97%
factor=136 -> (1.100 -.995) = .105 * 136 = 14.28%

or if we use the division -> (1.100 -.995) = .105 /.0074 = 14.19%

Steve

 

[Wade E]

All clkose enough, I use 131.4 myself and would love to see how these all came about and if any of them are the true answer!

 

[cpfan]

All close enough, I use 131.4 myself and would love to see how these all came about and if any of them are the true answer!

Personally I think that 133 matches the results from a hydrometer, so that's what I use (on those rare occasions when I calculate the alcohol).

The true answer? Well you could very carefully measure the sg, and then send a bottle to a lab for testing. Then determine the factor knowing the result.

I have never read about anybody doing this, and I can't be bothered, so it's up to somebody else.

Steve

 

[Luc]

Personally I think that 133 matches the results from a hydrometer, so that's what I use (on those rare occasions when I calculate the alcohol).
Steve

Be carefull Steve.
I had recently an email exchange with a manufacturer of hydrometers.
His SG scale was excellent, however his sugarscale (it was a 3-scale hydrometer) was way off. It was 10% off !!!
He just mailed me that he could not care less !!!!
I have a story on this coming up on my web-log somewhere in the near future.

Hydrometer scales are not always as accurate as we would like believe they should be.

Luc

 

[smurfe]

Luc is right. I have 2 hydrometers that read pretty close to the same. I have one that is off by 3 gravity points. Both of my refractometers read 3 gravity points off the two hydrometers. I am guessing my 3rd hydrometer is more accurate. The first two hydrometers are from the same manufacturer, the third different.

 

[cpfan]

Two things here....

1 - Smurfe is saying that hydrometers are not always accurate - yep I know that - the paper inside slips, or the weight inside is not right - as a former store owner I have seen both

2 - Luc is saying that ONE of the scales printed on the piece of paper inside a specific hydrometer is inaccurate. Sounds like an irresponsible (or idiot) manufacturer for not caring about that. But I don't use the sugar scale, I only use the sg and potential alcohol scales. Also I have used several different brands of hydrometers.

Steve

 

[koda_ky]

Pineapple

Hi
I used 4 cans of dole frozen concentrate, and this recipe.

4 Cans (11.5oz) Frozen concentrate
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
¼ tsp tannin
1 crushed campden
Water to make 1 gallon
1 pkg montracett wine yeast starting sg 1.100

I used this with the cranberry and it turned out great.

 

[Ian_Scott]

The true answer? Well you could very carefully measure the sg, and then send a bottle to a lab for testing. Then determine the factor knowing the result.

Steve

I'd love to have another toy - an ebulliometer. I recently visited with Daniel Pambianchi who owns Maleta Winery (also the author of Techniques in Home Winemaking - a book I highly recommend). He offers lab analysis of wine, including determining the alcohol content of a wine.

To do this, one uses the ebulliometer after it has been calibrated for atmospheric conditions (boiling point of water is slightly different depending on the atmosphere pressure), and then the wine is boiled (alcohol has a lower boiling point than water). A very high precision thermometer is used - it's about 12 inches long, I think.

Once the boiling temperature of the wine is known, you can determine the percent alcohol.

In Ontario, I believe commercial wines are allowed a 1% variance in the listed alcohol percent on their labels.