Measuring alcohol

[Brewylewy]

Hi guys
I recently finished fermenting a lager this week and realised that I had forgotten to take a measure of my starting gravity.
Is there any other way I can measure the abv% or I am I completely humped and will just have to see how many it takes me to get drunk?

 

[obscure]

First up was it a kit beer or all grain.

If it was made with kit, then you can use something like Brewers Friend to calculate the starting gravity based on the ingredients. For example a two can kit would probably be 3 KG of malt extract which in 23L would give a gravity of 1.040.

A 1.5KG kit with a kilo of dextrose 1.035, if you used cane sugar 1.037

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator
If you did all grain you could in theory do the same but it would be less accurate as you would need to know your efficiency.

 

[foxy]

Hi guys
I recently finished fermenting a lager this week and realised that I had forgotten to take a measure of my starting gravity.
Is there any other way I can measure the abv% or I am I completely humped and will just have to see how many it takes me to get drunk?

I don't always take my OG, FG, with my run of the mill beers. On a home brew scale you can't measure the alcohol without the OG, FG figures. Best guide is how it feels going down the hatch and what time you go to bed. 7.30 pm is around about 6-7%, 9.30 pm about 5%

 

[hedgerowpete]

you can buy small pipettes that do alcohol readings, not the worlds greatest and most accurate weapon but will help

 

[kelper]

A hydrometer for measuring alcohol won't be accurate for beers and probably not for wines. They can work with spirits like gin and vodka where the ingredients are almost all alcohol and water. Sugar will throw the density right out.

 

[Brewylewy]

Thanks lads, I'm not gonna cry about it I've drank **** water for years and anything I've brewed this far has been miles better anyway!