How to Test the Alcohol Content of a Beverage

When you are making your own alcoholic beverages, one of the most important things you can do is to test the alcohol content, so you will know exactly how much alcohol is in your drinks. Though the process is a little complicated, it can easily be done at home with the right equipment.

Things You'll Need

• Test jar
• Hydrometer

Instructions

1. Fill the test jar full of water. The jar should be large enough to hold 1 to 2 cups of water.

2. Place a hydrometer into the test jar, and see that it rests at 1.000. This is the regular specific gravity (SG) for water. If you do not see a reading of 1.000, check the calibration of your hydrometer, or wash out you test jar to make sure that it contains only water.

3. Before adding yeast to your alcoholic beverage, pour at least one cup of it into your test jar. Take a reading with the hydrometer, and make a note of the number. This number is your OG or original gravity reading.

4. After your alcohol is fermented, place at least one cup of it into your test jar. Take another reading with your hydrometer. This number is the final gravity (FG) of your beverage. Make a note of this number.

5. Subtract the original gravity from the final gravity and multiply the result by 131. This number is your alcohol by volume (ABV) content. If you want to calculate the percentage of alcohol in the beverage, simply subtract the final gravity from the original gravity and divide by 7.36.

References

• Grape Stompers: How to Use a Hydrometer in Winemaking
• Winemaking: Using Your Hydrometer