Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: dgt20 on 25/02/2018 06:39:07

Title: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: dgt20 on 25/02/2018 06:39:07
ABV%= (Initial SG-Final SG)/7.46
Does that look like the correct formula to find ABV% of wine? I looked online but keep finding 3 different formulas leading to different results.
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: Colin2B on 25/02/2018 08:37:44
I’ve usually used 7.36 but that’s because i followed C J Berry’s methods.
The formulae are only valid for a range of alcohol content because the relationship with sg is nonlinear, in this case 11-15%.
You’ll find different one for beer which is around the 5%.
Which others did you find?
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: Bored chemist on 25/02/2018 09:25:08
All of the formulae are approximations, but most people are not greatly concerned if their wine is 12% or 12.2%
Most people don't measure  out a glass-full very accurately anyway.

I used to work on the basis that about half the weight of the sugar ends up as alcohol, so a must containing 20% sugar by weight would produce a wine with about 10% alcohol.

It's not very accurate- but it is very easy.
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: dgt20 on 25/02/2018 22:12:50
I’ve usually used 7.36 but that’s because i followed C J Berry’s methods.
The formulae are only valid for a range of alcohol content because the relationship with sg is nonlinear, in this case 11-15%.
You’ll find different one for beer which is around the 5%.
Which others did you find?

These are the two i found
ABV%= (Initial SG-Final SG)/7.36

and

ABV= (starting sg)- ( final sg)/(final sg) * 100
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: Colin2B on 25/02/2018 23:17:25
ABV= (starting sg)- ( final sg)/(final sg) * 100
Don’t recognise this. Looks like a bit missing, I would expect to find a fractional multiplier ie divider, for the rhs equation
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: dgt20 on 26/02/2018 09:04:57
ABV= (starting sg)- ( final sg)/(final sg) * 100
Don’t recognise this. Looks like a bit missing, I would expect to find a fractional multiplier ie divider, for the rhs equation

Got it from here. http://www.brewstore.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/taking-a-hydrometer-reading-and-calculating-the-alcohol-content-1.pdf
Title: Re: What is the formula to find ABV% in wine?
Post by: Colin2B on 26/02/2018 10:29:39
ABV= (starting sg)- ( final sg)/(final sg) * 100
Don’t recognise this. Looks like a bit missing, I would expect to find a fractional multiplier ie divider, for the rhs equation

Got it from here. http://www.brewstore.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/taking-a-hydrometer-reading-and-calculating-the-alcohol-content-1.pdf
You've missed out the fraction multiplier 1.05/0.79