Hydrometer readings and conversation to alcohol % by volume

[Aes9471]

Just done the first brew, how come a week(ish) and another three(+) seems like a long time now?!!

Was wondering is there a conversion chart for hydrometer readings and ABV %, as am not bothered about alcohol content but will still be curious?

[woodworm]

not sure if this is right but for ABV i use :
SG-FG mutiplied by 131,
so a start gravity of 1.036 minus a final gravity of 1.006 gives you 0.03 then times it by 131 and that gives you ..... ta daa!! ABV of 3.9%

[Aes9471]

Oops best go and sterilise me hydrometer then!!

[Minus The Bear]

Here's DaaB's page on hydrometer antics.

http://www.18000feet.com/how/hydroreading.htm

[anomalous_result]

Whilst we're here I remember that flasks and other objects that were to be filled with the graduations visible on the outside were calibrated to the bottom of the meniscus. Is this the same with hydrometers?

[MartialAnt]

so a start gravity of 1.036 minus a final gravity of 1.006 gives you 0.03 then times it by 131 and that gives you ..... ta daa!! ABV of 3.9%

Christ all mighty, What the hell are you making...... SHANDY

Be a real man & make some proper falling down juice.

[woodworm]

so a start gravity of 1.036 minus a final gravity of 1.006 gives you 0.03 then times it by 131 and that gives you ..... ta daa!! ABV of 3.9%

Christ all mighty, What the hell are you making...... SHANDY

Be a real man & make some proper falling down juice.

it was an example

[MartialAnt]

oh sorry.

[woodworm]

[Aleman]

so a start gravity of 1.036 minus a final gravity of 1.006 gives you 0.03 then times it by 131 and that gives you ..... ta daa!! ABV of 3.9%

Christ all mighty, What the hell are you making...... SHANDY

Be a real man & make some proper falling down juice.

My last brew started at 1.035 and has finished at 1.011

[Aes9471]

Have checked it and it read 1.050, should I be worried or happy?

Definate lack of the yeasty kind though, will give it overnight and then panic and add some yeast. I also bought a yeast nutrient, is this for wine waking or could I use that instead/as well as more yeast. (Yeast was preped with cooled boiled water sprinkled at 30 deg. then pitched as temp in FV was below 30 nearer about 25 deg.) Am fermenting Wherry bitter with BKE instead of sugar.

Little bit more reading around, and I realise I no longer need to worry about using the yeast nutrient. This site/forum is the doggies dangly bits

[PMH0810]

so a start gravity of 1.036 minus a final gravity of 1.006 gives you 0.03 then times it by 131 and that gives you ..... ta daa!! ABV of 3.9%

Christ all mighty, What the hell are you making...... SHANDY

Be a real man & make some proper falling down juice.

Preferring beer for it's taste rather than it's drunk making qualities, I keep a range of ales in: from mild (3.0% - great for all day drinking) to heavy (7.5% - great when you just want one).

If I want to get tanked I do it on TC or Whisky; quicker, generally cheaper and I don't feel I've wasted quality brews I've put effort into making.

3.9% sounds like a session beer to me (even if it was an example - although I accept other opinions are availble).

[Aes9471]

Forgive my naivete, but how do you control the SG?, is it a matter of sugar (or equivalent) added and the interaction with the yeast. As so far I've just followed advice gained from here and the instructions with the kit, and in that order! Then hoped to achieve something worthwhile, in taste as much as alcohol content

[woodworm]

to be honest i usually get an ABV of about (roughly) 4% which is fine by me ... and as i'm only brewing kits my control over my SG is minimal (
I like to have 2 or 3 pints at the end of the day just to relax and catch up on the latest threads on this forum (livin on the edge )
i agree with you pmh0810 if i wanted to get 'bladdered' for the sake of it i'd buy WKD

[PMH0810]

Forgive my naivete, but how do you control the SG?, is it a matter of sugar (or equivalent) added and the interaction with the yeast. As so far I've just followed advice gained from here and the instructions with the kit, and in that order! Then hoped to achieve something worthwhile, in taste as much as alcohol content

SG can be manipulated in two ways that I know of.

Upping the fermentables (if you use this method and only add extra sugar you will water down the taste of the beer. Extra DME for example has worked fine for me).

Shortening the brewlength. Brewing a 40 pint kit to an actual 32 pints will also up the SG.

In both cases there are probably formulae to give estimated SGs but I don't know them.