Alcohol measurement without SG ?

[geoffclifton]

I've got a few brews for which I don't have SG's to calculate alcohol content.
An orange wine which included the zest and was very foamy plus a ginger beer which had a lot of undissolved sugar that may or may not have fermented but wasn't measured at OG.

Is there a way to get a measurement other than drinking a couple of bottles and checking for wobbly boots or blowing in a breathalizer?

Cheers, Geoff.

[drsmurto]

Apart from finding someone with access to analytical instruments (HPLC, GC etc) you really cant do much. Think i would prob get into some serious shit if i started putting beer thru instruments worth over 500K.

I dont bother much with SG/FG/OG or whatever bloody abbreviation you prefer. Does it taste good? All that matters!

[Chris]

Basically, no.

[Pale_Ale]

Do you mean fermentation was stuck?

If fermentation is complete, the yeast has eaten through all the fermentable sugars, so you can just calculate the approx percentage based on what you put in originally. For instance 1kg malt 80% fermentable, 3kg oranges x% fermentable etc. etc.

Sorry if I'm not getting it...

[Chris]

Ok PA, what's the fermentation %age of 3kg of oranges?

[geoffclifton]

That would be a hard one Chris. I didn't weigh the pith and pulp and skins but that's at least half and the next question is the sugar content basedd on ripeness and sweetness. Probably safe to say bugger all and just work on the fermentable sugars?

Cheers, Geoff.

[Pale_Ale]

Fair enough Chris, well I can always fall back on the answer of "who cares? Drink up!"

[Cortez The Killer]

Isn't there a way to work backwards to OG with a refractometer and a hydrometer?

I was reading about it the other day

Cheers

[Oliver]

Where's Dogger Dan when you need him?

Oliver