Paul’s Brewsletter

I just made an order this past weekend for my next beer creation.  I am going with the Bewitched Brew Pack from Mr. Beer.  I haven’t tried this particular recipe before, but I do like a good red ale and since Halloween is right around the corner, it should be the perfect time for this beer.  If I get the beer in fast enough I may get to unveil this at my friend Karen’s Autumn Party - I’ll let you know how it goes. 

If you make homebrew beer or wine, you probably at some point have been asked, “How much alcohol is in this?”  I used the same stock answer for years…I simply compared my beer to what I thought the most well known local equivalent would be and left it at that (”Oh it probably has about as much as [brand] does”). 

 There is a more scientific way to determine the alcohol content of your beer.  Of course, you’ll need a hydrometer, which I have available for sale.  You will need to take the specific gravity readings of your beer right after you have it ready to begin the primary fermentation (A), and then once your beer is finished the primary fermentation and is ready to be bottled (B).  After that, use these formulas for the type of alcohol content you want to determine: 

Alcohol Content by Weight = 76.08 x (A-B) / (1.775-A) 

Alcohol Content by Volume = (Alcohol Content By Weight) x (B / 0.794) 

Man, I never thought I’d be so much into math after I graduated college - of course this is for beer, so it’s a labor of love ;) 

Until next time - happy brewing! 

Paul

Mr. Beer offers a collection of beer making kits, supplies, and merchandise. As Low As $29.99! - Makes A Great Gift!