alc. percent?

[b0rrach0]

how do I know how much alc. content my beer will have before i get the ingrediants? example I brewed up 10 pounds of light extract for a 4 gal. batch. how much alc. should i be expecting? is there a formula?

[b0rrach0]

anyone? 1 pound = what % per 5 gal.

[slothrob]

Before I got BeerTools Pro, I used to estimate my %ABV by subtracting my FG from my OG and multiplying that number by 0.131. For an all extract beer you could probably assume about 75% attenuation and 46 points per pound per gallon contribution to the OG from the extract.

10# x 46 ppppg ÷ 4 gallons x 0.75 attenuation x 0.131 = 11.3% ABV

A beer that big will probably be a challenge for the yeast to ferment completely, so you might not get normal attenuation and the ABV might be a bit lower.

[b0rrach0]

thank you so much. I have yet to get a hydrometer, and learn fg and og.

[slothrob]

FG is Final Gravity
OG is Original Gravity

If you're just starting, you should read How to Brew by John Palmer. I recommend buying the current edition, but you can read an old version on that web site.

[jawbox]

Definitely get How to Brew by John Palmer, that is by far the best book for beginners, i Still refer back to it and I've been brewing for about 6-7 years.