Q. lemon gin reads 0% alcohol

[jacquie]

Can somebody tell me if there is a reason why my lemon gin reads 0% alcohol when It was made with 50% abv gin, added lots of lemon peel and too much sugar so just topped up with more gin and it reads 0. Is it because of the sugar? I don't usually add much sugar never had this before.

[billythekid]

Yes. It is indeed because of the sugar. I did the same thing when I first started distilling, and mixed it with apple juice. See my avitar? LOL

Bill

[myles]

Proof hydrometers need to be compensated for BOTH temperature and specific gravity.

They are designed for distilled products (SG not more than 1.0 at the correct temperature) with no residual or additional sugar. There are charts somewhere but I do not have any readily available. You need to combine weight/volume and temperature to get a correction factor for the ABV.

The recommended method is to re-distill a sample of the product. Dilute and temperature correct that and then check the ABV. Use that figure to calculate the actual ABV of your sweetened product.

alcohol content in sweetened product.pdf

[myles]

Just for interest.
There is a tutorial video here that puts the issue into context. I have no vested interest in the software, and have not used it.

This link is intended for educational purposes only, and is intended as an illustration.

https://www.katmarsoftware.com/alcodenslq.htm

[gaza the instructor]

Jacquie if you drink too much of it do you still
fall over?
Nailed 6 large Orangie Gins tonight

[Easydrinker]

Fall-over-mometors have their place!

Robert

[jacquie]

yes it is still good falling over water, thanks peeps thought I'd done something wrong - never tried to measure abv in compounds before always just drunk them

[gaza the instructor]

Nice one, that is what we make it for.

[myles]

Nice one, that is what we make it for.

True enough. What proof it actually is only has relevance if you are paying Tax and selling it

I never bother that much with proof of sweetened products. I try to get it reasonably accurate for the purposes of diluting the clean product off the still, after that I just swing with it.

I dilute high proof for safe storage and when I get my barrels in action I will dilute to barrel entry proof. After that I dilute to bottle strength.

[Curmudgeon]

I know ED has one of the hydrometers that measures how much alcohol is inside a person, relative to the law for driving. I do too.

I think everyone in this hobby bracket should have one, especially teachers who need to appear responsible come September

[Easydrinker]

Hear,Hear!
The socially aware arguement that one is late for work due to an accidental surplus of ethanol in the bloodstream is proof to me that we are responsible people.
And those of us that make the effort to check our blood alcohol readings are in the vanguard.

Robert.