How do you determine the ethanol content in wine?

Answer 1

== == At your local homebrew store, you can purchase an alcoholmeter, which is a specialized hydrometer calibrated specifically for beer, wine, and spirits. With only a few milliliters of liquid, you can determine the alcohol content of your batch. Beer, wine, and spirits are mixtures of alcohol, water, and various organic compounds that add flavor and color. The density of the liquid changes as the proportions of alcohol, water, and dissolved sugars vary. A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of liquids. Water has a SG of 1.000. Wort (unfermented beer) has a much higher SG because of the sugars and other solids it contains. As the sugar is converted to alcohol, the SG comes down. With a standard hydrometer, you would measure the SG before fermentation and after. The difference allows you to calculate the alcohol in your beer or wine. The alcoholmeter is a special case of hydrometer with a test tube and weight (the capillary tube) that floats at different heights depending on the density of the liquid, and the tube has marks listing alcohol percent according to height of the capillary in the tube.

Legally, all wine bottles should state the alcohol content. Wines generally have an alcohol content between 10% - 15%.

Answer 2

Ethanol content in wine can be determined by measuring the alcohol by volume (ABV) using a hydrometer or a distillation method. Another common method is using a refractometer to measure the sugar content before and after fermentation, with the difference indicating the alcoholic content. There are also commercial kits available for home testing.