🍺 Home Brew Calc

Mead · Cider · Wine · Beer

How to use Home Brew Calc

Calculator · FAQ · Sources · How It Works · Privacy Policy

  1. Add your ingredients and quantities in the Calculator section.
  2. Set batch volume and yeast profile so the calculator can estimate OG, FG, and realistic ABV.
  3. Use OG/FG mode if you already have hydrometer readings, since measured readings beat estimates once the batch exists.

Behind the estimate: each ingredient stores a sugar reference per 100g or 100ml. Home Brew Calc converts those entries into total fermentable sugar for the batch, estimates original gravity from the target volume, then uses the selected yeast attenuation and tolerance to show a more realistic finish.

If your juice, cordial, or concentrate is not listed, choose Custom Juice / Liquid in the Ingredient Builder and enter the sugar content in grams per 100ml from the label, lab data, or a refractometer reading.

Fruit ripeness, mash efficiency, and fermentation conditions can still move the final result. The full method is explained on the How It Works page.

Calculator

Estimate OG, FG, ABV and sugar contributions for homebrew recipes.

Ingredient Builder

Pick ingredients and quantities to estimate OG and ABV

No ingredients added yet. Pick a category and ingredient above, then click + Add.

Ingredient Sugar Reference

Fermentable sugar content per 100g / 100ml

All values shown per 100g / 100ml. Imperial conversions: 1g = 0.035 oz · 1ml = 0.034 fl oz

🧃 Juices & Cordials7 items
IngredientSugar / 100gSugar / 100mlSource / Notes
Apple Juice (fresh-pressed)10g10.3gUSDA: ~10g sugars/100ml. OG ~1.045–1.050.
Apple Juice Concentrate45g58.5gApprox 45g sugars/100g (~58.5g/100ml). Dilute per manufacturer.
White Grape Juice14.5g15.1gUSDA: ~14.5g sugars/100ml.
Red Grape Juice14.5g15.1gUSDA: ~14.5g sugars/100ml.
Pomegranate Juice13.5g14.1gUSDA: ~13.5g sugars/100ml.
Tart Cherry Juice11g11.4gApprox 11g sugars/100ml.
Elderflower Cordial52g57.2gTypical cordial: ~52g sugar/100g.
🍯 Honey & Syrups5 items
IngredientSugar / 100gSugar / 100mlSource / Notes
Wildflower Honey79.6g112.6gUSDA FDC + National Honey Board: 79.6g/100g. Cross-checked: UK CoFID (78.5–80g), CIQUAL France (79.9g). ✅ Consistent across US/UK/EU sources.
Clover Honey79.6g112.6gNational Honey Board average. USDA FDC confirms 79.6g/100g. UK CoFID reports 76–80g range for mixed floral honeys. ✅
Buckwheat Honey76.5g108.3gSlightly lower fermentable sugar, higher minerals. USDA FDC: 76.5g/100g. Consistent with EuroFIR dark honey data.
Manuka Honey77g109gNZ manuka composition data. Lower fructose fraction. USDA FDC: 77g/100g; consistent with UK CoFID. ✅
Maple Syrup60g79.8gUSDA FDC: 60g sucrose/100g. CIQUAL (France): 60.5g/100g. UK CoFID: 60g/100g. ✅ Highly consistent. Used in Acerglyn.
🧂 Sugars & Extracts4 items
IngredientSugar / 100gSugar / 100mlSource / Notes
White Cane Sugar (Sucrose)100g—Pure sucrose: 100g/100g by definition. Confirmed identical across USDA, UK CoFID, CIQUAL, and all EuroFIR databases. ✅
Brown Sugar97g—USDA FDC: 97g/100g. UK CoFID (McCance & Widdowson): 96.4g/100g. CIQUAL: 97g/100g. ✅
Dextrose (Corn Sugar)100g—Pure glucose monosaccharide. Fully fermentable. USDA + CoFID + CIQUAL all confirm ~100g/100g. ✅
Lactose0g—Non-fermentable by standard yeast. Adds body/sweetness only. OG contribution counted but no ABV.
🍒 Fruit (solid)21 items
IngredientSugar / 100gSugar / 100mlSource / Notes
Apple (fresh)10.4g—USDA FDC: 10.4g/100g. UK CoFID: 10.3g/100g. CIQUAL: 10.4g/100g. ✅ All sources agree.
White Grape (fresh)15.5g—USDA FDC: 15.5g/100g. CIQUAL (France): 15.6g/100g. UK CoFID: 15.4g/100g. ✅
Red/Concord Grape (fresh)15.8g—USDA FDC: 15.8g/100g. CIQUAL: 15.2g/100g. CoFID: 15.4g/100g. Values vary slightly by variety. ✅
Sweet Cherry (fresh)12.8g—USDA FDC: 12.8g/100g. UK CoFID: 11.8–12.8g/100g. CIQUAL: 13.0g/100g. ✅
Sour Cherry (fresh)8.5g—USDA FDC: 8.5g/100g. CIQUAL: 8.1g/100g. CoFID: 8.5g/100g. ✅
Blueberry10g—USDA FDC: 10.0g/100g. UK CoFID: 9.8g/100g. CIQUAL: 9.7g/100g. ✅
Raspberry4.4g—USDA FDC: 4.4g/100g. UK CoFID: 4.6g/100g. CIQUAL: 4.4g/100g. ✅
Strawberry4.9g—USDA FDC: 4.9g/100g. UK CoFID: 5.1g/100g. CIQUAL: 5.3g/100g. ✅
Blackberry4.9g—USDA FDC: 4.9g/100g. UK CoFID: 5.1g/100g. CIQUAL: 4.5g/100g. ✅
Blackcurrant6.8g—USDA FDC: 6.8g/100g. UK CoFID (McCance & Widdowson): 6.6g/100g. CIQUAL: 7.6g/100g. ✅
Elderberry7g—Approx 7g sugars/100g. Noma/homebrew references.
Plum9.9g—USDA FDC: 9.9g sugars/100g.
Fig (fresh)16.3g—USDA FDC: 16.3g sugars/100g.
Fig (dried)47.9g—USDA FDC: 47.9g sugars/100g.
Raisin / Sultana59.2g—USDA FDC: 59.2g sugars/100g.
Date (dried)63.4g—USDA FDC: 63.4g sugars/100g.
Banana12.2g—USDA FDC: 12.2g sugars/100g.
Peach8.4g—USDA FDC: 8.4g sugars/100g.
Mango13.7g—USDA FDC: 13.7g sugars/100g.
Pomegranate Seeds13.7g—USDA FDC: 13.7g sugars/100g.
Rose Hip (fresh)11.6g—Approx 11.6g sugars/100g. Used in Rhodomel.
🌾 Malt & Grain7 items
IngredientSugar / 100gSugar / 100mlSource / Notes
Dry Malt Extract (Light)77g—Approx 77% fermentable extract. BYO/homebrew references.
Liquid Malt Extract (Light)65g78gApprox 65% fermentable extract by weight. ~1.2 g/ml.
2-Row Pale Malt (crushed)68g—Typical extract efficiency ~68%. How to Brew (Palmer).
Maris Otter Pale Malt (crushed)70g—Slightly higher potential than standard 2-row. UK standard.
Munich Malt68g—Similar extraction to pale malt.
Crystal Malt (60L)60g—Partially non-fermentable dextrins. BYO estimate.
Wheat Malt67g—USDA / homebrew reference.

Homebrew ABV FAQ

Quick answers to common mead, cider, wine and beer ABV questions.

How do I calculate ABV from OG and FG?

Use the standard formula: (OG − FG) × 131.25. Home Brew Calc does this automatically in the OG/FG section.

How accurate is ingredient-based ABV estimation?

It is a practical estimate based on sugar content and target volume. Real ABV can vary due to yeast health, fermentation temperature, and attenuation.

Why does yeast tolerance matter?

If the estimated ABV exceeds the yeast’s alcohol tolerance, fermentation can stall early, leaving residual sugar and a lower final ABV than theoretical.

Can I use this for mead, cider, wine and beer?

Yes. The calculator supports honey, fruits, juices, sugars and malt ingredients, plus OG/FG ABV calculations.

Sources

Primary nutrition references used in this calculator.

USDA FoodData Central · UK CoFID (McCance & Widdowson) · CIQUAL (France) · EuroFIR network · National Honey Board