ABV Calculator
Plug in your original gravity and final gravity and this calculator estimates your alcohol by volume in seconds — the same formula homebrewers have used for decades.
How to calculate alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume (ABV) is the percentage of your finished beverage that is pure ethanol. Homebrewers and home winemakers estimate it from two density readings taken with a hydrometer. The first, original gravity (OG), measures how much sugar is dissolved in your liquid before the yeast goes to work. The second, final gravity (FG), is taken once fermentation stops. Yeast eat sugar and excrete ethanol, so the difference between the two numbers is a direct measure of how much alcohol was produced.
The formula ABV = (OG − FG) × 131.25 works because one gravity point is approximately 0.131% alcohol by volume in a typical beer. Take a pale ale that starts at 1.050 and finishes at 1.012: subtract to get 0.038, multiply by 131.25, and you land at about 4.99% ABV. The same math applies to wine, cider, and mead, though those beverages finish drier or sweeter depending on yeast and sugar levels.
If you do not brew yourself, you can still use the ABV numbers to compare what is in your glass — a 7% IPA has about 40% more alcohol than a 5% lager, which changes how fast you feel it. For the flip side of the equation, see how the cost calculator turns a daily habit into a yearly dollar figure.
Common beers and their ABV
| Beer | Style | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Miller Light | Light lager | 4.2% |
| Coors Light | Light lager | 4.2% |
| Bud Light | Light lager | 4.2% |
| Guinness Draught | Lager | 4.2% |
| Budweiser | Lager | 5.0% |
| Heineken | Lager | 5.0% |
| Corona Extra | Lager | 4.6% |
| Pilsner Urquell | Lager | 4.4% |
| Typical IPA | India Pale Ale | 6.0–7.5% |
| Double / Imperial IPA | India Pale Ale | 8.0–10% |
| Imperial Stout | Stout | 8.0–12% |
| Barleywine | Barleywine | 9.0–12% |
ABV figures are typical published values; exact numbers vary by batch, brewery, and vintage.
Understanding OG and FG readings.
Two hydrometer readings are all you need to estimate ABV with the × 131.25 formula.
| Scenario | OG | FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light lager | 1.040 | 1.008 | 4.2% |
| Pale ale | 1.050 | 1.012 | 5.0% |
| IPA | 1.062 | 1.014 | 6.3% |
| Imperial stout | 1.090 | 1.024 | 8.7% |
Higher original gravity means more sugar for the yeast, so stronger beers almost always start with a bigger OG. The FG depends on how fermentable the sugar is and how attentively the yeast works — a dry finish means the yeast ate almost everything, pushing FG down toward 1.006–1.010.
ABV calculator FAQ.
The questions homebrewers actually ask about estimating alcohol by volume.
Frequently asked questions
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