Brix to Potential Alcohol (Estimate)
Estimate the potential alcohol of a wine must from its Brix (or specific gravity) reading, using the 0.55–0.59 winemaking convention. An estimate, not an official measurement — see the disclaimer below.
Calculator
Non-regulatory estimateEnter your must’s sugar reading to estimate the potential alcohol if it ferments to dry.
⚠️ This is a reference estimate for winemaking — not an official measurement, and never valid for a tax or label filing.
Enter your refractometer/hydrometer reading in °Brix or specific gravity.
Enter a sugar reading to see the potential alcohol.
Estimate only — the winemaking Brix × factor convention (0.55–0.59), not an official measurement.
Making cider, not wine?
- Cider ABV — you are working from apple juice. It uses the cidermaking convention — (SG − 1) × 128 — which reads LOWER than the winemaking factors here for the same juice. Neither is wrong: this page answers “how much alcohol is the sugar in this must worth”, that one answers “what will this cider come out at”.
Reference tools, not a system of record. These free calculators are provided for convenience and general reference only. They are not a system of record and must not be used as the basis for any TTB or state compliance filing — even when a result is correct. Your official filings are governed by the applicable measurement and gauging methods and by your own production records.