I do not have a hydrometer to test density is there a way I can find my ABV for now until I acquire one?
Sugar content before and after fermentation is necessary to determine ABV. If you get a hydrometer and measure the final gravity, the best we could do is use an estimated number for original gravity based on the recipe. Here is a link to an online calculator for it: http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/
You don't necessarily need a hydrometer, but you would need some type of measuring tool for either gravity, plato, or brix. An alternative would be to send a sample to a lab for testing, but in my opinion a hydrometer would be the better investment.
If you know the exact post-boil volume and the list of ingredients including the specific yeast strain used, you (or I) can use brewing software to calculate the approximate alcohol. It should be accurate within about a half a percent. Give it a try, or give me all the info and I'll do it for you.
If you can afford FTIR of GC you're good to go. Otherwise skip the measurement on this batch and buy a hydrometer.
So otherwise I'd test the density pre boil while I have all my ingredients in the pot or when my boil is over then I check density? Then again before bottling for the difference? It's a little confusing since the book I have has pre set ingredients and ABvs so I never had to check but I'm I'm doing my own recipes and not sure.
Thanks. Never mind. I'll check it when it goes into the carboy right before I put on the airlock and I'll check it again right before i bottle it. Will the sugar for bottle conditioning change the ABV if I do it this way?
If you are brewing an extract batch figuring out OG (original gravity) is fairly easy using any one of a number of calculators available online. You can go to www.brewtoad.com and enter your recipe and it should tell you what your OG should be. When doing all grain it is harder to calculate because it depends on your mash efficiency. Trying to figure out FG (final gravity) without a hydrometer is harder. Again, you can use brewtoad, or any other brewing website or software, to input your recipe and the yeast you are using and it will tell you what your FG and ABV should be, and they are typically fairly accurate, but again there are so many variables such as fermentation temp, length of fermentation, etc which can change all of that. I would say get a hydrometer soon (they're pretty cheap) and use it often. In the meantime try one of the calculators out there.
Not really, you won't add enough sugar during bottling to change abv. But yeah, check the gravity before you add yeast and again right before bottling and then you should be able to get your abv.
Actually, yes, it does increase your alcohol by approximately 0.2%. Some people care, most people ignore.
