What is a good final gravity for beer?

Typical final gravities are 1.008–1.016 for most ales and lagers. A dry beer finishes lower (1.006–1.010). A sweet or full-bodied beer finishes higher (1.016–1.022). If your FG is above 1.020 after 2+ weeks, fermentation may be stalled — check temperature, pitch rate, and yeast health.

My hydrometer is reading below 1.000, is that normal?

Yes! Very dry beers, certain Belgian styles, ciders, and meads can ferment below 1.000 (e.g., 0.998). This is called a "sub-gravity" reading and is caused by the alcohol content reducing the overall density of the liquid below that of plain water.

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ABV Calculator

Calculate the alcohol by volume (ABV) of your homebrew beer, wine, or cider. Know exactly what you made.

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Original Gravity (OG)

Final Gravity (FG)

ABV Formula

Typical Gravity Ranges by Beer Style

Beer Style	OG Range	FG Range	ABV
Session Ale / Low ABV	1.032–1.040	1.006–1.010	3.2–4.5%
American Lager / Pale Ale	1.044–1.056	1.008–1.014	4.5–5.5%
IPA	1.056–1.075	1.008–1.018	5.5–7.5%
Belgian Saison / Strong Ale	1.065–1.090	1.006–1.016	6.5–9.5%
Imperial Stout / Barleywine	1.090–1.120	1.020–1.035	9–14%

Ranges are guidelines, not strict rules. Use the BJCP Style Guidelines for competition-level target ranges.

How ABV is Calculated

Alcohol by Volume is calculated by measuring your wort's specific gravity before fermentation (Original Gravity / OG) and after fermentation is complete (Final Gravity / FG). During fermentation, yeast consumes sugars and produces alcohol and CO2. The drop in gravity reflects how much sugar was fermented. The simple formula (OG - FG) × 131.25 is accurate to within 0.1% ABV for most normal-strength beers.

The More Accurate Papazian Formula

For high-gravity beers (OG above 1.070), the simple formula becomes less accurate because alcohol is less dense than water, which affects the hydrometer reading. The Miller/Papazian formula accounts for this by adjusting for the final gravity's density, giving more precise results for strong ales, barleywines, and meads.

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