[VikingDan]

I am new and dont have a hydrometer i never checked my sg and i am going to purchase a hydrometer before my cider finishes is there a way for me to check the alcohol content before i bottle

[Steve Ruch]

I am new and dont have a hydrometer i never checked my sg and i am going to purchase a hydrometer before my cider finishes is there a way for me to check the alcohol content before i bottle

What juice did you use? Get some more and check the  starting gravity of it.

[VikingDan]

Took 3gal 100%apple juice and added 4.5lb honey to 2 of them split it between the 3 jugs. In one i added 1oz rasins and 1cinnamon stick in another 1oz rasins and 32oz of pure grape juice the other 1oz rasins and 32oz of pure blueberry juice witch topped those 2gal off topped off the other gal with cinnamon with remaining apple juice and left head space split a 5g packet of d47 evenly using scale between all three and gave them a vigorous shacking took off caps and put on air locks been bubbling away for almost 4 days now

[VikingDan]

I found a chart i can use to find the OG and ABV using both a hydrometer and refractometer by using the FG and Brix


Woodland Brewing Research: ABV without OG
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2013/02/abv-without-og.html?m=1

I also ordered both meters today

[skyler]

Brix is the same as OG, just using a different system.

If it was just 100% apple juice from a standard supermarket brand, you could estimate OG at 1.048-1.050. But sicne you added honey and raisins and other stuff, there is really no great way to estimate your starting gravity.