What is Alcohol Dilution?

Alcohol dilution is the process of reducing the alcohol concentration (alcohol by volume or ABV) of a spirit by adding water or a weaker alcohol solution. This process is crucial in distilling and spirits production to achieve the desired alcohol content for consumption or further processing.

Dilution is necessary because the initial distillate often has a much higher alcohol concentration than what is typically consumed or legally allowed for sale.

How to Use the Alcohol Dilution Calculator？

1. Initial Volume: Enter the volume of your high-proof alcohol in liters. This is the amount of spirit you start with before dilution.

2. Initial Alcohol By Volume (ABV): Input the current alcohol concentration of your spirit as a percentage. For example, if you have a spirit that’s 80% alcohol, enter 80.

3. Target Alcohol By Volume (ABV): Enter the desired final alcohol concentration you want to achieve. This should be lower than your initial ABV.

4. Click “Calculate”: After entering all the required information, click the calculate button. The calculator will display:

• The amount of water you need to add
• The final volume before contraction
• An estimate of the volume lost due to contraction

The tool takes into account the phenomenon of alcohol contraction, which occurs when water and alcohol are mixed, resulting in a slightly smaller volume than the sum of the individual components. This contraction is estimated based on the average ABV.

This calculator is particularly useful for home distillers, craft spirit makers, and anyone involved in alcohol production. It helps ensure consistency in your final product and compliance with legal ABV limits.

While this tool provides accurate calculations, factors like temperature and the precision of your measurements can affect the final result. It’s always a good practice to verify the ABV of your diluted spirit using an alcoholmeter or hydrometer.