What is a typical wine OG?

Most table wines start at OG 1.080–1.095 (roughly 20–24 Brix), which yields 11–13% ABV. Dessert wines and late-harvest styles can reach OG 1.120–1.150 (30–38 Brix).

Which ABV formula is more accurate for wine?

The winemaking formula (76.08 × (OG − FG) / (1.775 − OG)) is more accurate for wines above about 12% ABV because it accounts for changes in liquid density during fermentation. The standard formula is simpler and fine for lower-ABV wines.

How do I convert Brix to specific gravity?

Before fermentation, the calculator uses the standard Brix-to-SG approximation. Alcohol changes refractometer readings after fermentation, so final Brix is corrected using both the initial and final readings. This remains an estimate; use a calibrated hydrometer or laboratory method when precision matters.

What residual sugar level makes a wine dry?

A dry wine typically has under 4 g/L residual sugar. Off-dry wines fall between 4–18 g/L, medium-sweet between 18–45 g/L, and sweet wines above 45 g/L. Dessert wines can exceed 100 g/L.

My FG is higher than my OG — what went wrong?

FG must always be lower than OG because yeast consumes sugars and lowers the density. A higher FG likely means the readings were swapped, or the refractometer reading was not corrected for alcohol (which inflates Brix readings post-fermentation).

Wine ABV Calculator

Enter original and final gravity (or Brix) to calculate wine ABV, residual sugar, and see where your wine falls on the style guide.

Fermentation Readings

Original Gravity (OG)

Gravity before fermentation — typical wine range: 1.080–1.130

Final Gravity (FG)

Gravity after fermentation is complete — dry wine typical: 0.990–1.000

Quick Presets

Results

Enter readings above and click Calculate ABV.

Wine Style Reference

Table Wine (dry) 11–14% ABV, <4 g/L RS

Off-Dry / Semi-Sweet 10–13% ABV, 4–45 g/L RS

Late Harvest / Sweet 10–14% ABV, 45–120 g/L RS

Dessert / Fortified 14–22% ABV, >120 g/L RS

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Summary

This wine ABV calculator accepts either specific gravity (OG/FG) or Brix readings taken before and after fermentation. It applies both the standard homebrewing formula and a more accurate winemaking formula, shows residual sugar as g/L, and classifies your wine against common style benchmarks.

How it works

Choose your input mode: specific gravity (SG) or Brix.
Enter the reading taken before fermentation starts (original gravity or Brix).
Enter the reading taken after fermentation is complete (final gravity or Brix).
Initial Brix is converted to original gravity; final refractometer Brix is corrected for alcohol using both readings.
ABV is calculated using both (OG − FG) × 131.25 and the more accurate winemaking formula.
Residual sugar is estimated from the final gravity and compared to wine style thresholds.

Use cases

Determine the ABV of a homemade red or white wine.
Track fermentation progress with successive gravity or Brix readings.
Estimate residual sugar to classify a wine as dry, off-dry, or sweet.
Compare standard and winemaking ABV formulas for high-gravity must.
Verify a stuck fermentation by checking whether FG is above expected.
Label homemade wine bottles with an accurate alcohol content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-15 · Reviewed by Nham Vu