I have to differ with you on the interpretation of potential alcohol. The
majority of tables of PA / SG give the PA assuming the SG drops to 1.000.
This is not dry. That is why negative numbers are given on hydrometers for
PA when the hydrometer goes below 1.000. If you just go by the beginning SG
you can have a 1-2.5 points error in your PA. The only table that I am
aware of that assumes fermentation to true dryness is that of Duncan and
Acton though I have been told that UC Davis also takes this into account.

Ray

"JEP" > wrote in message
om...
> (Galileo) wrote in message
. com>...
> >
> > I thought I understood Brix, but maybe not. The starting SG is 1.097
> > which is a PA of about 12.7% alcohol. And, so far, my final SG has
> > usually been below 1.00, usually about 0.990. Wouldn't this be a
> > final alcohol level of about 13.7% ?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Galileo
>
> The hydrometer's PA reading prior to fermentation gives you an
> estimate of the alcohol if all of the sugars are consumed. So you will
> get approximately 12.7% alcohol when the final SG of the wine is down
> in the .992 - .995 range. If the fermentation stops and your final SG
> is higher, not all of the sugars were consumed (or there was a
> significant amount of other disolved solids in the must) and the
> alcohol content will be less than the original PA.
>
> Andy