Bars & Breweries, Seasonal

The Best Winter Beers for 2024

Last updated on Dec 5, 2023
Michale LeRoy

As the temperatures drop and the holiday season approaches, it's time to replace pumpkin beers and fall ciders with some delicious winter beers. These seasonal brews are perfect for capturing the cozy and festive spirit of the winter months. From rich and malty stouts to spiced and hoppy ales, there's a winter beer for every palate. Check out our top picks for the best seasonal beers of winter 2024.

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Seasonal Winter Beers

We've made a list of the most popular winter beers you can stock this season. Consider filling beer growlers so your guests can enjoy their favorite winter beers while staying cozy at home.

1. Scotch Ale (Wee Heavys)

scotch ale in tulip glass

Scotch ales are top-fermenting brews that were originally served in small quantities (thus, the "wee heavy" nickname) for a few schillings in nineteenth-century Scotland. This style is boiled extensively in kettles, which creates toasty caramelization and sweet, full-bodied flavors.

Many Scotch ales also offer higher alcohol by volume, making them perfect for cold winter days. Beer experts, also called cicerones, recommend serving these tasty brews with gamey meats, spicy foods, and creamy desserts.

Give These Scotch Ales a Try:

  • Founders Brewing Company: Dirty Bastard (Grand Rapids, MI) 8.5% ABV
  • Einstok Beer Company: Icelandic Wee Heavy (Akureyri, Iceland) 8% ABV
  • Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company: Mountain Man Strong Ale (Whitefish, MT) 6.8% ABV
  • Oskar Blues Grill & Brew: Old Chub (Lyons, CO) 8% ABV

2. Barleywine

barleywine in glass

A barleywine is a style of strong ale that's typically characterized by high alcohol content, a bittersweet taste, and a rich mouthfeel. Despite the name, barleywines contain no actual wine. They earned the moniker due to their complexity of flavors.

While American-style barleywines are intensely hopped for a more bitter and hop-forward taste, English varieties tend to offer a more balanced combination of malt and hops. Serve this winter beer style with a charcuterie board of cured meats and creamy cheeses.

Give These Barleywines a Try:

  • Sierra Nevada: Bigfoot Barleywine (Chico, CA) 9.6% ABV
  • Revolution Brewing: Straight Jacket (Chicago, IL) 15% ABV
  • Brasserie Dieu du Ciel: Solstice D'hiver (Montreal, Quebec) 10.2% ABV
  • Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Sucaba (Pasa Robles, CA) 12.5% ABV

3. Russian Imperial Stout

Russian imperial stout in a goblet

Often referred to as the king of stouts, Russian imperial stouts were created in the nineteenth century by brewers looking to curry favor with Catherine the Great of Russia. These beers are top-fermenting ales with high alcohol content, low levels of carbonation, and toasted, malty flavors.

Most Russian imperial stouts also feature notes of dark fruit and little to no hop character. Try serving these hearty brews alongside oysters, chocolate, and soft cheeses.


Give These Russian Imperial Stouts a Try:

  • North Coast Brewing Company: Old Rasputin (Fort Bragg, CA) 9% ABV
  • Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Parabola (Paso Robles, CA) 13% ABV
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Narwhal Imperial Stout (Chico, CA) 10.2% ABV
  • Great Lakes Brewing Company: Blackout Stout (Cleveland, OH) 9.9% ABV

4. Baltic Porter

baltic porter in crystal glass

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many Western European brewers began creating strong, robust porters to be shipped across the North Sea to the Baltic regions. These beers were often supplemented by the addition of stale ales, which added an acidic flavor that beer drinkers loved.

Baltic porters are top-fermenting ales that offer a smoky, roasted, malty character with a full-bodied mouthfeel. Consider serving them with barbecued meats, stews, and semi-hard cheeses.

Give These Baltic Porters a Try:

  • Jack's Abby Brewing: Barrel-Aged Framinghammer - Mapledoodle (Framingham, MA) 12% ABV
  • Tree House Brewing Company: Cozy (Charlton, MA) 9.2% ABV
  • Browar Fortuna: Komes Baltic Porter (Miloslaw, Poland) 9% ABV
  • Threes Brewing: Voluntary Exile (Brooklyn, NY) 8% ABV

5. Doppelbock

dopplebock beer in pint glass

Bock beer is a German-style lager with a strong malt flavor. Doppelbock, which essentially means double bock, has even more malt and a fuller body than a standard bock. This beer was originally brewed by a group of monks called the Paulaners, who developed the style with extra malt for nourishment during times of fasting.

You'll notice that many doppelbock beers have the suffix "-ator" in their name, like Troeg's Troegenator. The original doppelbock was named Salvator, and due to its popularity, it became common for other producers to imitate the name by adding the suffix. Enjoy your malty doppelbocks with red meat, pork, and sharp cheeses.

Give These Doppelbocks a Try:

  • Augustiner-Brau: Maximator (Munchen, Germany) 7.5% ABV
  • Klosterbrauerei Andechs: Doppelbock Dunkel (Andechs, Germany) 7.1% ABV
  • Bell's Brewery: Consecrator (Kalamazoo, MI) 8% ABV
  • Troegs Brewing Company: Troegenator (Hershey, pA) 8.2% ABV

6. Barrel Aged Beer

dark and light beer on barrel

Barrel aged beers are aged in wooden barrels to impart unique flavors to the finished product. Any style of beer can be barrel aged, but the approach is best suited to beers with strong flavors that are complemented by notes of hickory, oak, or applewood. The use of whiskey barrels or brandy barrels adds a boozy flavor and hints of caramel, vanilla, and bourbon.

Entice customers to your bar over the winter months by offering a selection of complex barrel aged beers paired with smoked foods, oysters, or a pan-seared steak. Choose a rich, chocolate cake to serve with barrel aged stouts or a hunk of sharp cheese to complement a barrel aged barleywine.

Give These Barrel Aged Beers a Try:

  • Boulevard Brewing Company: Bourbon Barrel Quad (Kansas City, MO) 12.2% ABV
  • Dark Horse Brewing Company: Plead The 5th - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (Marshall, MI) 11% ABV
  • Great Divide Brewing Company: Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (Denver, CO) 9.5% ABV
  • New Holland Brewing Company: Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout (Holland, MI) 11% ABV

7. Winter Warmer

Three winter warmer beers on a table

Winter warmers are top-fermenting ales that offer plenty of malty, sweet flavors alongside a balanced hop character. Many winter warmers are blended with spices, which give the style its trademark warmth.

Traditionally, English strong ales and spiced Wassail beers fall under the umbrella of winter warmers, so be sure to keep plenty of these brews on hand during the winter months. Consider serving them with poultry, baked goods, and seasonal winter fruits.

Give These Winter Warmers a Try:

  • Samuel Smith Old Brewery: Winter Welcome Ale (Tadcaster, England) 6% ABV
  • Woodstock Inn Brewery: Wassail Ale (North Woodstock, NH) 8% ABV
  • Deschutes Brewery: Jubelale (Bend, OR) 6.7% ABV
  • Great Lakes Brewing Company: Christmas Ale (Cleveland, OH) 7.5% ABV

It's time to trade in your fall beers and update your tap list with any of these highly-rated winter beers. Check out our beer glass guide to find the perfect glass to complement your holiday seasonal beers.

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One of the most well-known types of stout is Irish dry stout made popular by Guinness. This style is characterized by the visual cascading effect in the glass and its dry, roasted malt flavors with hints of coffee and chocolate. Another popular variation is the oatmeal stout. These are brewed with oats, which contribute to a smooth, silky mouthfeel. Oatmeal stouts have a rich, full-bodied flavor with notes of roasted coffee, chocolate, and sometimes a hint of sweetness. They are popular for their complexity and drinkability. Imperial stout, on the other hand, is a bold and intense variation of the stout style. This beer is characterized by its high alcohol content, rich malt flavors, and complex aromas. Imperial stouts often feature notes of dark fruits, roasted coffee, and bittersweet chocolate. Stout ABV: 3.8-8.9% Stout IBU: 20-60 Types of Stouts: Irish Dry Stout, Oatmeal Stout, American Imperial Stout Stout Brands: Guinness Draught, Troegs JavaHead Stout, Stoudts Fat Dog Imperial Stout Stout Pairings: Heavy foods like beef and stew, oysters, chocolate, brie cheese Stout Serving Temperature: 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit 3. Porter Porter is a dark and robust style of beer with a rich history dating back to the 18th century in England. Originally popular among the working class, this beer has since evolved into a beloved style among beer enthusiasts worldwide. Similar to stout, porter is characterized by its deep brown-to-black color. The way porter differs from stout is that it uses malted unroasted barley instead of unmalted roasted barley. This gives porter its complex flavor profile that often includes notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit, making it less intense than stout. American imperial porter is a bold and robust variation of the traditional porter style. Known for its higher alcohol content and intense flavors, this beer often features rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee. English brown porter offers a more moderate take on the porter style, with a balanced flavor profile that showcases the beer's malt character, creating a smooth and easy-drinking experience. Robust porter strikes a harmonious balance between the two, with a medium-to-full body and a robust malt presence. This style is known for its smooth mouthfeel and well-rounded flavor profile. Porter ABV: 4.5-12.0% Porter IBU: 20-50 Types of Porters: American Imperial Porter, English Brown Porter, Robust Porter Porter Brands: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Porter, Shipyard Longfellow Winter Ale, Smuttynose Robust Porter Porter Pairings: American cuisine, English cuisine, barbecue, tiramisu, asiago cheese Porter Serving Temperature: 40-55 degrees Fahrenheit 4. Pilsner Pilsners are light, crisp lagers with a clean, refreshing taste. They are known for their golden color and balanced bitterness. This style of beer became popular in what is now the Czech Republic and Germany. They are perfect for hot summer days or as a palate cleanser between courses. The classic American lager is a type of pilsner that is widely consumed in the United States. This beer is light-bodied, with a clean and crisp taste that makes it a go-to choice for many beer drinkers for celebrations like Mardi Gras. German Pilsner, also known as pils or pilsener, is characterized by its pale golden color, floral hop aroma, and balanced bitterness. German pilsners are traditionally brewed using noble hops, which give the beer a subtle yet complex flavor profile. Czech or Bohemian pilsner is another popular variation of pilsner known for its rich malt character, spicy hop aroma, and crisp finish. Czech pilsners are brewed using Saaz hops, which impart a distinctive herbal and earthy flavor to the beer. Pilsner ABV: 3.2-5.6% Pilsner IBU: 15-45 Types of Pilsners: American Lager, German Pilsner, Czech or Bohemian Pilsner Pilsner Brands: Budweiser, Troegs Sunshine Pils, Dogfish Head Piercing Pils Pilsner Pairings: German cuisine, spicy food, poultry, fish, spicy cheese Serving Temperature: 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit 5. Wheat Beer Wheat beer is a popular style of beer made by using wheat as the malt, giving the beer its signature refreshing and crisp taste. With its tangy flavors, brewers often add seasonal fruits to wheat beer to create an enticing presentation. American pale wheat beer is a light and easy-drinking beer that is brewed with a significant proportion of wheat in addition to barley. This style is known for its pale color, mild hop bitterness, and subtle wheat flavor, making it a popular choice for those looking for a refreshing and approachable beer. Berliner Weisse is a traditional German wheat beer that is known for its light body and high carbonation. This style is typically low in alcohol content and is often served with a flavored syrup, such as raspberry or woodruff, to balance out the sourness of the beer. Hefeweizen is a classic German wheat beer that is brewed with a large proportion of wheat and a distinctive yeast strain that produces flavors of banana and clove. Hefeweizens are known for their cloudy appearance, full body, and effervescent carbonation. This style of wheat beer is often unfiltered, allowing the yeast to remain in the beer and contribute to its unique flavor profile. Wheat Beer ABV: 2.8-5.6% Wheat Beer IBU: 3-35 Types of Wheat Beers: American Pale Wheat, Berliner Weisse, Hefeweizen Wheat Beer Brands: Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat, Freetail Brewing Company Yo Soy Un Berliner, Magic Hat Circus Boy Wheat Beer Pairings: German cuisine, Mexican cuisine, spicy food, seafood, brick cheeses Wheat Beer Serving Temperature: 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit Back to Top 6. Pale Ale Pale ale is a popular beer style known for its balanced flavors, offering a mix of hoppy bitterness and malt sweetness. They are lower in alcohol content than IPAs and pair well with a wide range of dishes. American pale ale is a hop-forward beer with a moderate malt backbone. It typically features American hop varieties that impart citrus, pine, and floral notes to the brew. These ales are known for their refreshing bitterness and bright aromatics. Blonde ale is a lighter and more delicate version of pale ale, with a focus on crisp, clean flavors. They are characterized by their pale golden color and subtle malt sweetness. These beers are easy-drinking and versatile, making them a popular choice for those new to craft beer or looking for a lighter option. English pale ale is a classic beer style with a rich malt profile and earthy hop character. They often showcase traditional English hop varieties, which creates a balance between bitterness and biscuity malt flavors. Pale Ale ABV: 4.0-5.5% Pale Ale IBU: 15-45 Types of Pale Ales: American Pale Ale, Blonde Ale, English Pale Ale Pale Ale Brands: Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale, Victory Brewing Company Summer Love, Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale Pale Ale Pairings: Italian cuisine, English cuisine, fish, fried foods, pepper jack cheese Pale Ale Serving Temperature: 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit 7. German Bock Bock beer is a traditional German style that has gained popularity worldwide for its rich malt character and robust flavors. They are higher in alcohol content and can range from pale to dark in color with notes of caramel and toast. This style is often enjoyed as a winter beer for its warming qualities and pairs well with rich and savory foods. Traditional bock is a strong lager known for its malty sweetness and deep amber-to-dark brown color. Weizenbock is a wheat bock beer that combines the characteristics of a traditional bock with the fruity and spicy notes of a wheat beer. It is known for its hazy appearance and complex flavor profile, which includes banana, clove, and bubblegum notes from the yeast strain used during fermentation. Maibock, also known as Helles bock, is a pale bock beer that is lighter in color and body compared to traditional bock. Maibock is brewed with a higher proportion of pale malts, giving it a clean and crisp profile with a noticeable malt sweetness. This style of bock beer is often brewed in the springtime and enjoyed during the month of May, making it the perfect addition to any beer garden. Bock ABV: 6.0-9.5% Bock IBU: 15-35 Types of Bock Beer: Traditional Bock, Weizenbock, Maibock Bock Beer Brands: Samuel Adams Winter Lager, Southern Tier Brewing Company Goat Boy, Capital Brewery Maibock Bock Beer Pairings: Italian cuisine, German cuisine, fish, shellfish, asiago, Swiss cheese Bock Beer Serving Temperature: 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit 8. Brown Ale Brown ale is a malt-forward beer with a deep amber-to-dark brown color and flavors of caramel, nuts, and toffee. This style is smooth and easy to drink, making it a great option for customers looking for a more approachable beer. English brown ale, also known as Northern English brown ale, is known for its malt-forward profile, showcasing toasty, biscuity, and caramel flavors with minimal hop bitterness. English brown ales are typically lower in alcohol content and have a lighter body compared to the American style, offering a smooth and easy drinking experience. American brown ale is a modern take on the traditional English brown ale, characterized by a balanced flavor profile that combines malty sweetness with moderate hop bitterness. This style typically features a medium body and a slightly higher alcohol content compared to its English counterpart. American brown ales often showcases notes of caramel, chocolate, and nutty flavors, making them a favorite among craft beer enthusiasts. Brown Ale ABV: 4.0-6.3% Brown Ale IBU: 15-45 Types of Brown Ale: English Brown Ale, American Brown Ale Brown Ale Brands: Newcastle Brown Ale, City Star Brewing Bandit Brown, Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale Brown Ale Pairings: American cuisine, beef stew, red meat, poultry, gouda cheese Brown Ale Serving Temperature: 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit 9. Belgian Ale Belgian beers are known for their spiced fruity flavors and high alcohol content. Despite their high ABV, Belgians are usually low in bitterness. Belgian-style ale encompasses a wide range of styles, from fruity and spicy to complex and yeasty ales. These beers are often brewed with unique yeast strains, resulting in distinctive flavors, aromas, and high carbonation. Belgian pale ale is a style known for its balanced maltiness and hop bitterness. It typically features fruity esters and spicy notes, with a moderate alcohol content. Belgian tripel is a strong ale with a higher alcohol content compared to other Belgian styles. It is characterized by its pale color, complex malt profile with a dry finish, and effervescent carbonation. Belgian saison, also known as farmhouse ale, is a rustic beer style that originated in the French-speaking region of Belgium. Traditionally brewed in the winter months for consumption in the summer, saisons are known for their fruity and peppery yeast character and dry finish. Belgian Ale ABV: 4.4-10% Belgian Ale IBU: 20-50 Types of Belgian Ale: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Tripel, Belgian Saison Belgian Ale Brands: Samuel Adams Belgian Session, Weyerbacher Merry Monks, Victory Brewing Company Helios Belgian Ale Pairings: American cuisine, Asian cuisine, pasta dishes, barbecue, meat, Limburger cheese Belgian Ale Serving Temperature: 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit 10. Specialty Beer Specialty beers offer unique and diverse options for beer enthusiasts, catering to a range of tastes and preferences. From experimental brews to niche flavors, there is a specialty beer for every palate. These beers can range from barrel-aged beers to sour ales, from fruit-infused beers to spiced variations, offering customers a chance to try something new and exciting. Sour ales are a distinctive type of beer known for their tart and acidic flavors. These beers are fermented with specific strains of yeast and bacteria, resulting in a sour and tangy taste profile that sets them apart from traditional ales. Another specialty beer is gluten-free beer. They are brewed using alternative grains such as sorghum, millet, or rice to create a beer that is safe for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Spruce up your beer menu with crowd-pleasing flavors of beer that you can rotate throughout the seasons. Pumpkin beer is a seasonal favorite that typically makes its appearance during the fall months. Brewed with pumpkin puree and a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, pumpkin beer offers a festive and flavorful twist on traditional beer styles. Chocolate beer is a decadent and indulgent option for those with a sweet tooth. Brewed with chocolate malt or actual cocoa nibs, these beers offer a rich and velvety flavor profile that is reminiscent of a chocolate dessert, perfect for Valentine’s Day. Whether you're looking to explore new flavor profiles or indulge in a seasonal favorite, specialty beers offer a diverse and exciting range of options for beer enthusiasts to enjoy. Specialty Beer ABV: 3-10% or over Specialty Beer IBU: Varies Types of Specialty Beer: Sour Ales, Gluten Free Beer, Farmhouse Ales, Experimental Brews Specialty Beer Brands: Dogfish Head Beer SeaQuench Ale Session Sour, Wicked Weed Brewing Gluten FREEk, Elysian Brewing Company Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter Specialty Beer Pairings: Varies Specialty Beer Serving Temperature: Varies Cooking with Beer Beer is a versatile ingredient that can add depth and complexity to a wide range of dishes, from soups and stews to desserts and dressings. When used in cooking, beer can impart unique flavors, enhancing the overall taste profile and texture. Here are just some beers you can use in the kitchen: IPA: IPAs are characterized by their hoppy bitterness and floral aromas, making them a bold choice for marinating meats or adding to cheese sauces. The intense flavors of IPAs can infuse dishes with a complex and aromatic profile, making them a popular choice for battered beer fish or shrimp. Wheat Beer: Wheat beers have a light and citrusy profile that is perfect for cooking seafood or incorporating into salad dressings. The bright and refreshing notes of wheat beers can add a subtle tanginess to dishes, enhancing the overall taste experience. Stout: Stout beers are known for their bold roasted malt flavors which are excellent for braising meats or adding depth to chocolate desserts. The rich and complex flavors of stouts can elevate dishes like beef stew or chocolate cake, creating a decadent and satisfying meal. When cooking with beer, it is important to consider the alcohol content and flavor profile of the beer to ensure it complements the other ingredients in the dish. Experimenting with different types of beer can help you discover new and exciting ways to enhance your culinary creations with the diverse flavors of this beloved beverage. Back to Top Types of Beer Chart From popular lagers and ales to unique stouts and porters, there is a wide range of beer types to help you cater to your customer preferences. By knowing the characteristics and flavors of each type of beer, you’ll be able to enhance your beverage menu and provide a memorable experience for your patrons. Once you have narrowed down your options, pair your menu with the right beer glasses for each beer type.

  • What Is ABV?

    Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a metric used to determine the alcohol content in an alcoholic beverage. The measurement shows what percentage of the beverage’s total volume is pure alcohol. Knowing the ABV of an alcoholic beverage is important, especially if you’re just opening a new bar or are starting a new brewery and plan on making your own alcohol. Small differences in ABV affect factors such as taste and likelihood of intoxication, meaning that understanding ABV and how it affects drinks is key to keeping your patrons safe and happy. Use these links to learn more about important aspects of ABV: ABV in Different Types of Alcohol How to Calculate ABV Alcohol Serving Size Additional Alcohol Measurements ABV in Different Types of Alcohol ABV in alcoholic beverages varies wildly depending on what type of alcohol you’re using. Although there may also be variance in each type of alcohol, most forms of alcohol have standard ABV ranges that you can come to expect. Beer ABV When it comes to ABV, beer is typically the alcoholic beverage with some of the lowest alcohol levels. That being said, ABV varies between different types of beer. Usually, beers have an ABV between 3.5% - 7%, but there are outliers with higher or lower ABVs. Some beers may have an ABV of less than 1%, while some IPAs might have an ABV well above 10%. Beers that have lower ABVs are typically much lighter and have many great food pairings, while beers with higher ABVs will have a much stronger and acquired taste. Hard Cider ABV Hard cider is often confused as a type of beer, but it is actually made from fermented fruit juice rather than malt. The ABV of hard cider is generally relatively similar to the ABV of beer, as you’ll commonly find hard ciders with an ABV between 4.5% - 7%. Unlike beers, hard ciders don’t have that much variance in their ABV levels, so most hard ciders you find will be in this range. Wine ABV Although not quite as strong as some other types of alcohol, the ABV of wine is still relatively high. The average ABV of wine is around 12%, meaning on average wine has more alcohol content than beers and hard ciders. There are some outliers to these numbers, as sparkling wines and white wines tend to have a slightly lower ABV of around 10%, while red wines and orange wines usually have a little more alcohol content than other wines with an ABV of around 14%. The wines with the highest ABV are known as fortified wines. These wines have distilled grape spirits included in the fermentation process, boosting ABV to around 20%. Liquor ABV When discussing liquor, the measurement known as proof is usually brought up, but ABV levels are often still included on liquor labels. Liquor has some of the highest ABV levels of alcoholic beverages, with most liquors falling somewhere between 40% - 50% ABV. Compared to other alcoholic beverages like beer and wine, this is a stark contrast and is why liquor is notorious for its strong taste. Due to the profound taste of liquor, it is sometimes matched with non-alcoholic beverages or muddled ingredients to create mixed drinks. In doing so, you’re diluting the strong taste of liquor as well as lessening the amount of alcohol you’re taking in. There are many different types of liquor and the ABV levels vary between each type. However, regardless of whether you’re serving vodka or a type of whiskey, make sure you consider liquor’s high ABV levels. Alcohol Serving Size When it comes to measuring how much alcohol is in a beverage, you'll need to multiply a drink’s ABV by the drink’s total volume. For example, a 12. oz beer with 5% ABV contains 0.6 oz. of alcohol. Conversely, a 5 oz. glass of 12% ABV wine also contains 0.6 oz. of alcohol. To figure out the total amount of alcohol in a standard alcoholic beverage like wine or beer the formula should read: ABV Percentage * Total Volume of Beverage = Total Alcohol in Beverage Since higher ABV beverages will have more alcohol in them, they are often drunk in smaller serving sizes. This is why glasses of wine are usually drunk in smaller 5 oz. servings, while liquor is typically taken in smaller shots of around 1.25 oz. How to Calculate ABV Although alcoholic beverages that you purchase are labeled with their ABV level, that isn’t the case when you’re making your own alcohol. In this scenario, the most common way to figure out ABV is by subtracting a drink’s original gravity from the final gravity and multiply your answer by 131.25. This means your ABV formula should read: (Final gravity - Original gravity) X 131.25 The relationship between original gravity and final gravity isn’t completely linear, meaning it may not be precise when measuring higher ABV beverages. If you’re confused about how to find the numbers for this formula or what they mean, here's everything you need to know: Original Gravity: The hydrometer reading before yeast is pitched. Final Gravity: The hydrometer reading after the fermentation process is complete. 131.25: This number is the conversion factor for the relative density of alcohol and water, and is reached through the use of stoichiometry calculations. ABV Calculator For the more serious brewmasters that want a more precise measurement of their beverage’s ABV, there are plenty of third-party websites that offer ABV calculators. These calculators use more complex and precise formulas, yet all you need to do is plug in the information and let the application do the ABV calculations for you. A common formula these calculators use is: ABV = (76.08 * (orignal gravity-final gravity) / (1.775 - original gravity)) * (final gravity / 0.794) The formula may seem complex at first, but when plugging it into an ABV calculator the calculations should take no time at all. Although such a complex formula usually isn’t required, it does come in handy for those that are serious about brewing their own alcohol, especially if they are making potent alcoholic beverages. Additional Alcohol Measurements Although ABV may be one of the most common measurements for how much alcohol is in a beverage, it might not be the only alcohol measurement that you come across. There are several other measurements of alcohol that you’re likely to see on various beverage labels. Understanding how to recognize these different measurements and how they relate to ABV is key to preventing major mix-ups and creating quality alcoholic beverages. Proof vs ABV Other than ABV, proof is likely one of the most common alcohol measurements you will see. In the United States, the difference between proof and ABV is simple to grasp. Proof is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume, meaning that a beverage with 40% ABV would have a proof of 80. Proof is primarily used to measure the alcohol content of liquor, and the name stems back from the early days of the American alcohol trade. Alcohol traders would water down their goods, so it was required for traders to mix their alcohol with gunpowder to prove it was legitimate. If the alcohol caught fire then it was a legitimate product with a high proof, and if it didn’t consumers could tell it had been watered down. ABW vs ABV Although ABV is what you’ll commonly find listed on labels in the United States, you may sometimes come across a beverage measured with alcohol by weight. In other parts of the world and select areas of the U.S, alcohol by weight is used, but if you find an unlabeled percentage listed on a U.S beverage, it's safe to assume it's the beverage’s ABV. A drink’s ABW is lower than its ABV, meaning a drink with 5% ABW is a drink with a higher than 5% ABV. When purchasing alcoholic beverages for your bar, make sure you’re double-checking labels to see how the alcohol content is measured, just so you know exactly how much alcohol is in a particular drink. Knowing the amount of alcohol in a particular drink is an important part of serving alcohol and creating mixed drinks. You need to know how much alcohol is in a particular drink to identify aspects such as taste and viscosity. Whether you’re buying alcohol from another source or making it yourself, always keep ABV and its effects in mind to create the best possible alcoholic beverages.