The Alcodens Blending Calculator

1.
The AlcoDens Blending Calculator
The AlcoDens Blending Calculator is one of several functions available in the AlcoDens program. This
calculator can calculate the strength of a blend of 2 sources of known quantity and strength, but here it
is used in the alternate mode where it will calculate the quantity of the sources required to
achieve target blend strength, as would typically be done when proofing to bottling strength.
At the heart of AlcoDens is a database that has very accurate data for the density of ethanol and water
mixtures. This allows it to calculate alcohol dilution ratios very accurately. As you will see in the next
section, the results obtained from AlcoDens agree very closely with the results obtained doing alcohol
dilution calculations using the TTB Table No.6 Method, which has been in use for 100 years by American
distillers proofing their products.
2. The TTB Table No.6 Method for alcohol dilution & proofing calculations
In the USA the manufacture and trade of alcoholic beverages are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco
Tax and Trade Bureau - usually abbreviated as TTB. To facilitate alcohol gauging, blending and proofing
calculations in the days before electronic calculators and computer spreadsheets the TTB issued a set of
7 Tables which allowed very accurate alcohol dilution calculations to be performed with a minimum of
mathematics. The ingenuity of these tables is reflected in the fact that they are still in use today, 100
years after their original issue. All the TTB Tables use Proof as the measure of strength. The Proof is
simply twice the % ABV at 60ºF. For example, a blend that is 50 % ABV at 60ºF is 100 Proof. It is TTB
Table No.6 that is used for alcohol dilution calculations. The TTB Tables are designed to work at 60ºF and
this example has been formulated to match that.
There are correction factors included in the TTB Tables to allow working at different temperatures and
although they do not change the basic method illustrated here they do complicate the math
considerably. Also the Table No.6 data is given for whole numbers of Proof only and it is usually
necessary to interpolate between the given data points to match actual measurements. AlcoDens
automatically compensates for temperature differences and can calculate for any fractional strength,
making it much easier to use than the TTB Tables for real life proofing operations.
3. The Pearson's Square Method for alcohol dilution calculations
Before describing the process, it must be pointed out that while there are instances where the Pearson's
Square method for alcohol dilution calculation does give sufficiently accurate results, in general the
method is not accurate because it does not take the shrinkage into account. (Please understand the
limitations of this method before using it).
Unlike the previous 2 examples, the volumes of the two sources do add up to the total blend volume in
this case. This is because there is no way for the shrinkage to be taken into account. After each dilution
the blend strength has to be re-measured, the proofing dilution calculation redone, and more water
added until the target is achieved. When using the AlcoDens or Table No.6 methods, this can be
achieved in a single step. As an aside, it can be mentioned that if masses rather than volumes are used
for the quantities of the 2 sources in the Pearson's Square method the results are even more inaccurate.
If the strengths are measured in volumetric terms (eg % ABV or Proof) then the quantities must also be
volumetric.
When the Pearson's Square is used to blend sources of similar strength for example when blending
wines the result can be sufficiently accurate. However, when diluting distilled spirits with water or when
fortifying wines with spirits the results will not be accurate and a more rigorous method should be
employed for the blending calculations.
Reference:
Alcohol Dilution & Proofing Calculation Methods. (2019). Retrieved from Katmar Software:
https://www.katmarsoftware.com/articles/alcohol-dilution-calculator.html

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The AlcoDens Blending Calculator

3. The Pearson's Square Method for alcohol dilution calculations

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