Measuring ABV after oaking.

[kiwikeg]

does oaking effect the accuracy of a alcometer?
Opened a 1 litre bottle of 45% neutral that had been sitting well sealed on a nice oak chunk for 12months and temp' corrected it measured at 38% where did 7% of my booze go?

[R-sole]

Was it temp corrected the first time you checked it? :geek:

[JayD]

does oaking effect the accuracy of a alcometer?
Opened a 1 litre bottle of 45% neutral that had been sitting well sealed on a nice oak chunk for 12months and temp' corrected it measured at 38% where did 7% of my booze go?

I have heard this referred to as the "angels share"...you think they leave a couple of bucks as a tar...lol's but hey l am a newb so l could be way off the mark.

[R-sole]

Not in a sealed bottle

[Panda]

oak soaks in more ethanol then water?

[kiwikeg]

I have changed alcometers due to breakages but both measurements were temp corrected. bottle was sealed up well, I checked that again so I now have only 2 possible theorys
1- one of the alcometers was inaccurate
2- the tannins from the oak may increase the sg of the spirits enuff to throw the alcometer off?
@ panda wondered about that too but that much alcohol?

[kiwikeg]

Well google found this

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 37&t=23804
and this
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=23439

And reading My old cellar journal has revealed the answer- there was essence added to the bottle too, sugar from that is probily throwing the measurment off.
thanks for the replies this has been worrying me all weekend.