Alcohol Distilling Calculator

Calculate dilution and blending for spirits.

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Features

Precision Dilution

Calculate the exact water volume needed to proof down spirits to your target ABV.

Advanced Blending

Mix two spirits with different proofs and volumes to see the final resulting ABV.

Cost Estimation

Input costs for each spirit to instantly calculate the total batch cost and cost per unit.

Volume Contraction Note

Includes educational notes on physical phenomena like volume contraction in ethanol-water mixtures.

One-Click Recipe

Copy your full dilution or blending recipe to the clipboard for your logs.

About Alcohol Distilling Calculator

The Alcohol Distilling Calculator is a comprehensive utility designed for home distillers and spirit enthusiasts. Distilling is an art that requires precision—whether you are proofing down a high-ABV distillate to bottling strength or blending different batches to create a consistent product. This tool features two primary modes: Dilution Calculator: Determines the exact volume of water needed to reduce a spirit from a high ABV (e.g., 95% neutral spirit) to a target ABV (e.g., 40% vodka). It uses standard concentration formulas to ensure accuracy. Blending Calculator: Solves the complex math of mixing two spirits of different volumes and strengths. It not only calculates the Final ABV and Total Volume but also provides a Cost Estimator to help you price your final blend based on ingredient costs.

How to Use Alcohol Distilling Calculator

  • 1
    Choose Mode

    Select Dilution to water down a spirit, or Blending to mix two spirits.

  • 2
    Enter Details

    Input the Volume and ABV % for your base spirit(s).

  • 3
    Set Target

    For dilution, specify the Desired ABV you want to achieve.

  • 4
    Review Results

    View the required water or final blend stats immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

When alcohol and water are mixed, they undergo volume contraction because water molecules are smaller and fit into the spaces between ethanol molecules. This calculator provides a linear approximation, but your actual physical volume might be up to 3% lower.
Always use distilled or Reverse Osmosis (RO) water. Tap water contains minerals that can cause unappealing cloudiness (louche) or metallic off-flavors in your high-quality spirit.
Yes! If you are adding a sugar syrup or flavoring that contains no alcohol, simply treat it as "Spirit 2" with an ABV of 0%. This will accurately show how much the syrup Dilutes your total proof.
In the Blending tab, enter the cost per liter for each ingredient. The calculator will provide the weighted average cost for your final blend.
Most home distilling units produce spirits between 70% and 94% ABV. You must proof these down to 40% (80 proof) to avoid fire hazards and for safe consumption.
When proofing down, it is generally recommended to "Add Alcohol to Water" (A to W) rather than water to alcohol, as this can reduce the chances of temporary cloudiness.