Beverage Brewing, Distilling & Fermentation worked example

Alcohol Loss Estimate at 2.88% target maximum alcohol loss: a worked example

Push target maximum alcohol loss up to 2.88% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. a brewery, distillery, or beverage plant needs to quantify alcohol loss through transfer, filtration, proofing, barreling, blending, or packaging

The inputs for this scenario

  • Alcohol volume lost: 18 proof gal or LAA (unchanged)
  • Starting alcohol volume: 640 proof gal or LAA (unchanged)
  • Target maximum alcohol loss: 2.88 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 2.5)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Alcohol loss = alcohol volume lost ÷ starting alcohol volume × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2.81 % alcohol loss for alcohol loss, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.07 points for loss gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 18 proof gal or LAA for alcohol volume lost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 640 proof gal or LAA for starting alcohol volume.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target maximum alcohol loss sits at 2.5% and the headline result is 2.81 % alcohol loss, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 2.81 % alcohol loss.
  • It computes alcohol lost as a percentage of starting alcohol volume and the point gap to your maximum allowable loss target. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Alcohol loss: 2.81 % alcohol loss (headline result)
  • Loss gap to target: 0.07 points
  • Alcohol volume lost: 18 proof gal or LAA
  • Starting alcohol volume: 640 proof gal or LAA

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Alcohol Loss Estimate calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.