What is Alcotest?
AlcoTest measures the %ABV of alcoholic beverages in less than 3 minutes. It eliminates the distillation requirement, thus saving time.
Alcotest is a combination of Rudolph’s Density Meter and Refractometer. You can measure %ABV with only DDM but only if water and alcohol are present. If there are other ingredients, DDM with distillation is needed, but the distillation process is very long. A Refractometer is used as a standard to predict the amount of ingredients thus removing the distillation process.
Why Alcotest?
In many countries, alcohol production is closely regulated, and accurate tax reporting is required. Government-mandated measurement methods can be time-consuming and require laboratory expertise to ensure accurate results. Rudolph creates Alcotest to give fast and correct %ABV values.
The AlcoTest provides both a certified government-compliant method and a fast non-certified method for measuring % ABV. Certified results can be used for tax purposes and serve as the benchmark method. The “Production Method” allows for measuring alcohol content without distillation, as well as reading the sugar content, which is the primary source of obscuration in flavored alcoholic beverages.
Choosing your Alcotest Configuration
There are 3 things to choose: Density Meter models, Refractometers models, and sample loading options.
Choose your Density Meter
For more detailed information on each model go to our Rudolph Density Meter page.

DDM 2910
- Accurate to 0.0001 g/ml density
- Accurate to 0.1% ABV
- Suitable for wineries and breweries
DDM 2911
- Accurate to 0.00005 g/ml density
- Accurate to 0.05% ABV
- Suitable for wineries and breweries
- Complies with European standards for spirits
DDM 2911 Plus
- Accurate to 0.00001 g/ml density
- Accurate to 0.01% ABV
- Suitable for distilleries and multi-product producers
- Complies with US and European requirements for spirits
- Utilized by the US TTB
Choose your Refractometer
For more detailed information on each model, go to our Rudolph Refractometer page.

J157OM-DP ( Wine, Beer, and Obscured Spirits)
- Accurate to 0.00002 Refractive index
- Accurate to 0.02 Brix
- Range 1.32 – 1.53 Refractive Index
- Range 0 – 100 Brix
- Suitable for all beverage applications both alcoholic and non alcoholic
J457OM-DP (Wine, Beer, Obscured Spirits, and Raw Flavors)
- Accurate to 0.00002 Refractive index
- Accurate to 0.02 Brix
- Range 1.26 – 1.70 Refractive Index
- Range 0 – 100 Brix
- This model is excellent for flavor companies wanting to test raw materials
Choose your Sample Loading Option
Alcotest with Syringe Fill
Manual injection, syringe is a consumable.

Alcotest with MM Peri Pump
Semi-automatic loading with pumping system.

Alcotest with Automation
Great for high sample output, automate from loading to cleaning.

Applications
High Proof Spirits including Bourbons, Straight Spirits, and Flavored Spirits

Spirits manufacturers are typically subject to the highest tax rates and stand to gain the most from using the AlcoTest. With the recent surge in the popularity of flavored or obscured spirits, the ability to create specialized methods for each product can significantly reduce the number of distillations required in the lab. The AlcoTest offers the ideal solution, cutting down the need for 2, 3, or even 4 distillations on a batch of flavored products to just one.
The AlcoCalc® option enables the AlcoTest® to calculate alcohol and water solution dilutions. Using known tables, the AlcoCalc® feature automatically determines the amount of water needed to dilute a high %ABV solution to the desired %ABV, or how much alcohol to add to achieve the target %ABV. This configuration is commonly preferred by distilleries and many flavor companies. It is the most cost-effective setup, requiring the lowest sample volume, and also supports the measurement of highly viscous or rheopectic samples, which is crucial for flavor companies.
Wine

There are several unapproved quick methods for wine analysis. While alcohol content is typically less critical for wine than for spirits, there are still regulatory requirements to consider. In some countries, such as the USA, tax rates may change once a certain alcohol threshold is reached (e.g., 16.0% ABV). Wineries must use an approved method when producing a product near that threshold. Some of the unapproved methods focus more on measuring other components of wine and may provide % ABV, but they do not offer the same level of accuracy as the AlcoTest.
Beer

The last decade has witnessed significant growth in the variety of beers introduced to the market. Accurately controlling the brewing process is essential for transitioning from a hobbyist to a profitable brewer. The AlcoTest® determines:
- Original Extract
- Apparent Extract
- Real/True Extract
- Alcohol by volume
- Alcohol by weight
- Real Degree of Fermentation
- Real Attenuation
- Apparent Degree of Fermentation / Apparent Attenuation
Ready to Drink Alcohol

Many successful soft drink manufacturers are now expanding into ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages. While beverage companies have traditionally focused on monitoring Brix, this value is now obscured by alcohol. To maintain the correct Brix value in their soft drink production process, it is necessary to account for the alcohol in the product that affects the measurement. The AlcoTest solves this issue by measuring the Brix value as if no alcohol were present.
Summary
AlcoTest advantage is in eliminating the time-consuming distillation requirement by utilising Rudolph Density Meter and Refractometer. It has 2 test methods: the fast production method and certified government-compliant method.
In choosing your Alcotest, if your alcohol only has water and no other ingredients, just a Density Meter is enough. But if there are other ingredients a Refractometer is needed.
There are many ways to load the sample, manually by syringe, semi-automatic by pumping system, and fully automated by automation.