Very low initial SG

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ValGalJCA

Junior
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
This is our very first attempt at at-home-wine-making.

Our initial hydrometer readings were as follows:
Specific Gravity 1.020
Brix 5%
Potential Alcohol 2.5%


We purchased grape juice from a local vendor that was already pressed and destemmed. Do these readings indicate that our wine will yield an even lower Alcohol percentage? If so, is there anything we can do in the coming weeks to help, such as adding sugar? If yes, at what point in the process should we add it?

Thank you for any advice you may have to offer!
 
This is our very first attempt at at-home-wine-making.

Our initial hydrometer readings were as follows:
Specific Gravity 1.020
Brix 5%
Potential Alcohol 2.5%


We purchased grape juice from a local vendor that was already pressed and destemmed. Do these readings indicate that our wine will yield an even lower Alcohol percentage? If so, is there anything we can do in the coming weeks to help, such as adding sugar? If yes, at what point in the process should we add it?

Thank you for any advice you may have to offer!
My guess is that the juice started out much higher, and it has fermented in the store's storage. What juice is it?

Steve
 
This is our very first attempt at at-home-wine-making.

Our initial hydrometer readings were as follows:
Specific Gravity 1.020
Brix 5%
Potential Alcohol 2.5%


We purchased grape juice from a local vendor that was already pressed and destemmed. Do these readings indicate that our wine will yield an even lower Alcohol percentage? If so, is there anything we can do in the coming weeks to help, such as adding sugar? If yes, at what point in the process should we add it?

Thank you for any advice you may have to offer!
I agree with Steve.
I'm in NJ where did you buy the juice. What kind is it. Was this in a 6 gal pail?
 
We purchased them at Corrado's in Clifton, NJ and yes, it was in a 6 gallon pail. We purchased an all-in-one kit geared specifically for beginners and included a mixture of selected grapes.
 
I have heard of some who got juice there that the wine was fermenting or low reading when received.
Dont worry. I'm sure it will come out OK. You can ck out Gino Pinto in Hamonton. He may be closer
http://www.ginopinto.com
 
Thanks Tom! We will check out Gino Pinto. It is definitely closer.
I have another question now. Should we rack sooner than a week's time then? It has been in our primary fermenter for over 24 hours and it doesn't appear to be "vigorously" fermenting. Since our initial readings were so low we are not sure at what reading we should do our firt racking.
 
I always rack at 1.010. Was this last years juices or were these at room temp when you got them?
 
The juice was obviously refrigerated when we received it, as the container was cold. We allowed it to come down to 60 degrees before transferring the juice to our primary fermenter. Would you assume these were last year's juices b/c we received them cold?
 
Im assumng these were last years juices because they will ferment at those temps but very slowly. I made this mistake a few years ago and the sg was about the same as yours was. I went back and got some money back and gave them a pce of my mind for not telling me they were last years juices and they know damn well these buckets have been fermenting as it happens every year!!!!!!!
 
CA juices are in right now I will pick up mine from Ginos this week.
I would either let it go dry and rack or rack @ 1.010.. In your case let it go dry
What did you get?
 
We're very new to this :slp and don't understand what "let it go dry means." How often should we be taking a reading?
 
We're very new to this :slp and don't understand what "let it go dry means." How often should we be taking a reading?

Dry means .990 to 1.00
1st you need to measure your initial (starting) gravity asap, then once yeast added ck gravity in 5 days to see how fast its fermenting
 

Latest posts

Back
Top