Final Kit S.G.

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djrockinsteve

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For those of you backsweetening your kits have you ever taken a s.g. reading afterwards? I was curious what some of these readings were at the completion of your wine.
 
There was just a thread in here last week about this Steve. If your wine is done, and you are sure, when you backsweeten, the SG is going to rise. It doesn't mean it is going to ferment. But the hydrometer doesn't know it has been sorbated, it only reads the "sugar" level.

If I can remeber or find the post I will sure send it your way.
 
I have started taking the reading while I'm actually doing the back sweetening and then again after it's been filtered just before bottling . I do this so if I like the sweeteness it will help me then next time . But kit SG readings are different then wine made from store bought juice where the level is we like it ,the kit is lower . Steve you should definitely take the reading since our taste change from day to day .
 
I don't know for wines exactly, but last year/year before, I bought 4 different makes of commercially available mead.

Now it's fair to point out, that they all tasted "cloyingly sweet" - far too sweet for my taste. Inasfaras I deemed them all to be "Dessert" mead.

So what was the numbers? Well, after the taste test, I measured them and all 4 of them came out between 1038 and 1045 for final gravity readings.

Also, I seem to recall reading somewhere, that there is a set of numbers that match the descriptions i.e. dry, medium dry, medium, medium sweet, sweet, etc etc. You'd have to google for it if you want to stick to the numbers rather than back sweetening to taste.

Personally, I do both (with my meads), but more often than not, I just back sweeten to taste......

regards

fatbloke

p.s. Oh and if you put a hydrometer into a measure of "Stones Ginger Wine", I think that you'd be amazed at how much sugar it contains.
 
I take an sg reading just so I know if I ever make that kit again or whatever wine it is where abouts I like it sweetened to and also just incase a I think its starting to ferment again I can check the sg to make sure its not despeite the sorbate and k-meta. It will give you an idea of what to sweeten your second alike wine to. Taking a lot of notes will help you down the line!!!
 
I'm curious what these kits for Reds have you sweeten them too in the end. Are they sweetened to a semi dry, sweet etc.?
 
Sorry I can't help you there I only do whites .I'm sure someone here can ..
 
Sorry I can't help you there I only do whites .I'm sure someone here can ..

Okay, what are your final s.g. on your wines. The reason for my asking is I would like to have a variety of ranges of dryness/sweetness for my wines. This fall I will probably have around 25 to 30 different kinds of wines. Trying to age some but they go fast.
 
Remember the THREE "T's" ?
TASTE
TASTE
TASTE
It YOUR taste thats important. Now, some of my back sweetened wins can be 1.005-1.010
Like Wade said WRITE IT DOWN. Keeping records will help you make better wine. It will also help US to help YOU if something goes wrong.
 

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