Fruit wine SG high-ish?

[toddphilip]

I don't want to be a paranoid peter, but on my second day of stirring my gooseberry wine I checked the SG and it's at 1.100. I'd be a little more comfortable if this was my starting point, but in my imagination my starting point was probably closer to 1.200.

Essentially, I wonder what the effect will be. The graphic from the hydrometer thread suggests the wine may be hot.

 

[tonyandkory]

well if it ferments down to .998 then you have the potential for about 25% abv but I doubt your yeast will make it that far.... it will probably just go up to 18%
this would leave you at around 1.006-1.005

I will be potent for sure but should come around with that much residual left.

 

[cindy]

coming from a serious newb if I read the hydrometer right my Strawberry started at 1.120 in the beginning today it's 1.020 it smells good
still fermenting, yesterday I poured a little over ice and drank it lol I'm still alive this morning! what it reminds me of are those
orange Spikes they sell at the liquor store cause I can taste the alcohol yet it still has a strong strawberry flavor
I plan to add pure strawberry extract if I need it. but I'm having a great time making wine and still happy about how it's turning out.
I followed the recipe exact but being my 1st batch I didn't know recipes are a guide and I guess depending on the fruit-s you use
have different sugar amounts so they need tweaking here and there. lol I think..............

 

[tonyandkory]

Welcome to the new world order Cindy.

you definitely hit the nail on the head right out the gate

read on there is enough info on this site to write 10 books.

 

[rhythmsteve]

quick advice: "imagination it was probably closer......." it will be a lot easier, and more understandable in the future if you know exactly what the SG, temp, PH were @ every step of the process. If you keep detailed records then in the future you can easily recognize patterns for what is/is not working for you and your setup. I imagine this will be a little overbearing at first, if it ferments completely to dry (if your yeast can even handle 25+ % ALC), i would use extracts, pure juice or cut it with something to tame the alcohol taste.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Just remember, SG does NOT measure only the sugar in the must, it also measures everything that is in there that could make the liquid "thicker".

You might have been reading sugar, seeds, pulp, hair, feathers, ants, motor oil, flour or any other "thickening" agent. Now, if you had JUST sugar and water, then you could conclude that you might get 20% alcohol. In a fruit must, there is too much stuff to say for sure.

 

[cindy]

Just remember, SG does NOT measure only the sugar in the must, it also measures everything that is in there that could make the liquid "thicker".

You might have been reading sugar, seeds, pulp, hair, feathers, ants, motor oil, flour or any other "thickening" agent. Now, if you had JUST sugar and water, then you could conclude that you might get 20% alcohol. In a fruit must, there is too much stuff to say for sure.

EEWWW..^^^^ I also read that taking the SG reading from the bucket is less accurate cause of particals and foam so I started using the thief and getting just the liquid in the center of the fermenter and putting the hydrometer in the theif and give the hydrometer a good spin to remove air bubbles. I also made the mistake of not calibrating my hydrometer before use..just a thought

 

[toddphilip]

Thanks Steve and Dr. C. - the fruit kits didn't come with the hygrometer, but I realized there was one in my grape kit. I was kind of being silly to suggest 1.200, but it obviously started over 1.100. The sample was just after stirring up the pot, so it was (probably?) thick with pulp.

The kit came with Montrachet so it is like 18% on the high end? I could always cut or sweeten it - if need be. My wife would probably even like it on the sweet side. Not me.

 

[rhythmsteve]

actually Montrachet is more around a 13% cutoff, but just keep a close eye on, tasting and measuring, and have fun with it. If you think its going to kill off your yeast, split it into 2 seperate batches and bring your SG to around 1.100 - 1.125 and go from there