hydrometer reading

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mf148954

Junior
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hey guys.

i just got a hydrometer and i tried to take a reading of my coolaid wine that is nearing a month old and still bubbling like crazy and i cant get an acurate reading. i spinn it and it stops in a different place most of the time sometims at 1060 sometimes at .990 and no matter what reading i get a second or two after the spinning slows it starts to rise due to bubbles clinging onto the sides i would imagine. i would like some help with this soon because my blueberry wine is due to have to yeast pitched today and i dont want to have the same problem with it. i am going to take a reading of the must befor i pitch the yeast and ill let you know what that is. the recipe say that i should take sg readings daily till it hits 1.030 then syphon to secondary but i am worried that i wont get an accurate reading because of the bubbles. what do you suggest?

matt
 
it's probably gassy..

rack to your secondary.. let it splash into it.. then have another go at taking a reading.... take some of the wine and let it sit in the fridge for an hour before taking the reading.. if it's still fermenting.. the change in the temperature will stop the yeast activity temporarily so you can take a more stable reading.

a month is quite a long time to still be fermenting. However.. I made a ribena wine.. and it just seemed to ferment forever. weeks and weeks..

let us know how you get on...

Allie
 
hey guys.

i just got a hydrometer and i tried to take a reading of my coolaid wine that is nearing a month old and still bubbling like crazy and i cant get an acurate reading. i spinn it and it stops in a different place most of the time sometims at 1060 sometimes at .990 and no matter what reading i get a second or two after the spinning slows it starts to rise due to bubbles clinging onto the sides i would imagine. i would like some help with this soon because my blueberry wine is due to have to yeast pitched today and i dont want to have the same problem with it. i am going to take a reading of the must befor i pitch the yeast and ill let you know what that is. the recipe say that i should take sg readings daily till it hits 1.030 then syphon to secondary but i am worried that i wont get an accurate reading because of the bubbles. what do you suggest?

matt

Hi Matt,

Sometimes the bubbles seem to be more of a problem than I can handle, try adding the juice to the hydrometer tube then dropping the hydrometer into it slowing and see if this doesn't help. When first reading a hydrometer it can be a little tricky you may think it is not giving you a constant reading but once you get use to it the readings will be a lot easier. If you spin it and let it stop you should be find, if it stops and clings to the side just push it off and let is settle then take a reading.
 
it's probably gassy..

rack to your secondary.. let it splash into it.. then have another go at taking a reading.... take some of the wine and let it sit in the fridge for an hour before taking the reading.. if it's still fermenting.. the change in the temperature will stop the yeast activity temporarily so you can take a more stable reading.

a month is quite a long time to still be fermenting. However.. I made a ribena wine.. and it just seemed to ferment forever. weeks and weeks..

let us know how you get on...

Allie
I afree with Allie. I bet it needs degassing. Do as Allie said and see what happens.
Primary fermentation is usually over in a week depending on temp.
 
well after struggling with it for a while i descided to give it a good spin and let it sit for 5 minutes. after the 5 went by the bubbles had dissipated and it was sitting at 996 i taped it and it went right back. tapped it again and it still read 996 so i descided that must be it. i racked it more splashily than i usually would and repaced the lock. it now seems to be bubbling very little if at all. do you think it would be a good time to add my k meta sorbate and fining agent? or should i give it a few days to chill out and see what it does?

i took a reading of my blueberry (with no yeast) and it was at 1.074 so i pitched the yeast and replaced the cap.

QUESTIONS:

1) the tube my hydrometer came with is aweful. its VERY small and crooked so i am currently using a vase that i washed and sanitized. since i am doing one gallon batches my firmentation bucket is too shallow to get a reading so i have to use the vase. my question is will syphoning or pouring the wine into the vase to take readings (the recipe tells me to take a reading evrey day till the sg drops to 1.030 before syphoning into secondary) interfear with the firmentation or mess it up in any way?

2) the lid of my firmentation bucket doesnt fit tightly. ie: it doesnt snap down i bought it online and i was under the inpression that is should snap down securly. it is a drilled and grometed lid and the set up is a heavy book on the lid and a air lock in the hole is this ok??

thank you for reading my lengthy questions.

matt.
 
oh and btw my coolaid wine tastes surprisingly good at this stage for just some sugar water and coolaid and for only being a month old. :b
 

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