I think I messed up but not sure how

[rainayeh]

I started a new batch of Port the other day, moved a little fast for many reasons, I took SG reading and it was about 1.020, didn't think much about it, added yeast etc and put it away.
Now 5 days later I took another reading and it is at 1.000 but it hit me all of a sudden, my starting SG was way too low and should have been around 1.1, not sure why the low starting SG but too late now. is iT ??

 

[Tom]

Is this a KIT ?

 

[rainayeh]

yes. Kenridge.

 

[ffemt128]

I started a new batch of Port the other day, moved a little fast for many reasons, I took SG reading and it was about 1.020, didn't think much about it, added yeast etc and put it away.
Now 5 days later I took another reading and it is at 1.000 but it hit me all of a sudden, my starting SG was way too low and should have been around 1.1, not sure why the low starting SG but too late now. is iT ??

I've never done it before but I see no reason why you couln't pull some of the juice out and make a simple syrup to increase sg to where you wanted it initially then add back into where you are now. I would think at worst you may have to add more yeast if they yeast you originally used died off.

You stated you wanted 1.090 currently at 1.000 add simple syrup to get to 1.070 should get you about where you originally wanted to be.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in and let you know their opinion. In my mine what I stated makes sense.

Good luck

 

[cpfan]

It's been a while since I made a Kenridge Classic Port, but the starting sg was never that low. A couple of quick questions....

1. This is a three US gallon kit. Did you mix to 6 US gallons?

2. The kit includes two bags of juice. Did you just add the smaller of the two, reserving the larger one?

Steve

 

[Runningwolf]

It's been a while since I made a Kenridge Classic Port, but the starting sg was never that low. A couple of quick questions....

1. This is a three US gallon kit. Did you mix to 6 US gallons?

2. The kit includes two bags of juice. Did you just add the smaller of the two, reserving the larger one?

Steve

Steve you amaze sometimes. I was just thinking a simple missread Hydro. #1 sounds more like it.

 

[rainayeh]

Actually it is a 3 gallon kit (10 L) and i only added about a cup of water to reach the 3 gallon mark in the primary fermentor.
It comes with a large juice bag and a small reserve bag. I only used the large bag at this point.

My concern is if i started the yeast too soon, before the juice reached (72 to 77F deg) mark, will this give a very weak mix at the end. In effect since the sarting sg level was so low will the yeast not do all its work and yield a very low alcohol mix.

 

[Tom]

I think he didnt mix it very good OR misreading the hydrometer

 

[Sirs]

my first question would be how does it taste it may have just been a bad reading, if it tastes fine like it has plenty of alcohol go with the flow and if it tastes low then make simple syrup with some of the wine and add back to it yeast should still be active

 

[Dugger]

Can you remember how the hydrometer looked when you read it the first time - was it sitting quite high? If so, it probably read 1.120 rather than 1.020. It seems highly unlikely it could be such a low SG. Did it ferment well for those 5 days? If so, it would have dropped more than .020 which would again point to an initial misread. Also try tasting it now to see if it is still sweet. The initial juice would have been very sweet, but after getting to 1.000 it should be much less so.
Another thought - does this kit have a bag of sugar to add ( chaptilization) that may not have been added, although this usually is later in the process - not sure of the Kenridge protocol?

 

[rainayeh]

That's the problem, i started the batch fast due to other things and didn't pay much attention although i am certain it was low in the juice which is why i suspect the low sg reading.
Oh well, i think i will keep it going and hope for the best.
Thanx for everyone's help.