Is my low SG usual?

[domw001]

After two weeks of planning, reading, more planning, more reading and re-planning, I started my first ever batch of fresh fruit Blackcurrant / Loganberry / Raspbery yesterday and I took an SG reading BEFORE adding any sugar.

I got 1.002

Now as a total noob I dont know if this is OK (seems a bit low to me, one step up from H2O in fact) but I had to guess the sugar required because I have yet to find a hydro table that lists 1.002.

I will take another reading before I add the yeast tonight so I will get a better idea of whats in store.

So to recap, is a pre-sugar reading of 1.002 anything to worry about?

 

[winemaker_3352]

That is fairly low - the lowest i have had is 1.022. Don't think there is much to worry about - just add sugar to 1.085.

may consider an f-pac and backsweeten later.

 

[Green Mountains]

After two weeks of planning, reading, more planning, more reading and re-planning, I started my first ever batch of fresh fruit Blackcurrant / Loganberry / Raspbery yesterday and I took an SG reading BEFORE adding any sugar.

I got 1.002

Now as a total noob I dont know if this is OK (seems a bit low to me, one step up from H2O in fact) but I had to guess the sugar required because I have yet to find a hydro table that lists 1.002.

I will take another reading before I add the yeast tonight so I will get a better idea of whats in store.

So to recap, is a pre-sugar reading of 1.002 anything to worry about?

I'm questioning if you read that right. I'm guessing it's at least 1.02 not 1.002. Even still, that's really low as well. Make sure you are using the gravity scale.

 

[domw001]

I think i have read it right.

I tested the hydro with just plain water and it read 1.000 so I know it was callibrated OK
The must SG reading was just below this.

The other things it may be are:

- picked fruit too soon (not enough natural sugar)
- too little fruit (used 8# of fruit for a 1 gal batch)
- too much water (total water/juice volume is 1.5 gal)

 

[Tom]

Make sure you added pectic enzyme. This will help extract the juice/sugar. Then ck gravity. If U need to add sugar take a qt from the must, heat it and dissolve sugar in this.

 

[domw001]

Already added pectic last night.

Just measured again (24 hours after start) and the SG is at 1.092 so it's looking good for a nice, dry, Rose-looking wine.

Added a "young" yeast starter so I guess I just sit back and wait.

 

[Green Mountains]

Now that looks like an SG I could live with. How much sugar did you add?

 

[Wade E]

Wow, now thats a little different! Did you add sugar or not crush the berries at first?

 

[domw001]

Slow cooked berries for 15 minutes then mashed.
Strained juice into fermenter & put pulp into nylon net.

Left for 4 hours before I took the 1st SG reading.

Because there isnt a 1.002 reading on any hydrometer table I had to assume a potental %vol alcohol of 0

I was aiming for a final 14.1% vol so I put 1890g of sugar in.

 

[Luc]

The amount of sugar you added is for a 10 liter batch or alike.
How much fruit did you add ???

Personally I would not have cooked the fruit......

Luc

 

[domw001]

4kg of fruit

I got an fruit/sugar SG reading of 1.092 before I added the yeast so hopefully I am on target for 12-12.5%.

The must has been fermenting well for the last 3 days so it all looks positive.

I cooked the fruit to soften it before mashing.

Do you see this as being a disadvantage?