WineXpert LE Nebbiolo Starting SG

[Victord]

Hi all. I am fairly new to wine making and have found this forum incredibly informative. I just received and started my 6th kit - the Winexpert LE 2012 Nebbiolo. After topping up to 6 gallons as described in the instructions, I took the SG reading and it was 1.064. The kit instructions say to look for a starting SG of 1.090 to 1.100. This is the first kit I've done where the SG was off that much from the range in the instructions. Does anyone know if it would be best just to add sugar to bring it into the recommended range or simply leave it where it is and pitch the yeast? Any help or recommendations would be much appreciated.

 

[joshs]

Is this the kit with grape skins? If so, that will raise the gravity up to where it should be potentially. Also, how well did you stir?

-Josh

 

[Victord]

It is the kit with the grape skins. Stirred it up pretty good for about a minute, added the grape skins and took the reading. Maybe I should just let it sit for a few hours and see if it goes up.

 

[Boatboy24]

Let it sit for a few hours. The sugars in the skins will raise your SG. Give it a good stir a few times during those hours, and measure.

I just started a Vineco LR kit about two weeks ago. SG when I first added the skins was 1.090, but it peaked at 1.102 several hours (and stirrings) later.

 

[robie]

1.064 is a little low for that kit. How are you taking the SG reading? With a hydrometer or with a refractometer?

If hydrometer, make sure it is not sticking to the sides of the vessel in which you are taking the reading. Give the hydrometer a good spin before you take the reading.

 

[Victord]

Took the reading with a hydrometer. I did spin it to unstick it from the sides. Even tried my spare; same readings. I just took the reading again, it's at 1.068. 1.090 is a long way to go. Only thing I can think is I added too much water for the kit; but I did stop short of my 6 gal mark to take the reading. Looks like I'll be added sugar to bring it up. Really hope I didn't ruin this one.

 

[robie]

Took the reading with a hydrometer. I did spin it to unstick it from the sides. Even tried my spare; same readings. I just took the reading again, it's at 1.068. 1.090 is a long way to go. Only thing I can think is I added too much water for the kit; but I did stop short of my 6 gal mark to take the reading. Looks like I'll be added sugar to bring it up. Really hope I didn't ruin this one.

I'd contact WineXpert specifically about it. not the LHBS. It just shouldn't be that low.

 

[cpfan]

Took the reading with a hydrometer. I did spin it to unstick it from the sides. Even tried my spare; same readings. I just took the reading again, it's at 1.068. 1.090 is a long way to go. Only thing I can think is I added too much water for the kit; but I did stop short of my 6 gal mark to take the reading. Looks like I'll be added sugar to bring it up. Really hope I didn't ruin this one.

My suggestion would be to stir well and take another reading before adding any sugar.

BTW, how did you get the sample for the reading?

Steve

 

[Victord]

My suggestion would be to stir well and take another reading before adding any sugar.

BTW, how did you get the sample for the reading?

Steve

I am going to let this one sit overnight and see what happens. Just used a regular wine thief to get the must into my test vial. If its still really low I'll call Winexpert in the morning.

 

[millwright01]

Mine was close to the same, 1.063 to start. I stirred it real well and added the skins in the bag. I let it sit overnight to come to room temp. like I always do and gave it a good stir in the morning and it was up to 1.076 so I pitched yeast as I figured it would likely end up where it needed to be as it extracted the rest of the sugars from the grape pack. Don't know if that was right or wrong.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Apparently the material in the grape pack is quite viscous and will not easily dissolve over a short period of time. Just let it sit for a several hours or so and stir every so often. It should move up to the expected range. Do not add any sugar to the must.

 

[wineh]

Interesting. I have the same issue. I put the kit on yesterday AM and waited 'till 8PM to take my SG. It was 1.07, so I lifted out the bag of skins, and stirred vigorously again, put the bag back in and left it overnight. It is still 1.07 this morning, so stirring is not the issue (nor is over dilution). I did note that a bit of the juice was in the outer layer of the double walled bag (less than a cup). I have emailed WE about this already, and have this response:


Here is Tims information on his batch:
The fermentable solids in the grape pack of the LE 2012 Nebbiolo came out much thicker and more viscous than anticipated, and it has taken up to 24 hours for them to dissolve in the kits. This process is much slower if the wine is below 72 F when the pack is added.
I made one of my own Nebbiolo kits this morning, and I was in the same boat as everyone else: the gravity did not rise more than 5 points with the grape pack addition, despite some stirring, and when I fished it out to have a look at it you can see in the attached image that it was still very gooey inside the pack.



I hope the attachment shows up. I'll re-post when I get home.

 

[Victord]

Just got off the phone with Winexpert and they said exactly the same thing. Told me it was fine to pitch the yeast and the sugars will come out. I'll put the yeast in when I get home and we'll see how it comes out. I am really looking forward to this one.

 

[robie]

Just got off the phone with Winexpert and they said exactly the same thing. Told me it was fine to pitch the yeast and the sugars will come out. I'll put the yeast in when I get home and we'll see how it comes out. I am really looking forward to this one.

It's good that you called them for your own peace of mind and it is great reference for the rest of us.

 

[wineh]

not so fast

I'm getting skeptical. It's been 29 hours now (must at 77F) and it's still sitting at 1.07. I'm not pitching yeast yet.

 

[robie]

I'm getting skeptical. It's been 29 hours now (must at 77F) and it's still sitting at 1.07. I'm not pitching yeast yet.

Are you still stirring it? A really good bottom to top stir after this much time might help.

Remember that a lot of the sugar is inside the sticky grapes and won't necessarily come out until the yeast do their job.

 

[wineh]

Yep, still stirring. I note on another BB Tim has given his personal assurance that the wine will be great and not to worry, however, I like to calculate alcohol, and I can't do that with a promise. I'm going to wait 'till tomorrow morning then pitch whatever the SG. I may have to estimate alcohol the old fashioned way: drink enough to get drunk!
As a side note, remember WE Estate Series kits that bragged about having no added sugar? I thought that was a statement of high quality (some of RJs premium kits have the same statement). If you look in the new product guide, the Eclipse kits don't have that statement, and in fact on the box, the label states that it has "invert sugar" and "granulate sugar". A step down in quality? not sure.

 

[wineh]

42 hours in, I pitched the yeast into 1.072 must.

 

[Putterrr]

i would be worried about leaving my kit in a bucket for that long. at elast if the yeast is working, the Co2 will protect it

just a thought

 

[wineh]

i would be worried about leaving my kit in a bucket for that long. at elast if the yeast is working, the Co2 will protect it
just a thought

You may be right, but I hope you're not. I use Tim's "guide to wine kits" as a sort of bible, and there are some contradictions for sure. The ones I'm using here are:
P29...whip it! whip it good!
'unless the must is well whipped, it will stratify with the top layer being very dilute (<1.050) and the bottom layer extremely concentrated (>1.100)...the top stratum will ferment readily...while the bottom layer will not ferment successfully at all. this will leave a weak tasting wine low in alcohol and high in residual sugar.
This is what I was thinking I was trying to prevent, as the goodies are all in the bag which sunk to the bottom (until some yeast gets into it anyway).
P61 Oxygen is your frenemy
it's a long paragraph, but essentially, air isn't a bad thing until fermentation happens, then it needs to be away from air, under an airlock.It is fermenting and smells great, but if you're right, you'll see my eventual rant about hating limited editions.