I’ve got this reading today, after squeezing of my grapes. Most likely, I should dump it, however is not the valid option, because this must (or grape juice I should say) is my father’s “labor of love”. Total volume of the must is 11 gallons. I also have 1.5 gal. of home made grape juice (OG = 1.18). How much sugar should I add? Sugar and grape juice or just sugar?
Og 1.012
- Thread starter MJ05
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beano
Regular Guy
If I understand you correctly, you have mashed your grapes, and have 11 gal. of must= juice plus skins?, or just juice?, @ 1.012 ? Plus 1.5 gal of juice @ 1.18 ?
Plus 1.5 gal of juice @ SG 1.18 ? This reading is a little bit over normal. How did you get this reading? My Hydrometer only goes to 1.170.
A little more info would be great. If my juice had an SG of 1.012 I would add invert sugar to an SG of about 1.080 to 1.095 depending on your taste and desired alcohol content.
Like I said, more info would be great. Maybe the more educated members can help you out.
Beano Joe
Ok, I have to admit: my post is little bit confusing.
I’ve picked up, de-stemmed and crushed grapes on Friday. I was stirring must for 5 days and today I pressed the must and took the OG reading: 1.012
I was planning to add the sugar and yeast today but low OG reading really confused me and let me “run” for help.
1.5 gall of juice is the juice we (family) produced from the same grapes last year. It was pasteurized and sugar was added. The OG for this juice is 1.18.
My plan was to add (last year) grape juice to this year must: for sugar content and the extra volume needed in the carboy. Obviously, I’ll need more sugar but the question is how much should I add?
I’ve picked up, de-stemmed and crushed grapes on Friday. I was stirring must for 5 days and today I pressed the must and took the OG reading: 1.012
I was planning to add the sugar and yeast today but low OG reading really confused me and let me “run” for help.
1.5 gall of juice is the juice we (family) produced from the same grapes last year. It was pasteurized and sugar was added. The OG for this juice is 1.18.
My plan was to add (last year) grape juice to this year must: for sugar content and the extra volume needed in the carboy. Obviously, I’ll need more sugar but the question is how much should I add?
garymc
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If I understand correctly, you fermented the must for 5 days until the specific gravity got down to 1.012 and now you're going to add yeast and some sugar and you want to know how much sugar to add? If you had taken the specific gravity soon after the grapes were crushed, it would have helped. You can take a guess at what the sugar content of the must was when the grapes were crushed and then add an amount that, together with the original sugar content would give you, say 12% alcohol. You might get help here in making that guess about the grapes from someone familiar with that variety. But apparently you don't know the variety or it's a secret or something. Well, just guess they're about 15 or 20 % sugar. You saw the grapes and could have tasted them -
Never mind all the figuring and estimating I was going to do. Add sugar dissolved in water - 2 pounds of sugar stirred into 1 pound of hot water on the stove until you bring the sg of the must up to 1.085 or higher. This could be in the neighborhood of 12 to 16 pounds of sugar. - No, wait, the must could have had a lot of natural sugar to start with and this could get you a stuck fermentation or some 18% alcohol. - Oh, what the heck, learn a lesson, do it. What does OG mean?
Never mind all the figuring and estimating I was going to do. Add sugar dissolved in water - 2 pounds of sugar stirred into 1 pound of hot water on the stove until you bring the sg of the must up to 1.085 or higher. This could be in the neighborhood of 12 to 16 pounds of sugar. - No, wait, the must could have had a lot of natural sugar to start with and this could get you a stuck fermentation or some 18% alcohol. - Oh, what the heck, learn a lesson, do it. What does OG mean?
Tenbears
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Mj05 When using freshly crushed grapes there is always the risk that there is wild yeast in them, if the must was not treated with Kmet to kill that yeast it begins to cause fermentation. So I think we are assuming that you had a fermentation going on. I am not clear as to why else you were stirring the must for 5 days otherwise. Had you added kmet and pectic enzyme and were trying to allow the enzyme to work out the grapes? I am making assumptions here!
Although both of your Juices are at the extremes, assuming there has been no fermentation. simply mix the two together. and check The SG (Specific Gravity) then adjust to the desired SG. by adding sugar.
A more detailed description of the situation would be of great help to others, as usually The SG is taken, adjusted, Chemicals added, yeast added, then stirred and monitored.
Although both of your Juices are at the extremes, assuming there has been no fermentation. simply mix the two together. and check The SG (Specific Gravity) then adjust to the desired SG. by adding sugar.
A more detailed description of the situation would be of great help to others, as usually The SG is taken, adjusted, Chemicals added, yeast added, then stirred and monitored.
