Robie:
I'll forget to ask you in person: do you recall how much sugar you added to the initial must and the SpGr after adding the sugar? Thinking about adding sugar to the Zinfandel Blush kit that's next in line to start, so that info might be helpful. Nancy & Bob
The SG after adding about 4 pounds of sugar was 1.086. The final ABV was 11.8%.
Sorry I don't know exactly how much sugar I added. I poured in all the sugar I had at the time. -
Maybe someone on the forum has a good formula for how much sugar to add to 1 gallon of must to raise the alcohol 1% ABV. I know I have seen it before.
Here is a web site that can help you determine how much sugar to add to get a specified ABV, even though it is not very easy to follow:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mpesgens/thwp/sugar.html
I just added a pound of sugar at a time until I got an acceptable SG. Be careful to not end up with more than 23 liters total of must. I wouldn't want the ending ABV to be more than about 12%, but that is just my opinion.
Another example of raising the BRIX level:
"This is done with table sugar: 1.5 oz. of
table sugar per US gallon of projected liquid raises the ºBrix by 1°. Measure the amount of
sugar needed and completely dissolve it into a small quantity of warm water The warm
water ensures that the sugar will dissolve completely into the wine. This small amount of
water will not be enough to dilute the wine. Alternatively, you can dissolve the sugar
directly into the liquid from the must, but depending on how much you are adding, this
may be difficult. Mix thoroughly into the must so that the sugar (which is heavier than
must) doesn't wind up sitting on the bottom of the fermentation vessel."
Good luck!