Cellar Craft Petit Verdot Low starting SG and slow fermentation start.

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tonyt

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I started this petite verdot limited addition on the 17th of January. The starting specific gravity was only 1.096. I confirmed that 24 hours later. 3 days later fermentation has just now become decently vigorous. Up until now it has been very slow to start. My question is should I add some sugar to bring the specific gravity up a bit. I have never in over 60 kits had a starting specific gravity the slow. BTW this kid was 18 liters of juice no grape pack. Yeast is RC 212.
 
That works out to 13.3 % ABV not really all that low. I have been bumping up some of the whites I have made recently. Starting SG has been ~1.085 so been bumping up to around 1.095.
 
Vineco's web-site says that this kit makes a 13.5% wine. I don't know where the sg will end up, but Vineco kits have tended to hit .992 for me.

1.096 - .992 = .104 * 133 = 13.8%
1.096 - .992 = .104 * 131 = 13.6%

Sounds like it's bang on to me.

BTW, I have made THOUSANDS of kits (I ran a Ferment on Premises). Very few over 1.100. However, most were not the ultra high end kits. IMO, it's NOT totally about the alcohol content.

Steve
 
Thanks guys I'll leave well enough alone. Steve I have most always done ultra high end kits, most with grape packs
 
The recommended SG is right around 1.092 - 1.096, so you are actually perfect!
 
I didn't plan on doing this kit but was in the town where my favourite supplier is and they had extra. For 110.00 CDN bucks I went for it :)

At first, like you, I was concerned with the low S.G. But, after a slow start it was bubbling in the primary quite consistently for several days in primary @ 73 degrees. Starting S.G. was 1.095 and was at 0.990 when I transferred to secondary. I doubt it will drop much more but in another week when I'm back from Cabo I'll check the S.G. and stabilize.
 
Yup, mine was 1.095 which should work out bang on where they said (13.5%).

Which reminds me -- I should check the SG again. It has been in secondary for almost two weeks so I can find out exactly where it ended up.

Update: SG now 0.993, which works out to an ABV of 13.7% (Duncan & Acton method) or 13.4% (standard method).
 
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