Starting SG is .084?!

[skyfire322]

I just put the juice and required amount of water in (per the instructions), checked my SG, and it's only @ .084. it should be at 1.074 to 1.080. is that too l low, or should I add sugar?

I made sure the hydrometer was on a flat surface too.

 

[Scooter68]

????? My hydrometer only goes down to .990 as do all other floaters that I've seen.

What you are stating is that your wine must already has a significant amount of alcohol in it as it's 'thinner' than water.


Think you are missing a number there. More likely you have 1.084


http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16574

 

[skyfire322]

Disregard.... I made a noobie mistake and was looking at it wrong.... It's 1.084. Phew!!!

 

[Scooter68]

Disregard.... I made a noobie mistake and was looking at it wrong.... It's 1.084. Phew!!!

Yeah - Don't you hate it when that happens.

I just racked a 3 gallon batch of Black Currant wine today and almost forgot to take an ending SG reading When I did the hydrometer was bottoming out. Actually read out at .987 uncorrected. So I did a check with distilled water.

Wine must read .987 @ 70 degrees (Hydrometer is calibrated for 68 Degrees) with correction makes the reading .987
Distilled water read at .998 @78 degrees and with correction that makes that reading .999

So my hydrometer is ever so slightly off but not enough to worry about at .001

 

[skyfire322]

*Another update* I double and triple checked just to be on the safe side as it was still a little foamy in the test tube. Once that settled, it read 1.094.

Long story short, lesson learned!

 

[Scooter68]

Sound like a good starting number. Same as what I've got starting my 3 gallon Blueberry,

Keep us posted on the progress.