To chap or not to chap? Dolcetto juice bucket

[cimbaliw]

Hello everyone, long time no post. Anyway, I picked up juice buckets yesterday, two lambrusco and two dolcetto. The dolcetto was a little active at the blow off vent of the bucket so I assumed that fermemtation had started. The must was cool enough to form water condensation on the bucket.

I transferred the juice from both buckets to a 60l fermenter and the SG was only 1.060 or 15 brix. My first thought was that the the sugar content was low to begin with. Now I wonder if the juice started with a higher sg/br. I don't need another round of rocket fuel!

BC

 

[salcoco]

check with the suppler to see if yeast had been added

 

[cimbaliw]

Yeast has not been added

 

[stickman]

You should check with the Mfg or supplier regarding the initial brix/sg. I haven't used these type of pails, but many are pre-balanced for acid and sugar before packaging.

 

[Ebonheart]

That value is really low. Even at 40 degrees must, the adjustment is only a few hundreds on the hydrometer. I'd let it warm up a bit, and grab a pound of corn sugar in the meantime.

 

[Boatboy24]

Pretty sure your wine has been fermenting, despite the temperature. You leave a container of orange juice in your fridge for a bit, and it'll start fermenting. I can't imagine anyone selling juice at 1.060.

 

[Ajmassa]

Most juice buckets I've seen are fairly consistent. (I think 4 different brands). And reds have all been 1.080-1.090
And whites between 1.075-1.085

If mine I'd assume starting sg-1.085 if calculating bumping up

 

[cimbaliw]

Thanks for the responses. I have to agree that for the few years I've been fermenting juice buckets they've been consistent with SG ~1.080-1.100. Unless I hear otherwise from the vendor, I am not going to chap the must.

BC