Trouble starting fermentation - Please help!

[Ambassador]

The answer is yes, if you have enough pulp or grapes or fruit, whatever you are making wine from, to cause your hydrometer to be suspended by the solids instead of the liquids, it is very possible. That's where a refractometer comes in mighty handy, two drops of liquid on the plate, and read the Brix. Alternately, push a strainer into your must and scoop out some clean juice into a test jar and drop your hydrometer into there for a good reading. Obviously, sanitize everything first.

Unfortunately no refractometer here. So either I leave it dry as is or add additional sugar to raise the alcohol content enough to kill off the yeast leaving some residual sweetness. Any suggestions?

 

[Johnd]

Unfortunately no refractometer here. So either I leave it dry as is or add additional sugar to raise the alcohol content enough to kill off the yeast leaving some residual sweetness. Any suggestions?

The refractometer is for measuring Brix prior to fermentation, particularly when your hydrometer won't float in thick musts. Also good for measuring sugar content in the vineyard or orchard, but that's a different story. Not accurate one alcohol is present.

I'm not suggesting you add sugar, but if your initial SG reading was off due to a pulpy must, SG drop is not going to be an accurate way to estimate your ABV. Let it go dry as is, you can sweeten it up later, once it has been stabilized with KMS and sorbate.

 

[heatherd]

Unfortunately no refractometer here. So either I leave it dry as is or add additional sugar to raise the alcohol content enough to kill off the yeast leaving some residual sweetness. Any suggestions?

If you are having trouble getting a specific gravity reading because of pulp, I would rack the wine.

Dry would be 0.990ish. You'll want to have your hydrometer read that for three days in a row, then you can add potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate.