very new to this.

[ronnie33]

Had a couple questions. When do I take starting sg? Making a blackberry wine and just put campden, acid, pectic, fruit, sugar and water together. Recipe says sg should be 1.090-1.095. Mine reads 1.060. Do I need more sugar or am I ahead of myself and should wait till I add yeast? And I am making 6 gals but wine shop gave me 2 pckts of yeast. 1 should.do 5 gals. Do I use 1 1/4? Do I use entire 2 packs? Thanks in advance.

 

[dralarms]

1 pack will do 6 gallons nicely.

Also strain some of your must through a cheesecloth and then measure sg again.

But yes, more sugar is likely to be needed.

 

[ronnie33]

Thanks. So starting sg is before the yeast ever gets added, right?

 

[dralarms]

Yes. That's correct. How much sugar Ave you added?

 

[SBWs]

Be careful adding sugar. Did you dissolved the sugar by using 2 parts sugar to 1 part water and heating. If not and you added straight to the primary make sure you stir very well before checking or adding more.

Starting specific gravity is before yeast is added.

Oh, also welcome to wine making!

 

[ronnie33]

Yes. I diluted sugar first and was going to add 2 more lbs. Sound about right?

 

[dralarms]

Depends on how much you used already.

 

[ronnie33]

Ive used 12 lbs. Recipe called for 2 1/4 per gal. So, I used a little less. Again, very new and appreciate the quick responses from veterans.

 

[dralarms]

Not a veteran by any means. I'd get that hydrometer checked. 12 lbs of sugar is a lot.

 

[ronnie33]

Added the 2 lbs. And hydro reading went up to 1.070. Maybe I should let it set overnight and take a reading tomorrow before adding yeast? And how much sugar would u recommend for 6 gals?

 

[dralarms]

Well, rule of thumb is 2 lbs a gallon. But it depends on where you want to be.

Fill your test tube with plain water and put the hydrometer in it and tell us what it reads.

 

[SBWs]

Agree with waiting until tomorrow and then stir very good and take another reading.

 

[dralarms]

Agreed, but the equipment still needs to be checked, 14 lbs of sugar is actually a lot.

 

[ronnie33]

Wow. Hydro went almost to bottom. Lot different than with mush sample.aybe I jist dont know what I'm looking at. Pic of water and will put one of mush.

 

[dralarms]

OK. If it didn't read 1.000 then its bad. That's what I was getting to.

 

[ronnie33]

Water and mush pics.

 

[ronnie33]

Am I just reading this wrong? Looks like .996 at very top of hydro in water and 1.070 in dessert wine on hydro with mush.

 

[dralarms]

Looks like you need a taller tube. Is the hydro resting on the bottom in the water?

 

[Stressbaby]

I have a hydrometer like that. It looks to me like 1.000 in the water and 1.120 in the must.

 

[dralarms]

Yea 1.120 looks right from what I'm seeing. It just looked the the hydro was bottoming out in the water.