# help please - high specific gravity (1.07), not going any lower.



## winefan23 (Feb 14, 2015)

I just bought my first red wine kit from Costco and the brand is Vino Europa. On day 1 of primary fermentation it had a specific gravity of 1.13. Over the next 11 days it slowly went down to 1.07 and now it has not moved from 1.07 in the last 7 days. Could this be because I used filtered water? I am supposed to wait until it is between 1.01 and 1.0 before I proceed to secondary fermentation. It doesn't look like the specific gravity is going to get this low so I'm wondering what I should do? Thank you.


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## heatherd (Feb 14, 2015)

winefan23 said:


> I just bought my first red wine kit from Costco and the brand is Vino Europa. On day 1 of primary fermentation it had a specific gravity of 1.13. Over the next 11 days it slowly went down to 1.07 and now it has not moved from 1.07 in the last 7 days. Could this be because I used filtered water? I am supposed to wait until it is between 1.01 and 1.0 before I proceed to secondary fermentation. It doesn't look like the specific gravity is going to get this low so I'm wondering what I should do? Thank you.



Welcome to the hobby!

Filtered water does not make a difference.

A couple of questions:

What is the temperature?

Are you sure you are reading the hydrometer correctly?

It is not ruined or anything, but may require intervention....

Heather


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## sour_grapes (Feb 15, 2015)

Overall, I agree with Heather. Are you confident your SG readings are correct? I will post a video below on reading a hydrometer.

Assuming they are correct, can you explain why your starting SG was so high? I.e., did you add sugar, or hold back water, or some other major tweak... ?



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty7PAJaBsts"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty7PAJaBsts[/ame]


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## richmke (Feb 15, 2015)

Are you, per chance, using a refractometer (it measures brix from a drop of wine), rather than a hydrometer (what paul posted)?


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## Rocky (Feb 15, 2015)

Winefan, that is a very high initial SG. What yeast are you using in this wine? You still have a lot of sugar left in the wine and it seems that the yeast is no longer working. Check the temperature of the wine and try to get it into the mid 70's F. When it is in this range, try stirring up everything from the bottom of the fermenter and let the wine sit for a day or so to see if fermentation re-starts. If not, I would consider adding more yeast.


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## Bergmann (Feb 15, 2015)

With a starting SG of over 1.130 you would have a potential Alcohol of over 19% it would seem difficult to get a yeast to finish to dryness without stepping in sugar and nutrient. surely a kit would not involve such a complicated ferment. Are you using a Refractometer that has not been calibrated properly. In any event a refractometer will not accurately measure Specific Gravity once alcohol is in the must. 

Time to go back to basics.


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## heatherd (Feb 15, 2015)

If you do repitch, be sure to pick a yeast that is able to handle higher alcohol and a wide temperature range. EC-1118 could be a good choice.

Let us know how it goes.

Heather


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## Julie (Feb 15, 2015)

Did you be chance add additional sugar to the kit? I don't know of a kit that would have you starting with an sg of 1.13


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## GreginND (Feb 15, 2015)

The Vino Europa kits are concentrates that you have to add water to. The instructions usually say to make sure your SG is 1.070-1.090 before starting it. Did you forget to add water? Or did you not bring the volume all the way up to 23 liters?


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## winefan23 (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks to everyone for their ideas. I have confirmed that I am reading the hydrometer correctly. The yeast that came with this wine is called SUPER B active dry wine yeast. I did not add any sugar. The temperature of the wine is 71 degrees. I just stirred everything from the bottom and will see if fermentation starts again. It is currently still stuck at 1.07. With this Vino Eurpoa kit I added the concentrate and then topped up to 23 liters. I just realized my problem...in the instructions it said the following:

Pour the grape must and top up with water to 23 liters. Slowly pour the bentonite from sachet #1 and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Then sprinkle the content of the sachet of wine yeast over the grape must and wait 10 minutes.

I just realized there was 2 packs of bentonite and 2 packs of yeast in the kit. Should I have possibly used both of the packs of bentonite, and then both of the packs of yeast? If so, what should I do now? Is it okay to add the extra bentonite and yeast at this point and see what happens?

I just realized something else, this kit contained 2 wine kits so I added 2 packs of the grape must and then topped up to 23 liters. I should have only added one pack. Oops. Now, how can I fix this? Should I add the remaining bentonite, then the remaining yeast, and then split it in 2 and top up both batches to 23 liters?


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## calvin (Feb 15, 2015)

Get a bigger fermenter and top up to 46 liters. Add the other yeast and bentonite. When you rack transfer this to two 6 gallon carboys. Congratulations! Most don't step up to double batches until they have a few others under there belt


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## Rocky (Feb 15, 2015)

Aha! I think the last paragraph of your above post is the key to this problem. I think you have one of those kits with two _different_ varieties of juice concentrate. The kit is supposed to make two batches of wine, 6 gallons (~ 23 liters) each. What I think you did was to put both concentrate bags into the fermenter and then you added water up to the 23 liter mark. That is why your SG was so high and that is why you have two packets of yeast and two of bentonite.

If you have the information, what are the varieties involved? You now have a blend of two wines that you are trying to co-ferment and do not have enough water in the fermenter. It is not just a simple matter of adding water to the fermenter now, because unless you have a 20 gallon fermenter, the water will overflow.

As to what can be done at this point, I am not sure. If the two varieties would make a good blend, e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot it would seem that at least one approach would be to get another fermenter, stir the mixture well and put half of it in the second fermenter. Because you were to make 46 liters of wine, I believe that you may add water to the split batch up to the 23 liter mark on each fermenter.

This is what I would do in your position but I would like to hear others chime in on this.

Sorry Calvin, we must have been typing at the same time but we essentially came up with the same solution.


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## winefan23 (Feb 16, 2015)

This was a merlot/malbec wine kit so I think I have kinda forced myself into making it a blend and hoping for the best. I will try to find another large food grade plastic container and another carboy. Thanks for the advice.


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## grapeman (Feb 16, 2015)

Rocky is right, this was a double batch and should have said somewhere on the kit. Here is a description of the kit from Costco

This easy-to-make winemaking kit produces 60 bottles of wine in about 28 days. You can either make 30 bottles of each style, or add a personal touch by mixing both styles to produce 60 bottles of a unique varietal blend. 

*Wine Descriptions:*

*Merlot: *


This merlot has a beautiful ruby red colour. Deep aromas of ripe red berries, cherry and English toffee with a final herbaceous touch. Lively and pulpy in the mouth with round tannins and an appealing persistence.
*Malbec:*


This wine has a dark red colour and appealing black cherry and berry aromas, typical of a good fruit-forward Malbec. Bright and juicy black fruit flavours are nicely balanced by a crisp acidity. Plum and earth notes lend to a clean, long finish. Soft tannins.
*Features:*


Makes 60 x 750 ml (25.4oz.) bottles of wine
2 bags of grape juice/concentrate (1 bag of Merlot, 1 bag of Malbec)
2 complete sets of ingredient packs
60 corks
60 shrink capsules
60 wine labels (2 different styles)
Step-by-step instructions


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## sour_grapes (Feb 16, 2015)

At least Merlot and Malbec blend well together!


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## Bergmann (Feb 16, 2015)

At this point if you do not have a primary fermentation container of ample size, Stir the must well and split the batch into two equal amounts in fermentation buckets, (Food grade plastic buckets). Add water until you get a specific gravity of 1.080 to 1.085 they both need not be exactly the same. Split the remaining bentonite between the batches, Bentonite is only to aid in clearing, and is not a necessity. I would purchase another packet of yeast and add 1 packet of yeast to each batch. This should get things going again and produce a nice blended wine for you to learn with and enjoy.


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## grapeman (Feb 16, 2015)

Bergmann said:


> At this point if you do not have a primary fermentation container of ample size, Stir the must well and split the batch into two equal amounts in fermentation buckets, (Food grade plastic buckets). Add water until you get a specific gravity of 1.080 to 1.085 they both need not be exactly the same. Split the remaining bentonite between the batches, Bentonite is only to aid in clearing, and is not a necessity. I would purchase another packet of yeast and add 1 packet of yeast to each batch. This should get things going again and produce a nice blended wine for you to learn with and enjoy.


 

I would not do that. You are advising to bring the wine back to a beginning SG and the wine has already fermented some so you don't want to bring it back there. If they are split, bring each level to the normal 6 gallon mark, get the fermentation going again and it should be alright.


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## Bergmann (Feb 16, 2015)

Yup, forgot it had already fermented some. and that was the main crux of the post! I'll be okay after a cup of joe. Split equally and bring up to spec volumetrically would be the prudent way. Thanks for the save Grapeman.


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## Dhaynes (Feb 16, 2015)

Bergmann has the right approach except that since the wine has already been fermenting the SG will not be anywhere near 1.080 when you split the batches. At this point I wouldn't worry about what the SG is after you split the batches and then add water to each to bring them both to 23L. Just check it and log it in your record book. 

Split the bentonite package between the two batches. It doesn't matter if you get it exactly even or not. Pitch the second package of yeast you have on top of one of the batches and buy another package of yeast (EC 1118 would be a good choice) and pitch it in the other batch. I'm betting it will turn out fine. You will just have 60 bottles of the same wine blend and a funny story to tell from now on.


Sent from my iPad using Wine Making


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## winefan23 (Feb 19, 2015)

UPDATE - I just split the first strong batch into two pails and topped each batch up with water to 23 liters, added 1/2 pack of bentonite to each and 1 pack of yeast to each and the specific gravity is now at 1.03. Much better. I am supposed to let it get down to between 1.00 and 1.01 before I start secondary fermentation. I am thinking this first batch of mine may be saved. My fingers are crossed. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.


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