# Cups/Lbs of Sugar to SG Ratio



## Vertumnus (May 31, 2014)

I'm certain this question has been asked before, but my search-fu was weak this time and I turned up nothing. Anyways:

I'm starting my first batch of DB and I followed the recipe regarding sugar but only had an SG of 1.060 or so. Put in a little shy of four cups (ran out of sugar, ) and came up to 1.073. My goal is 1.090. Is there a concrete formula/ratio/etc. regarding how much sugar will push up an increment of Specific Gravity?

Also, while I have y'all on the line, I had a more general question about whether specific gravity is dependent on volume at all. I ask this because sometimes I measure in a cylinder and sometimes I put the hydrometer directly in the primary fermentor. I was wondering if there would be any difference in my reading because of the massive difference in the volume of the test solution.


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## calvin (Jun 1, 2014)

Vertumnus said:


> I'm certain this question has been asked before, but my search-fu was weak this time and I turned up nothing. Anyways:
> 
> I'm starting my first batch of DB and I followed the recipe regarding sugar but only had an SG of 1.060 or so. Put in a little shy of four cups (ran out of sugar, ) and came up to 1.073. My goal is 1.090. Is there a concrete formula/ratio/etc. regarding how much sugar will push up an increment of Specific Gravity?
> 
> Also, while I have y'all on the line, I had a more general question about whether specific gravity is dependent on volume at all. I ask this because sometimes I measure in a cylinder and sometimes I put the hydrometer directly in the primary fermentor. I was wondering if there would be any difference in my reading because of the massive difference in the volume of the test solution.



In your case. If 4 cups of sugar raised your sg 13 points. 13/4=3.25. Each cup of sugar should raise your sg 3.25 points. About 5 more cups should do the trick. 

The volume shouldn't matter at all. Your just measuring the density of your must.


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## olusteebus (Jun 1, 2014)

Download this for calculating many wine problems. Do not use decimal points in calculations. For sugar, use 4 digits

http://mpesgens.home.xs4all.nl/thwp/winecalc.html


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## Thig (Jun 1, 2014)

1 cup of sugar will raise the SG of 1 gallon by .018. Use this based on the number of gallons you are making.


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## olusteebus (Jun 1, 2014)

good info to know

http://www.ochef.com/1533.htm


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## cimbaliw (Jun 1, 2014)

Hey Vert, make your life easy... next batch just make SP/DB with 10# of sugar. I used to carefully measure and found that I generally had a cup or two less than the full sack. That's an SG range of 0.0036-0.0072 for a five gallon batch. I do invert the sugar before starting then add it to a gallon or two of cool water already in the primary. I also just use 1 sachet of Lalvin EC-1118 instead of slurry. I do whip it daily. For my current batch sulphite'd, Sorbate'd and sweetened all on the same day. so far so good, that was a week ago.

BC


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## Vertumnus (Jun 1, 2014)

Thanks for all the useful info, ended up putting something like 8 cups or something (excuse me, was tasting a little bit, last night ) and ended up bringing it up to 1.092. I just added the extra sugar straight into the must and then gave it a vigorous stirring for 5-10 minutes. I hope that was enough to dissolve it. Took the temp and it said it was 70F, so it should be good, right? Also cast the yeast and it looks like it took off based on my look this morning.


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## cimbaliw (Jun 2, 2014)

Sounds good, Vert! You bring up a burning question of mine... "Does the sugar really need to be dissolved (for any wine) or will the yeast eventually cleave it any way?" I have to believe if you are stirring the SP daily all sucrose will eventually be dissolved.

BC


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## Thig (Jun 2, 2014)

cimbaliw said:


> You bring up a burning question of mine... "Does the sugar really need to be dissolved (for any wine) or will the yeast eventually cleave it any way?" I have to believe if you are stirring the SP daily all sucrose will eventually be dissolved.
> 
> BC



That may be true but I don't believe you can get an accurate SG reading without the sugar being completely dissolved.


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