Determining Brix of Concentrate

[Bmd2k1]

Wondering what the easiest (and least use of concentrate) way - is to determine the Brix of a concentrate?

I have 8-12oz of grape juice concentrate that came with the kit...with zero info on the Brix et al.

I have a Zin Rose' I made and plan to bottle half dry (as it is now) and want to bottle the other half with SG=1.01 (for my Mom...who is a Beringer's White Zin fan).

I'm hoping to be as "scientific" about this using FermCalc -- rather than a simple add, test, add, test process.


Cheers!

 

[sour_grapes]

What kind of container is it in? Like a plastic bag, or something else?

 

[Bmd2k1]

Its in a bottle..

 

[cmason1957]

Is there some reason you wound sanitize a jar and just measure it, then use it? No rain to lose more than a little bit.

 

[Bmd2k1]

Is there some reason you wound sanitize a jar and just measure it, then use it? No rain to lose more than a little bit.

Not sure how to do that...

Only have a Hydrometer & it would be off the chart to try & measure directly..

 

[ChuckD]

I believe if you dilute it 50% with distilled water you could determine the Brix with a hydrometer then double your reading.

 

[winemaker81]

I believe if you dilute it 50% with distilled water you could determine the Brix with a hydrometer then double your reading.

If that's too thick, and it might be as a lot of concentrates are ~68 brix, follow the same idea and dilute to 4 times volume, and multiply the answer by 4.

Out of curiosity, why are you targeting a specific SG? Depending on the wine's acidity, that may or may not be the best flavor.

 

[Bmd2k1]

If that's too thick, and it might be as a lot of concentrates are ~68 brix, follow the same idea and dilute to 4 times volume, and multiply the answer by 4.

Out of curiosity, why are you targeting a specific SG? Depending on the wine's acidity, that may or may not be the best flavor.

...first time trying to "mimic" a store bought vino --- I measured the SG of the Beringer White Zin....so using that as a target.

Plan to go slightly lower first and have Mom sample -- since they are in town.

We'll see how it goes.

Oh...and I think I'm just gonna snag a refractometer and use that!

Cheers!

 

[Rice_Guy]

Brix? humm I think in gravity, as in Mum likes 1.010

First of all a specific gravity is a linear function. It is defined as pure water is 1.000. The contaminant as sugar and salts move the reading up from 1.000 and alcohol moves it down. We are interested in the change from 1.000.
For reading high gravity sugars I will make a dilution with distilled water as one to four or one to two. (Your goal is to use the least solution so you might do a one gram test material with nine grams of DW, ie 1:10)
* Estimate how much dilution you want. I have collected small equipment as a bud vase which fits a hydrometer and can do a reading with about 40 ml using a standard hydrometer or 17 ml using a small narrow scale hydrometer.
* Mix your dilution and get a reading on its gravity.
* With this number subtract 1.000
* Multiply the difference by the dilution factor
* Add 1.000 back to the number above for a calculated gravity

Note; optical brix readings with a refractometer can be done with one drop, ,,, do you have a friend with a refractometer?

 

[Bmd2k1]

Brix? humm I think in gravity, as in Mum likes 1.010

First of all a specific gravity is a linear function. It is defined as pure water is 1.000. The contaminant as sugar and salts move the reading up from 1.000 and alcohol moves it down. We are interested in the change from 1.000.
For reading high gravity sugars I will make a dilution with distilled water as one to four or one to two. (Your goal is to use the least solution so you might do a one gram test material with nine grams of DW, ie 1:10)
* Estimate how much dilution you want. I have collected small equipment as a bud vase which fits a hydrometer and can do a reading with about 40 ml using a standard hydrometer or 17 ml using a small narrow scale hydrometer.
* Mix your dilution and get a reading on its gravity.
* With this number subtract 1.000
* Multiply the difference by the dilution factor
* Add 1.000 back to the number above for a calculated gravity

Note; optical brix readings with a refractometer can be done with one drop, ,,, do you have a friend with a refractometer?

just ordered a refractometer ;-)


Cheers!

 

[mikewatkins727]

Refractometer Brix scale vs wine concentrate. Here's my tale: My refractometer scale goes to 32°. I have bought concentrated juices with a listed Brix of 65°. Do you see my dilemma?