How much sugar

[Thig]

I am not exactly a beginner but this is sort of a beginner question. I want to make my first all fruit wine, I have about 100 pounds of pears cored, quartered and in the freezer. I don't want to add any water but how do I know how much sugar to add? There is no way to take an SG reading with this thick pulp.

 

[mikewatkins727]

Maybe a few drops of the juice on a refractometer. Fruit juicer at hand? Maybe running some fruit through a juicer might yield some juice minus pulp.

 

[Runningwolf]

Can you get a strainer bag? Put you pulp in the bag and squeeze it into a pitcher until you have enough juice to test. I have to do this with slip skin grapes which are real pulpy.

 

[Runningwolf]

Another way would be if you had a refractometer as it only takes a few drops.

 

[Thig]

So basically I have to get enough juice out of this pulp somehow to determine what the SG is without any sugar addition and go from there.

 

[Runningwolf]

yes thats correct

 

[Boatboy24]

Another way would be if you had a refractometer as it only takes a few drops.

+100

As soon as I started making wine from whole grapes, it was obvious that a refractometer was by far the best way to measure. They aren't terribly expensive and, oh look! The holidays are right around the corner!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003H7ILCW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Thig]

I guess once this is thawed and I mash it I have visions of it looking like Apple sauce and wondering how do I get an SG reading on that. Thanks for the reply.