Hello, I've just started a Grand Cru Chilean Malbec kit. This is the first wine I've ever done and I guess I'm confused if I'm headed in the right direction. My first reading on my hydrometer was 1.050. After about 8 days I racked it into the secondary and my reading is now 1.000 Does that sound right? I'm a bit confused how to calculate the Alcohol %. The kit is saying to let it sit another 2 weeks in the Secondary at this point. Thanks!
Other hydrometer readings
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djrockinsteve
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Welcome to WMT. Glad to have you here.
If you started your "must" at 1.050, that would give you about a 6% ABV providing you ferment dry which it sounds like you are almost there.
Let the wine finish then rack to clear and stabilize. Follow the directions and if you have any questions by all means ask.
If you started your "must" at 1.050, that would give you about a 6% ABV providing you ferment dry which it sounds like you are almost there.
Let the wine finish then rack to clear and stabilize. Follow the directions and if you have any questions by all means ask.
Im thinking you didnt get a good first reading if you tested it before adding yeast as it should have been higher or you added too much water. I would imagine (dont have the instructions in front of me) the starting sg should be around 1.085 or trhere abouts. Did you stir it really good after adding the water? None the less you are headed in the righjt direction! To figure out your abv you take the first reading 1.050 and then subtract your final gravity when the sg has been stable for at least 3 days (should be 1.000 or less) and then multiply that by 134.1
1.050 - .996 = .054 x 134.1 = 7.24% abv This kind of wine should really be around 11% or 12%. When ading your water in primary the water weighs less then the jyuice so it tends to float on top and since a hydrometer reads the density of the liquid it will sink further in water then in something thicker limke a concenbtrated grape juice.
1.050 - .996 = .054 x 134.1 = 7.24% abv This kind of wine should really be around 11% or 12%. When ading your water in primary the water weighs less then the jyuice so it tends to float on top and since a hydrometer reads the density of the liquid it will sink further in water then in something thicker limke a concenbtrated grape juice.
Dugger
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Yes, you're headed in the right direction. Your hydrometer measures the density of the wine - when you start the juice contains sugars which make it dense and the hydrometer floats high; as it ferments, the sugar is converted to alcohol which is less dense and the hydrometer sinks lower.
Your starting SG of 1.050 is too low - it should be about 1.085 or so for this kit. I am guessing that your first reading was after 2-3 days of fermenting or that you didn't mix the juice and water enough at the beginning (they have to be stirred quite vigorously) and the more watery portion is what you measured. Your final SG should be somewhere around 0.996.
You calculate your finished alcohol by subtracting the final specific gravity (SG) from your starting SG and multiplying by 133. The alcohol for this kit should end up about 1.085-0.996 x 133 = 11.8 or 12%.
Welcome to a great hobby and a great forum!
Edit - once again Wade wins the fast typing award!
Your starting SG of 1.050 is too low - it should be about 1.085 or so for this kit. I am guessing that your first reading was after 2-3 days of fermenting or that you didn't mix the juice and water enough at the beginning (they have to be stirred quite vigorously) and the more watery portion is what you measured. Your final SG should be somewhere around 0.996.
You calculate your finished alcohol by subtracting the final specific gravity (SG) from your starting SG and multiplying by 133. The alcohol for this kit should end up about 1.085-0.996 x 133 = 11.8 or 12%.
Welcome to a great hobby and a great forum!
Edit - once again Wade wins the fast typing award!
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cpfan
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kojak...
Would that be the Grand Cru International Chilean Malbec with grape skins? (Kinda confirmed by the 2 week secondary mentioned.) Although I have not made any of these kits, I would have expected an sg even higher than 1.085.
Regardless, with the exception of the initial sg reading, everything is sounding good so far.
Steve
Would that be the Grand Cru International Chilean Malbec with grape skins? (Kinda confirmed by the 2 week secondary mentioned.) Although I have not made any of these kits, I would have expected an sg even higher than 1.085.
Regardless, with the exception of the initial sg reading, everything is sounding good so far.
Steve
Thanks everyone! Yes it is the GC international w/ skins. Well hopefully my first read was wrong. I was hoping for more like the 12% than the 6%. 
I guess there's no way of finding out now.
If that was a true reading at the beginning what would I do to correct it? To make sure I don't have to drink twice as much of my 6% wine.
I guess there's no way of finding out now. If that was a true reading at the beginning what would I do to correct it? To make sure I don't have to drink twice as much of my 6% wine.
I wouldnt do anything as I highly doubt you got a correct reading. If you are making this kit in a 10 gallon bucket then maybe you added too much water but in a 7.9 bucket I dont think you could have added enough water to make it that thin without over flowing the bucket!
djrockinsteve
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After it has cleared up the leftover sediment and yeast remains will be removed and you won't have that yeasty odor.
Make sure you add appropriate amounts of sulfite and keep it topped off.
Make sure you add appropriate amounts of sulfite and keep it topped off.
