WineXpert Just moved over to carboy??

[djcoop]

Ok, I have some questions wise ones! So please, indulge me.


Today was day five, per instructions I did a reading. It stated 1.000 on the hydrometer! Instructions said to siphon over to carboy if it was 1.010 or less. So that is what I did. I guess I am having a hard time with knowing what is the alcohol at this point. If it is 1.000 it says 0%. Obviously I am reading wrong.................... Tasted it and it tasted pretty alcoholish/little bitterish. So my org. S.G. was 1.070 ( a little low I was told), then 1.060. Then today 1.000. I know I am confused on the low/high thing

. So, I let it set for 10 days, in the carboy and check again. I'm looking for 0.996 sg or less.


Then I put my airlock in and filled up to the mark w/ k-meta.Now, I'm assumingthat it's ok that the liquid doesn't stay exactly level on both sides of the airlock? I have theone that looks like this:

Oh, and one more valuable lesson of the day. I had NEVER siphoned anything before. Word to the wise, don't ever take your hand off of the tubing that is in the carboy. It gets kinda like a wild snake, flops on the floor and pours wine everywhere. I didn't know I could move so fast, or swear so much

. Sailors everywhere were proud of the words that were coming out of my mouth. Needless to say, I'llhave to get a few bottles to top up!

 

[PolishWineP]

Grasshopper, You are more than indulged!

This is why we are here. Many of us still have trouble with certain aspects of wine making (Don't ask me about running an acid test!

) and the number thing can really toss you. To figure out your alcohol content you'll have to wait until you are ready to bottle. You'll take the reading at that time and "do the math" with your initial reading to determine your alcohol. Check this link.


http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/hydrom.asp


Too bad about the wine that escaped!

There are simple tools to help if there's no one available to steady the outlet when you start the syphon.


I'm sure more will weigh in on this post, but I wanted you to know that you're doing just fine.

 

[Steve]

The water in the air lock will not stay level while it is still fermenting. The escaping gas will push it aside to let the bubbles out...

 

[jobe05]

Sounds like your not only doing great, but it sounds like your having fun to boot! And I hope your tasting while doing all this. We are bottling over 100 bottles today and the kitchen is an absolute disaster right now. In between each batch I try to clean everything up before the next batch but that stopped after the first batch

I did have the hose come off the filter at one point and lost about a bottle all over the kitchen floor (now the sticky floor). 4 more gallons to go and I'll call it a day.

 

[PolishWineP]

Sounds like our weekend! We bottled 12 gallons of wine for our daughter's wedding plus 18 bottles of Chilean Merlot. We've started a beer kit and worked several other wines in various stages. We will have to rack the beer yet today! It went fast! I'm actually looking forward to washing the kitchen floor tonight!

 

[Waldo]

You are doing fine DJ..Sounds like your initial SG was a little low. Do you know why?


Assuming your initial SG was 1.070 and you ferment to dry..lets say .990 then just subtarct the .990 from 1.070 which is 0.80 and then multiply that by 131 which will give you your ABV which will be around 10.5%

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Donna - Go over to George's and get yourself one of these:

http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4860

Being able to shut off the flow of wine through a tube can be very handy.
After you get a siphon started, close the clamp until you are sure you're
ready to continue - give yourself some breathing room. There is also a
clamp for 3/8 inch tubing.

 

[djcoop]

The only thing that I can figure out regarding the inital SG, is too much h20?? I went by the line on the fermenter as suggested. However, tonight I took a gallon jug and filled it 6 times and poured it into the fermenter. I would say it was about a 1/4 inch below where I filled it during the wine making process. Would that have been enough to make a difference?? Also, I don't know but, I hand stirred and didn't use my mixer w/ drill, would that have made a difference if I didn't possibly stir enough? Other than that, I know I followed directions to a "T", shoot I didn't even sneak any juice or anything

. I hate that it will be a little low in alcohol. Oh well, when I hopefully drink a whole bottle by myself, I'll use the excuse that it is low alcohol wine

. Is there anything I can do to kick it up at this point? Tomorrow I am going to start my peach/apricot chardonnay. Haven't decided if I am going to add any extra sug. or if I am going to "stick to the kit"!


dj

 

[djcoop]

Bill~


Ummmm.... yeah, I got one of those. Just didn't know what to do w/ it, so I figured if it worked w/o it, it's gotta be ok. Isn't that so like a woman

. Maybe the next time I pop into George's I'll ask him to give me a quick demo. Or maybe I'll figured it out before then. Honestly, I didn't even think about grabing it. But I bet I willnext time.


Tks for the help- Donna

 

[Funky Fish]

DJ,


There's also a calculator on this page: http://www.grapestompers.com/calculations.aspwhich will help you calculate the SG.


Initial SG can be low if you add too much water or if you don't stir thoroughly. I don't think the 1/4" that you mention would have made that much of a difference, but not getting it stirred up well enough would have. The important thing to keep in mind when stirring is to try to get the liquid to mix up (in a vertical direction) as well as go around in circles. I use a spoon to mix up my kits when beginning, and I find that stirring, changing direction, and throwing in some side-to-side motion helps.

 

[djcoop]

Thanks funky fish!!! I bet I didn't stir enough. I am starting another batch tonight!! Bet I will. Then I might think of doing one from scratch. Maybe just a gallon. You know, for giggles!

 

[MedPretzel]

Don't worry, DJ, you're doin' great.