Kit says check sg but no way to adjust

[Kaitala]

I have a Master Vintner Weekday Wine kit for Pinot Noir. On day 1, it says to check specific gravity, and it should be 1.075 or higher.

if it's not, it doesnt give a way to fix it. Is it even necessary to check it, an dif it's not right, what do I do?

 

[Ajmassa]

You can add sugar or simple syrup to bring it up to the desired SG before fermentation if it’s low. Usually kits don’t stray from where they are supposed to be SG wise though.

also- those instructions are not gospel. Unfortunately they don’t explain why things are done or different options you’ve got. Any other questions don’t hesitate to ask.

it’s necessary to check because your starting SG combined with your ending SG will tell you the abv. Also more importantly it lets you know how your fermentation is progressing as you check along the way. Your SG is your guide for the ferment.

 

[KCCam]

On day 1, it says to check specific gravity, and it should be 1.075 or higher.

It’s also a way for a beginner to know they’re reading the hydrometer correctly: that the mark the must is at is 1.075, not 1.75. A lot of beginners have trouble reading one.

If your kit says the SG should be over 1.075, and it’s not, I would take a picture of the hydrometer and contact the manufacturer. Something would likely be wrong. If you add sugar before contracting them, they would be under no obligation to refund or replace your purchase.

 

[salcoco]

should it be higher stir the juice some more concentrate can stratify and give you erroneous readings .

 

[BernardSmith]

My assumption is that the kit manufacturer is asking you to take a reading and that reading will indicate whether you added too much or too little water. A little more or less is not a problem but if your gravity is significantly lower then you have added far too much water and that may be a problem when it comes to flavor (diluted) or the alcohol content of your wine - more like a session beer than a wine. If you added too little water that is easily repairable. You add more and you use your hydrometer to determine how much more you need to add - as much more water as it takes to bring the reading to 1.075 (or whatever the kit suggests is the optimal gravity for the juice concentrate they provided.

 

[my wine]

I had the same problem a couple of months ago with a ME Trinity Red. Did you happen to take a picture of the hydrometer reading low? It helps a lot with the ME guarantee. The guarantee is worked through the vendor who sold you the kit.

Later in the process the instructions tell you to add the Kmeth/sorbate. It is packed together in one small packet. DON'T DO THAT. I did that and am having a heck of a time refermenting. If you are still in the fermentation you could add sugar solution to increase your SG to something above 1.075. You will likely need a calculator like WineCalc instead of guessing. And you won't get it 100 percent accurate but if you err a bit higher than 1.075 (1.079, 1.083, 1.091, ...) you will be fine.

Hope this helps and maybe there are others that can add to this. I'm still in a slow fermentation of sorbated weak wine but it seems to be coming along.

 

[my wine]

BTW, what was your initial SG?

 

[my wine]

In my earlier post I meant WE, Winexpert kit.

 

[KCCam]

My assumption is that the kit manufacturer is asking you to take a reading and that reading will indicate whether you added too much or too little water.

Good point. Didn’t think of that.

 

[KCCam]

Later in the process the instructions tell you to add the Kmeth/sorbate. It is packed together in one small packet. DON'T DO THAT.

A kit should only tell you to add k-meta after fermentation is complete, never add it before you are certain. If your wine is completely dry, you can skip the sorbate, but do not skip the k-meta if you plan to age your wine. And do not skip the sorbate if you have any residual sweetness or if you backsweeten. It prevents any stray yeast from reproducing, thus protecting it from refermenting, and possible bottle-bombs.

 

[KCCam]

should it be higher stir the juice some more concentrate can stratify and give you erroneous readings .

It will probably be higher. I would think anything between 1.075 and 1.095 would be normal. The instructions are generic.

 

[Kaitala]

Thanks, all. After the debacle with the cider, I'm questioning everything when the instructions aren't complete. I haven't started the kit yet, plan to on Sunday. I've been reading and rereading the instructions so that I don't make any catastrophic blunders and ask all the questions before I start.

This will be my first kit wine, so I'm not interested in straying from the tried and true. Once I get some under my belt, I'll get adventurous.

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi Kaitala - and welcome. I think your approach is exactly right. The kit manufacturers have designed their kits for absolute novice wine makers and if you have all the equipment you need - if you are making a five gallon batch you wil likely need a 6 gallon bucket to begin fermenting in from which you can rack into a 5 gallon carboy when active fermentation has ceased. If you are making a 6 gallon batch, you may need a 7 gallon bucket ... and so - like cooking, you should have all your tools and vessels and ingredients to hand before you open the bag and pour the concentrated juice into your fermenter..

 

[bstnh1]

I had the same problem a couple of months ago with a ME Trinity Red. Did you happen to take a picture of the hydrometer reading low? It helps a lot with the ME guarantee. The guarantee is worked through the vendor who sold you the kit.

Later in the process the instructions tell you to add the Kmeth/sorbate. It is packed together in one small packet. DON'T DO THAT. I did that and am having a heck of a time refermenting. If you are still in the fermentation you could add sugar solution to increase your SG to something above 1.075. You will likely need a calculator like WineCalc instead of guessing. And you won't get it 100 percent accurate but if you err a bit higher than 1.075 (1.079, 1.083, 1.091, ...) you will be fine.

Hope this helps and maybe there are others that can add to this. I'm still in a slow fermentation of sorbated weak wine but it seems to be coming along.

I believe you're misreading the instructions. The K-Meta and Sorbate are not added until the fermentation is basically complete.

 

[my wine]

The kit included a packet with combined Kmeta and sorbate which the instructions said to add after fermentation. I didn't misread the instructions. The mixed packet doesn't give you the option of adding Kmeta alone. Kaitala's kit likely has the same packet. To avoid adding the sorbate you will need to buy a small amount of Kmeta alone.

 

[familynerone]

Later in the process the instructions tell you to add the Kmeth/sorbate. It is packed together in one small packet. DON'T DO THAT. I did that and am having a heck of a time refermenting.

Just a note - those are stabilizing agents that are specifically used to stop fermentation and to prevent yeast from replicating. Those would never be added until fermentation is complete, as evidenced by a S.G. reading at or below 0.998 for most kits. if you added those and are having a heck of a time refermenting, they are working exactly as intended.

 

[familynerone]

I have made many kits now, and only 2 of them had the starting S.G. reading that I wanted to see (a Cabernet and a Merlot).
The fruit varieties I have made are intended to be lower alcohol (or "mist" wines) in many cases, so I understand those are supposed to have lower initial S.G. readings, sometimes in the 1.065 range - but I dislike the way they turn out if they start out that low so I always increase those.
Two techniques I've used thus far to increase the S.G. (and thus the final ABV):
- add table sugar (this works just fine, but can backfire if you add too much; and, I am told that making a simple syrup is a better approach, or else buying specialty sugars such as corn sugar or dextrose)
- add half of the "F-pack" before fermentation (the f-pack is the flavor or backsweetening pack that usually accompanies fruit wine kits, and is typically a thick syrupy substance essentially made from highly concentrated grape and fruit sugars; using half up front also means less of the F-pack available for backsweetening after fermentation is complete, which is fine if you want a higher alcohol fruit wine with a milder level of sweetness in the end product).
For my fruit wine kits I use a combination of both of those steps and I've had wonderful success, with refreshing fruity wines coming in between 9.7% and 11% alcohol, acidity around 3.4%, and a nice touch of sweetness.
If you decide to add sugar, there are formulas for how much to add per gallon to adjust S.G. - look for some online calculators to make it easier. Always err on the side of adding less than you think you need versus too much, as too much sugar can actually halt fermentation, paradoxically creating almost a preservative effect.

 

[BernardSmith]

You can certainly add more sugar to up the gravity before you pitch the yeast but that simply ups the ABV but not the flavor. To keep the flavor more in balance with the increase in ABV you simply reduce the amount of water you use to dilute the concentration of the juice. If you leave your hydrometer in the must and slowly add water while monitoring the specific gravity you simply stop adding water when the gravity falls to the level you prefer for the ABV you are seeking. You are going to end up with a more flavor rich wine but if you prefer your wines to be 12% ABV rather than 9% or 10% that is your call. Of course, the pH and TA may need tweaking but that is another story.

 

[familynerone]

This will be my first kit wine, so I'm not interested in straying from the tried and true. Once I get some under my belt, I'll get adventurous.

I highly recommend watching a few videos. My Dad has mentored me well, and yet some of the simple videos from Tim Vandergrift were still incredibly helpful and made me feel much more confident in just going for it with my first kit.
Here's one where he reviews the process (start to finish) for making a kit wine:

 

[Old Corker]

@Kaitala
Not sure if you got the answer you're looking for. As a fellow newbie I understand the confusion that can come from the instructions. I think your plan to stick to the script is sound logic. I would put the ingredients together pre instructions and make sure you stir well before taking the reading. If it is low, let it sit for an hour or two, stir again and read again. Use good water so you eliminate that as a variable. RO if you have it, store bought if you don't. If your reading is anywhere close to the target I would just move on to pitching the yeast. It's your first kit so have fun with it and see how it goes. You'll learn something and can start wondering about tweaks with the next one.
My $.02

Edit:

Tim Vandergrift were still incredibly helpful and made me feel much more confident in just going for it with my first kit.

I googled the kit you bought and the instructions were written by Mr. Vandergrift so @familynerone's post is spot on.