Cellar Craft Petit Verdot Low starting SG and slow fermentation start.

[tonyt]

I started this petite verdot limited addition on the 17th of January. The starting specific gravity was only 1.096. I confirmed that 24 hours later. 3 days later fermentation has just now become decently vigorous. Up until now it has been very slow to start. My question is should I add some sugar to bring the specific gravity up a bit. I have never in over 60 kits had a starting specific gravity the slow. BTW this kid was 18 liters of juice no grape pack. Yeast is RC 212.

 

[ibglowin]

That works out to 13.3 % ABV not really all that low. I have been bumping up some of the whites I have made recently. Starting SG has been ~1.085 so been bumping up to around 1.095.

 

[cpfan]

Vineco's web-site says that this kit makes a 13.5% wine. I don't know where the sg will end up, but Vineco kits have tended to hit .992 for me.

1.096 - .992 = .104 * 133 = 13.8%
1.096 - .992 = .104 * 131 = 13.6%

Sounds like it's bang on to me.

BTW, I have made THOUSANDS of kits (I ran a Ferment on Premises). Very few over 1.100. However, most were not the ultra high end kits. IMO, it's NOT totally about the alcohol content.

Steve

 

[tonyt]

Thanks guys I'll leave well enough alone. Steve I have most always done ultra high end kits, most with grape packs

 

[DoctorCAD]

The recommended SG is right around 1.092 - 1.096, so you are actually perfect!

 

[H2O]

I didn't plan on doing this kit but was in the town where my favourite supplier is and they had extra. For 110.00 CDN bucks I went for it

At first, like you, I was concerned with the low S.G. But, after a slow start it was bubbling in the primary quite consistently for several days in primary @ 73 degrees. Starting S.G. was 1.095 and was at 0.990 when I transferred to secondary. I doubt it will drop much more but in another week when I'm back from Cabo I'll check the S.G. and stabilize.

 

[jsiddall]

Yup, mine was 1.095 which should work out bang on where they said (13.5%).

Which reminds me -- I should check the SG again. It has been in secondary for almost two weeks so I can find out exactly where it ended up.

Update: SG now 0.993, which works out to an ABV of 13.7% (Duncan & Acton method) or 13.4% (standard method).