SG of .896 possible?

[FTC Wines]

I racked, stabilized & de gassed 3 five gal carboys yesterday. All 3 were started 6-7 weeks ago, open ferment for 5-7 days, then secondary for the balence. All started at 1.85 to 1.92. When I tested them yesterday ALL were .895 to .897. Is this possible, never seen a SG below .990 before. May need to get another hydrometer to check this one against, but it seems to be working fine on the top end. One Cab, one blackberry, one elderberry, all from concentrates. Roy

 

[Wade E]

I'm hoping you meant a starting SG of 1.092 and 1.085!!! LOL. Test your hydro. In distilled water at the temp it is calibrated to which is usually indicated by the paper it came with. Are you adjusting up or down for that Cal. temp.?

 

[grapeman]

I have never seen a hydrometer graduated that low before. Do you mean .985 to .987? Even that would be very unusual and very low.

 

[FTC Wines]

Wade, YES I meant 1.085 to 1.09whatever, dam zeros. Grapeman, I meant .986 guess I needed MORE coffee this AM!! It is VERY low, never saw a ferment go that LOW. But 3 batches all at similar time went that low. Will check hydrometer out & I will get a spare soon. Thanks Roy

 

[Pumpkinman]

FTC Wines,
As Grapeman stated, I've never seen a hydrometer go below .990, but then again, I'm usually happy with .992, or .990, at that point I will rack to a clean carboy.
If your hydrometer reads that low, then it might be possible.

On a separate note, I see that you're in North Fort Myers, I use to live in Cape Coral, and work on Pine Island road, damn I miss it!!

 

[FTC Wines]

Thanks Pumpkinman,we live just off Hancock Bridge Pkwy, less than a mile from the Cape. Only been here a year but LOVE it!! Making 50-60 gals of wine a year, 25' boat in the backyard on a lift, just got back from a 9 day boat trip to the Keys (8hrs away by boat) Only thing we miss is our awesome garden & mini Vineyard we had in N. Ga. !! But you have to love the weather!! Roy

 

[GeoS]

My hydrometer goes to 0.980 and I have had one or two batches go down to 0.988 - 0.990 always read from the bottom of the meniscus.

 

[djrockinsteve]

All of my wines ferment below .990. I add a teaspoon of superferment to the 6 gallon batch once it reaches 1.000. I can take a reading and its below the .990 level. If I calculate sugar to back sweeten based on .990 I will always come up short.

Taking wines to .990 still contain small amounts of sugar. Use a refractometer to confirm or truly see the specific amount of sugar remaining.


FYI all of my different hydrometers read the same so it's not a misaligned guide in the meter.

 

[seth8530]

I would say that it is possible to drop below .990 ( my last dragons blood was definitly toeing the line) However, i would deem it rare. I would check the calibration of the hydrometer first.. but sure why not eh?

 

[FTC Wines]

Thanks all, I got a spare hydrometer today. It reads .001 higher than my original, same brand, about a year diff in age, in distilled water. That small difference could be the eye of the reader! Also I never bother to adjust for temp, but if I did the SG of .986 would be .988. I never saw a reading below .990 in all my years of wine making, so the .986 ish reading on 3 batches surprised me. Roy