Wrong Specific Gravity

[wastenotwantnot]

I started five gallons of peach wine last Thursday and added the yeast on Friday, 24 hours later. Lots of fermentation happened and seems to have really dropped off (Tuesday evening). The recipe says to rack into a carboy when the specific gravity is at 1.040, but my refractometer is reading 5% brix, only half of what the specific gravity should be. Should I add more sugar or some juice to the fermentation bucket to try to get the right amount of alcohol before I rack it? This is the first time I've ever used a refractometer before and I've made several successful batches of peach wine in the past. At this stage in the past I've always racked the wine into a carboy and topped it off with juice to start the secondary ferment.

 

[Maynard123]

You don't say what your gravity started at but if it's only been 24hrs I would wait a few days and see if it is still bubbling in the airlock. Also it could be that your temp has dropped which will slow down fermentation. I just racked a batch of strawberry that was working for two weeks.

 

[Julie]

Your refractometer will not give you a correct reading with fermentation going. You need to use a hydrometer. A refracometer can only read juice or fruit pre- fermentation.

 

[wastenotwantnot]

I put the yeast in on Friday so it's been about four full days of fermentation. I didn't take a starting gravity though, which shows what a newbie I am at using a refractometer. Could you explain how I do this so next time I'll know?

 

[wastenotwantnot]

Julie, the hydrometer read close to 1.0. But once again I didn't take a beginning reading. Would love input on how to use these devices [emoji57]

 

[wastenotwantnot]

Ok, I've been looking at the recipe and I'm starting to understand how this works! My one question now is if my starting gravity isn't correct before I add yeast, do I just add more sugar until it's correct? If so, how long should it sit then before I add the yeast?

 

[wastenotwantnot]

Try googling it,

I am a stay-at-home mom of three kids under age 5, I don't get to talk to grown-ups much. I know I can find all the answers I need on Google, but it's nice sometimes to have a conversation that's not about what color of crayola marker was used to color my favorite purse, or why there's a pile of snacks hidden under the rug, etc. Humor me, or not, no pressure [emoji6]

 

[cpfan]

Here's a thread on using a hydrometer. Hopefully it will help you.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16574

A hydrometer reading around 1.000 means that the yeast has been doing a good job of fermenting the provided sugars. I don't like to rack to carboy around 1.040 because odds are that the wine will bubble out of the air lock. I prefer to wait till the sg is below 1.005, so this would be a good time to rack your wine to a carboy.

Steve

 

[sour_grapes]

I am a stay-at-home mom of three kids under age 5, I don't get to talk to grown-ups much. I know I can find all the answers I need on Google, but it's nice sometimes to have a conversation that's not about what color of crayola marker was used to color my favorite purse, or why there's a pile of snacks hidden under the rug, etc. Humor me, or not, no pressure [emoji6]

Maynard's comments were off-base. In fact, our rules explicitly forbid such a response. (See # 13: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/faq.php?faq=rules#faq_rulesandregulations .)

As Julie has said, you cannot (easily) use a refractometer once fermentation starts. A hydrometer is a simpler way to go.

Without an initial SG reading, it is really hard to advise you. Did you follow a recipe? Did you add any sugar first, i.e., before fermentation started? If so, how much?

 

[olusteebus]

basically, a hydrometer measures the density of a liquid. The more sugar content in wine means it is more dense. As yest converts to sugar to alcohol, the wine liquid becomes less dense, therefore the lower readings. The link to the hydrometer use is good.

Hey, there were and still are many things I don't understand and probably will not understand. I am a retired accountant for Christ sakes!

I don't have a refractometer either. would like to have one. good luck with your peach.

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi Wastenotwantnot, Truth is I believe that it is possible to use a refractometer to get an idea of the sugar content of a wine but you must know the starting gravity because in order to make use of a refractometer when there is alcohol in the solution (and not just water and sugar (ie fruit juice) a complex algorithm needs to be applied. I agree with Julie that it is far simpler to use an hydrometer.
Refractometers (in this context) are really meant to measure the sugar content of fruit as a check of their ripeness. You may know that they work by measuring the angle at which light bends as it passes through liquids with different amounts of sugar. And that angle varies depending on how sugar dense the liquid is. That angle and that variation is quite fixed and known, and it is that angle called the angle of refraction that gives you the Brix reading. However, when the liquid is not simply made up of water and sugar (as it would be with fruit) but contains a significant percentage of alcohol then the way that light bends (refracts) is quite different and the amount of alcohol in the liquid affects the angle of refraction and hence the need to know the starting gravity and the application of a (relatively speaking) complex mathematical formula.

There are calculators available on the internet to allow the use of a refractometer to measure gravity (or Brix) throughout the fermentation process and while wine makers tend to favor a hydrometer brewers often prefer to use the optics of a refractometer as they are fearful of returning any samples they have drawn from their brews because of the likelihood of contamination and infection and a refractometer uses only a drop of liquid whereas an hydrometer uses about 4 or 5 oz of liquid .

That said, even if you did not measure the starting gravity you can still fairly accurately guestimate or even estimate it. What was the source of the must (the fruit juice) - was it commercially produced juice?, fruit you juiced? Did you increase the sugar content? If so, by how much? What volume of peach must are you fermenting.

 

[wastenotwantnot]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the useful information! I have learned more with this batch of wine than any other so far. The recipe I was using said what the beginning specific gravity should be (in small print at the top of the page), but no information about what that meant or how to get it. I didn't even notice it. I see now that I was supposed to take a reading before fermentation and then one after. Ah well, next batch! I feel pretty certain the wine will still turn out well as it looks great and bubbled again nicely for a while after I racked it into the carboy and topped it off with some juice. I've had successful batches in the past that have done pretty much the same thing. I'm looking forward to the next batch of wine and feel a lot more prepared to use the technology : )

 

[GreginND]

I think the answer to your question is to adjust the sugar to the level you need it before you start fermentation. So, for your next batches - check with your refractometer and if the sugar is too low - add some until it reaches you desired starting point.

Once fermentation starts - as mentioned - your refractometer will not show you directly the brix. I would recommend getting a hydrometer to follow the sugar during fermentation.

Unless you know you were low at the start of fermentation - I would not add sugar during fermentation as you'll end up with even more alcohol in the end and it may be too "hot". And it may ferment until the alcohol kills the yeast and leave sugar left behind. Ok if you want an alcoholic sweet wine.

Lastly - it will most likely turn out fine and drinkable. Wine is very forgiving. So don't sweat it too much and enjoy it!

 

[heatherd]

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the useful information! I have learned more with this batch of wine than any other so far. The recipe I was using said what the beginning specific gravity should be (in small print at the top of the page), but no information about what that meant or how to get it. I didn't even notice it. I see now that I was supposed to take a reading before fermentation and then one after. Ah well, next batch! I feel pretty certain the wine will still turn out well as it looks great and bubbled again nicely for a while after I racked it into the carboy and topped it off with some juice. I've had successful batches in the past that have done pretty much the same thing. I'm looking forward to the next batch of wine and feel a lot more prepared to use the technology : )

If its fermented, you'll want to top off with wine (rather than juice). I am sure your wine will turn out fine, regardless.

And for the next batch you'll know your way around a hydrometer. It's a slightly counterintuitive tool.

Best of luck on the peach wine....

 

[Maynard123]

Maynard's comments were off-base. In fact, our rules explicitly forbid such a response. (See # 13: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/faq.php?faq=rules#faq_rulesandregulations .)

As Julie has said, you cannot (easily) use a refractometer once fermentation starts. A hydrometer is a simpler way to go.

Without an initial SG reading, it is really hard to advise you. Did you follow a recipe? Did you add any sugar first, i.e., before fermentation started? If so, how much?

I haven't been on the computer for a while due to my work load, I just reviewed the rule #13 and I would never make fun of anyone for asking questions I ask them myself. I only said it because that's what I do and I knew it would have lots of info that would show how to use the hydrometer which is what I did to learn. Using google was how I found this forum, I was making some Muskadine wine and was looking for information on it. However if I offended anyone I apologize that wasn't my intention.

 

[sour_grapes]

I haven't been on the computer for a while due to my work load, I just reviewed the rule #13 and I would never make fun of anyone for asking questions I ask them myself. I only said it because that's what I do and I knew it would have lots of info that would show how to use the hydrometer which is what I did to learn. Using google was how I found this forum, I was making some Muskadine wine and was looking for information on it. However if I offended anyone I apologize that wasn't my intention.

Glad to know, Maynard. Without seeing or hearing the person, it is easy to misread or misinterpret a comment. Thanks for clearing this up!