I am making a red wine kit.
I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described in
the instructions.
Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??

--
Michael
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Take another reading. That number doesn't make sense.


"thekanes" > wrote in message
news:81bCj.86136$w57.85276@edtnps90...
>I am making a red wine kit.
> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described
> in the instructions.
> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> --
> Michael
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
>

0.900 is the reading

--
Michael and Ileen Kane
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
"thekanes" > wrote in message
news:81bCj.86136$w57.85276@edtnps90...
>I am making a red wine kit.
> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described
> in the instructions.
> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> --
> Michael
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
>

after secondary fermentation, the wine settled at 0.900 for 2 days, so I
stabilised.
It stayed at just over 0.900

--
Michael and Ileen Kane
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
"thekanes" > wrote in message
news:a7cCj.86173$w57.71199@edtnps90...
> 0.900 is the reading
>
> --
> Michael and Ileen Kane
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
> "thekanes" > wrote in message
> news:81bCj.86136$w57.85276@edtnps90...
>>I am making a red wine kit.
>> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
>> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described
>> in the instructions.
>> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>>
>> --
>> Michael
>> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
>>
>
>

On Mar 13, 9:03*am, "thekanes" > wrote:
> after secondary fermentation, the wine settled at 0.900 for 2 days, so I
> stabilised.
> It stayed at just over 0.900
>
> --
> Michael and Ileen Kane
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia"thekanes" > wrote in message
>
> news:a7cCj.86173$w57.71199@edtnps90...
>
>
>
> > 0.900 is the reading
>
> > --
> > Michael and Ileen Kane
> > Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
> > "thekanes" > wrote in message
> >news:81bCj.86136$w57.85276@edtnps90...
> >>I am making a red wine kit.
> >> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
> >> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, *not the 0.098 - 1.005 described
> >> in the instructions.
> >> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> >> --
> >> Michael
> >> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Look at your hydrometer scale again, I think it says 0.990, not 0.900.
Kit instructions often say to stabilized at 0.998 or lower. 0.990 is
good for a red kit because it means the wine is fully dry.

Pp

OK OK - I guess it is 0.990, whatever is just above the 1 on the scale.
The kit calls for 0.998 - 1.005, so it is still out of the range and tastes
very dry.

Should I add sugar and stabilizer just before I bottle??

--
Michael and Ileen Kane
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
"pp" > wrote in message
...
On Mar 13, 9:03 am, "thekanes" > wrote:
> after secondary fermentation, the wine settled at 0.900 for 2 days, so I
> stabilised.
> It stayed at just over 0.900
>
> --
> Michael and Ileen Kane
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia"thekanes" > wrote in
> message
>
> news:a7cCj.86173$w57.71199@edtnps90...
>
>
>
> > 0.900 is the reading
>
> > --
> > Michael and Ileen Kane
> > Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
> > "thekanes" > wrote in message
> >news:81bCj.86136$w57.85276@edtnps90...
> >>I am making a red wine kit.
> >> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
> >> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005
> >> described
> >> in the instructions.
> >> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> >> --
> >> Michael
> >> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Look at your hydrometer scale again, I think it says 0.990, not 0.900.
Kit instructions often say to stabilized at 0.998 or lower. 0.990 is
good for a red kit because it means the wine is fully dry.

Pp

On Mar 13, 10:11*am, "thekanes" > wrote:
> OK OK - I guess it is 0.990, whatever is just above the 1 on the scale.
> The kit calls for 0.998 - 1.005, so it is still out of the range and tastes
> very dry.
>
> Should I add sugar and stabilizer just before I bottle??

0.990 makes a lot more sense... I don't even think 0.900 is possible.

Regardless of the reading and the kit instructions, if you like it,
leave it alone. If it's too dry, sweeten carefully. If you add sugar
too quickly, it can cause an eruption like Mount Vesuvius. If you add
too much sugar, there's no easy way to make it less sweet. If you do
choose to sweeten it, make sure it's stable before you bottle. The
best way to do this is to allow it to bulk age for a few months. If
there's no sign of life after that, you can safely bottle it.

Greg

The point of checking the SG is to be reasonably certain that
fermentation has stopped. If you're below the target SG, and the wine
is no longer bubbling, then fermentation is finished, which is good.

At this point (as the instructions should tell you) you should be
adding the clarifying agent(s). Most kits also have you add sorbate
as a precaution, in case there is any residual sugar. What I don't
understand is why you would want to add sugar before you bottle. If
this is a dry red kit, why not leave it dry?

If you are going to sweeten it, then you definitely need to add the
sorbate, to prevent renewed fermentation. If you are going to leave
the wine dry, the sorbate is optional. It shouldn't hurt, but you
shouldn't need it, based on your SG readings. In any case, don't be
in a rush to bottle it. Particularly if you do sweeten the wine, give
it a few days to adjust and settle before bottling.

Doug

On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:40:04 GMT, "thekanes"
> wrote:

>I am making a red wine kit.
>I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
>After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described in
>the instructions.
>Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??

What kind of kit are you making?
The Anchorage Fishwrapper and Litterbox Liner Press

hahahaha. That was funny. No help, but funny. hahaha. DAve

A. J. Rawls wrote:
> On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:40:04 GMT, "thekanes"
> > wrote:
>
>> I am making a red wine kit.
>> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
>> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described in
>> the instructions.
>> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> What kind of kit are you making?
> The Anchorage Fishwrapper and Litterbox Liner Press

On Mar 13, 10:40 am, "thekanes" > wrote:
> I am making a red wine kit.
> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described in
> the instructions.
> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>
> --
> Michael
> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Michael,
I think you are reading your hydrometer wrong to begin with. If this
is an inexpensive hydrometer it is graduated in 0.002 S.G.
increments. the first line above the 1.000 mark is 1.002, the first
below is 0.998 below, meaning toward the bottom or base.


Joe

Michael:

I think youwould benefit the most from visiting your local Home Brew
Shop and having somebody explain the hydrometer to you.

Steve

On Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:39:37 -0700 (PDT), Joe Sallustio
> wrote:

>On Mar 13, 10:40 am, "thekanes" > wrote:
>> I am making a red wine kit.
>> I have followed the kit instructions to the letter.
>> After stabilisation my SG is only 0.900, not the 0.098 - 1.005 described in
>> the instructions.
>> Is this good or bad and can it be fixed??
>>
>> --
>> Michael
>> Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
>
>Michael,
>I think you are reading your hydrometer wrong to begin with. If this
>is an inexpensive hydrometer it is graduated in 0.002 S.G.
>increments. the first line above the 1.000 mark is 1.002, the first
>below is 0.998 below, meaning toward the bottom or base.
>
>
>Joe