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High starting SG

Chezzy1290Chezzy1290 Member Posts: 9
in Wine Making
Hi

I'm a total newbie to brewing anything, making my first attempt at a 7 day Rose wine kit (23ltr)

I've put a bit too much sugar in it seems as my starting SG was 1.11

Rather than use the kit's yeast, I've opted for the high alcohol Gervin GV4 yeast in an attempt to save the wine, or the whole thing will have been a waste of time! I've also used a yeast nutrient. The bucket is sat at a steady 24-25 degreesC at the moment.

After a few hours my bubbler has started to bubble slightly once every few minutes.. Hoping I may have got away with it.

Can anyone share any knowledge/experience of this?

Thanks!
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    BUDFORCEBUDFORCE Member Posts: 275
    How much sugar were you supposed to add, and how much do you think you put in?

    I'm not a wine brewing expert at all, but with beer adding a bit too much sugar will not do too much harm it all depends how much more you added.

    A little will just kick the alcohol content up a bit, may make the wine taste a bit stronger and wont be as the maker of the kit intended - however, it'll probably be ok.

    If you added a lot more, it's possible the alcohol content will get too much for the yeast to handle, and some of the sugar will be left unfermented which will probably make the wine taste horrible, it would have to be quite a lot more though I am guessing.

    Beer League: 1. Young's - American Pale Ale 2. Bulldog Brews - Imperial Red Bad Cat 3. Young's - IPA 4. Young's - American Amber Ale 5. Bulldog Brews - Evil Dog Double IPA
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    Chezzy1290Chezzy1290 Member Posts: 9
    Hi mate

    Thanks for the reply!

    A combination of carelessness and reading the hydrometer incorrectly I recall adding an extra 1.5kg of sugar than required to the fermentation bucket.

    I've checked on the buckets progress today and it smells nice, or close to how a wine should smell. There is also a 'fizz' type thing going on with a constant stream of small bubbles coming to the surface.

    Temp is still at around 24-25.

    I took an SG of pretty much the same as 24hrs previous, marginally decreased maybe..

    I'm planning on doing the same tomorrow, maybe that will give me more of an idea?

    Thanks for the help!
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    BUDFORCEBUDFORCE Member Posts: 275
    Oh, an extra 1.5kg is quite a lot!

    I would definately wait for the hydrometer to remain stable, you will really want to brew off as much as that sugar as possible before the yeast gives in. Adding the higher alcohol yeald yeast was a good idea.

    The fizz may suggest that it's still brewing.

    See what it's like tomorrow, but the longer you give it the better, good few weeks at least, I brew most of my beer kits for 3 weeks in primary, given the sugar you have added I would not be in a rush to transfer it to secondary.



    Beer League: 1. Young's - American Pale Ale 2. Bulldog Brews - Imperial Red Bad Cat 3. Young's - IPA 4. Young's - American Amber Ale 5. Bulldog Brews - Evil Dog Double IPA
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    Chezzy1290Chezzy1290 Member Posts: 9
    Bit of an update, 48hrs on from the sugar overdose..!

    The bucket now has a quite a thick head on the top, and the SG has fell from 1.11 to 1.090..

    So.. I'm assuming it's working
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    BUDFORCEBUDFORCE Member Posts: 275
    Yeah thats still brewing.

    Leave it alone and let it do its thing.
    Beer League: 1. Young's - American Pale Ale 2. Bulldog Brews - Imperial Red Bad Cat 3. Young's - IPA 4. Young's - American Amber Ale 5. Bulldog Brews - Evil Dog Double IPA
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    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    That definitely sounds like it is ok, as budforce says leave it alone for now and wait for the hydrometer reading to become stable. Once it has finished fermenting it should have the same hydrometer reading over two days with no movement at all. Due to the extra sugar this will take a little longer.
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    Chezzy1290Chezzy1290 Member Posts: 9
    Update on the wine:

    12th day of brewing and the SG seemed to stop at around 1.04 for a few days, with little activity in the bubbler also.

    Temp has remained constant, to try and revive the fermentation I added a teaspoon of yeast nutrient and give the bucket a good stir. Lid back on.

    24hrs later I have a thick head on it again and some bubbling action. The SG has crept to 1.035, so maybe I've saved it?

    Planning on leaving it a few days and seeing what the SG can get to, seems to be struggling though.
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    BUDFORCEBUDFORCE Member Posts: 275
    yup keep going until as much of that sugar is fermented.

    errrr, I would also drink that wine slowly :wink:
    Beer League: 1. Young's - American Pale Ale 2. Bulldog Brews - Imperial Red Bad Cat 3. Young's - IPA 4. Young's - American Amber Ale 5. Bulldog Brews - Evil Dog Double IPA
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    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    Agreed, it sounds to be fermenting away steadily, just leave it until it stops completely, this may be a while but the main this is the reading keeps lowering and you need all signs of bubbles rising through the liquid to stop. Keep going and see how low the gravity reading drops to. We think Budforce might have a good point on this being a 'sipping wine' due to its strength! The starting and final gravity reading will mean the strength can be worked out
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