low SG with whole fruit?

[GeneDaniels1963]

I just started a low ABV wine with 7 lbs frozen muscadines I found in the bottom of my chest freezer. I used a fruit gravity calculator (Fruit Gravity / Alcohol - CraftBeerTraders) to plan the recipe. I was expecting a SG of around 1.060, making this more of a fruit cider than a true wine.

However, I just checked my SG as I prepared to add the yeast, and it is only 1.040. My water/sugar mix was 1.030, so that would mean the fruit only added 10 grav points to 1 gal. that simply cannot be.

Does anyone have an idea of what is going on?

 

[Yooper]

Yes, that could be right. Some fruits have very little natural sugar. I go through that with some of the cherry types I use- they have very little natural sugar and I end up using 2-2.25 pounds of sugar per gallon and several pounds of fruit- and almost all of the gravity points come from the sugar and not the fruit.

 

[Yooper]

I have a refractometer, so I can check the SG of any fruit with just a drop of juice. I don’t suppose you have one(?).

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

I do use a refractometer, but these were frozen. So I really did not think that much about checking them. In the past my muscadines were usually 15 or so, some go as high as 20 BRIX, but that is unusual. And these were late season.

Right now, if the measurement is correct, I will end up with about about 5.5% ABV. I really wanted about 8.5%. I think I may add a can or two of frozen grape concentrate. That should keep the grapey taste while ramping up the ABV.

Any better ideas?

 

[bernardsmith]

One idea - but it ain't inexpensive. Freeze the juice and then collect it as it gently thaws. The first runnings will have just about all the sugars and flavors but very little (percentage -wise) of the water. If you collect the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the total volume you will have doubled the SG but , you will also have reduced the total volume.

That said, if, as you state, your goal is to end with an ABV of 8.5% ( a starting gravity of about 1.065) then simply monitor the gravity as the juice thaws and collects. The biggest "upside" is that ALL the flavor will be from those grapes.

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

I had not thought about a freeze concentration of the juice. I might try that next time. This would also work to concentrate juice for my ales. Great idea.

 

[Seamonkey84]

That’s how I made a watermelon flavor pack for my watermelon wine.