Rising Gravities in 1st...I'm at a loss...

[jcharlson]

So I'm playing with 1 gallon carboys, experimenting with different yeasts and sugars and currently have 6 going to hopefully get to my end result faster.

Anyways, I've had an interesting time with my gravities, they seem to be rising.

The temp in my brew room and the temp of all the juice has been a constant 70 degrees from the very beginning. All yeasts are Wyeast if that matters to anyone.

Here's the data so far:

#1 - Bavarian Wheat yeast - Brown Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.101
SG on (2-1): 1.096
SG on (2-4): 1.093
SG on (2-6): 1.093

#2 - Bavarian Wheat yeast - White Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.099
SG on (2-1): 1.097
SG on (2-4): 1.093
SG on (2-6): 1.093

#3 - British Ale yeast - Brown Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.101
SG on (2-1): 1.081
SG on (2-4): 1.098
SG on (2-6): 1.100

#4 - British Ale yeast - White Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.099
SG on (2-1): 1.092
SG on (2-4): 1.093
SG on (2-6): 1.097

#5 - Cider yeast - Brown Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.101
SG on (2-1): 1.082
SG on (2-4): 1.093
SG on (2-6): 1.092

#6 - Cider yeast - White Sugar
Starting SG (1-28): 1.099
SG on (2-1): 1.085
SG on (2-4): 1.093
SG on (2-6): 1.091

All measurements were done with both a hydrometer and a refractometer. Both showed the measurements to be the same.

The measurements from the 4th were really odd to me, with 5 of the 6 reading out at 1.093... I just don't understand what is happening here. If anyone has any clue as to what is going on with my ciders, I'd love some help.

Thanks!

 

[UpstateMike]

Weird.

 

[raecmr]

Strange, but is it possible any sugar you added wasn't fully dissolved? Or you added some sort of additive like honey or fruit, that didn't register on your initial reading? I know for me at least I can usually see a gradient if i don't mix everything thoroughly. If you took a sample initially from the top when it wasn't mixed all the way you could have a lower reading and then once the yeast took over and the CO2 mixed everything up the reading you took from the top again was higher.

 

[jcharlson]

I think had everything pretty well mixed, I stirred until I couldn't feel any more granules on the bottom, probably about 5 minutes or so. I suppose it's always a possibility though. Not other additives were added, just the white and brown sugars.

If that is the case, is it just a waiting game for the sugars to mix back in then? Thanks!

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Could it be the yeast have reproduced a ton and there's a HUGE house party in there causing the gravity to go up?

Do yeast contribute to gravity?

 

[Jacob_Marley]

That is strange. Off the top of my head, if those measurements were only using the hydrometer I'd say you could have an increase in the outgassing of CO2 due to a change in barometric pressure, that would just slightly buoy the float.

If you were just using only the refractometer ...
alcohol refracts differently than sugar and so that’s why you use a calculation to adjust when you are testing anything other than pre-fermentation ... reduction in brix causes a decrease in the refractive index while at the same time the alcohol causes an increase ...

But if you are getting identical direct readings from both devices ... ??

Are you relying on the refractometer more for that tiny thousandths decimal and then giving your “confirmation” reading with the hydrometer a wink and the benefit of the doubt ... or are the readings truly both individually accurate and identical.

If I had to guess, I’d say it is the accumulating alcohol ... followed by the inevitable push down on the SG by the reduction of brix.