As the title, the short of it is the hydrometer gives an SG for 1.090 for my must, the Mead Making calculator gives at least 1.102 (at least, as I've not topped up to my final volume yet, so it should be higher). I guess the nub of it is, I'm not sure which I should be trusting.
Not including small stuff like nutrients & enzymes, ingredients so far are:
8l Merlot grape juice (15.2% sugar)
2lb crystalised honey (76.4% sugar)
2-300ml water from rinsing out and the yeast and nurtient additions
Final vol is 2 IMP GAL / 9L / 2.4 US GAL, but as I've not topped up yet the current volume will be a little shy of this.
Honey was warmed a little for pouring, the juice heated a little as it had been chilled. I didn't measure the must temp, but it wasn't far off 25C when pitching. The temp seems only to make a point or two difference anyhow. As I say the must measured 1.090 - I checked a couple of times - but I was expecting something in the region of 1.100 -1.115.
Any ideas? Which to trust?
I probably wouldn't bother too much, as most of my batches to date - on which there has been a fairly good correspondance between the measured SG and calculated SG - have been aimed between 12 and 15%. I've been fairly relaxed about the final ABV. Here I'm aiming for a fairly heavy red pyment, and further honey additions, to take it too maybe 16-18% and an error like this will end up in it finishing too sweet.
Just thought I still have some of the juice maybe I should test it's got the % sugar it sez on the packet.
Not including small stuff like nutrients & enzymes, ingredients so far are:
8l Merlot grape juice (15.2% sugar)
2lb crystalised honey (76.4% sugar)
2-300ml water from rinsing out and the yeast and nurtient additions
Final vol is 2 IMP GAL / 9L / 2.4 US GAL, but as I've not topped up yet the current volume will be a little shy of this.
Honey was warmed a little for pouring, the juice heated a little as it had been chilled. I didn't measure the must temp, but it wasn't far off 25C when pitching. The temp seems only to make a point or two difference anyhow. As I say the must measured 1.090 - I checked a couple of times - but I was expecting something in the region of 1.100 -1.115.
Any ideas? Which to trust?
I probably wouldn't bother too much, as most of my batches to date - on which there has been a fairly good correspondance between the measured SG and calculated SG - have been aimed between 12 and 15%. I've been fairly relaxed about the final ABV. Here I'm aiming for a fairly heavy red pyment, and further honey additions, to take it too maybe 16-18% and an error like this will end up in it finishing too sweet.
Just thought I still have some of the juice maybe I should test it's got the % sugar it sez on the packet.
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