Is this wine better for the drainpipe?

[Supersocks]

I was emboldended by my recent success with turbo cider which was just brilliant (thanks for the advice here) , I've another 5 demi johns on the go right now , happy Christmas to me.

Anyhow, I bought a "Solomon Grundy Platinum Sauvignon Blanc" white wine kit and mixed it all up last weekend.
Frist problem, the box says makes up 22.5 liters however the instructions inside say make it up to 23 liters and being a thirsty bugger i decided to go with that.
However when i measured it with the hydrometer its giving a potential alcohol content of 5% so I dumped in half a kilo of suger to try and bump that up a bit.
Did all this on Sunday and its not got bubbling yet, there is a decent head of foam on top and the house is not that warm at this tiome of year so maybe its a slow burner but I'm concerned.

I've ordered a heatpad off amazon that should be here in a few days to bump up the temperature a bit but given the initial hydrometer reading and the disparity between what the box says and the instructions say in terms of amount i'm worried that i'm going to end up with watery weak stuff thats best sent down the drain.

Anyone any advice?

 

[Stevieboy]

1/2 kilo in 23 l will get chomped in no time - are you sure you mixed the must properly? Did the instructions call for adding sugar at all, or was it all grape concentrate?

 

[Supersocks]

The box says sugar included so I guess the concentrate has it included, the instructions just say add the yeast and water to 23 liters.
I didnt do any mixing as I figured adding the concentrate to the bucket followed by the water would have given it a pretty good mixing as is. The yeast was sprinked on top and there is a good foamy head on there so its eating something albeit slowly. Maybe i should dump another kilo of sugar in there?
I have put it close to a radiator this afternoon to try and get things going a bit but the hydrometer reading has me wondering if i'm wasting my time, 5% wine doesnt really work for me.

 

[An Ankoù]

Here are the instructions:
https://brew2bottle.co.uk/pages/solomon-grundy-30-bottle-kit-instructionsIt says add 3Kg of Sugar.
Don't know if that is included with the kit or whether you have to but it, but it's not going to be strong enough without it.

 

[Stevieboy]

OK - if you didn't mix the must, the heavy syrup will have stayed at the bottom, and that's why you've got a low Hydrometer reading. Give it a quick stir, and all will be well.

 

[Stevieboy]

Here are the instructions:
https://brew2bottle.co.uk/pages/solomon-grundy-30-bottle-kit-instructionsIt says add 3Kg of Sugar.
Don't know if that is included with the kit or whether you have to but it, but it's not going to be strong enough without it.

@An Ankoù - My PC security won't let me open that att. Is that the Platinum Kit? I'm watching a Youtube vid which shows no sugar additions...

 

[Supersocks]

I gave it a good stir but hydro reading still low, i half wonder if the syrup was mixed by mistake with another box -the plastic bottle it was in had no label and the seller had their own wrapping around it, presumably for delivery purposes. I've dumped in another 2.5 kg sugar, lets see what happens!

 

[Stevieboy]

Was it a 5 litre container?

 

[An Ankoù]

@An Ankoù - My PC security won't let me open that att. Is that the Platinum Kit? I'm watching a Youtube vid which shows no sugar additions...

I've no idea. I don't do wine kits and don't really know the difference between a bog standard kit and a platinum kit, but if you're paying a premium for them to supply the sugar, you;re probably paying too much for it. Anyway, here's the first part of the instructions:

SOLOMON GRUNDY 30 BOTTLE KIT - INSTRUCTIONS

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING
Make sure all your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sterilised before starting. Use any good home brew steriliser. Follow the manufacturers instructions.
STARTING FERMENTATION
Pour 5 litres (9 pints) boiling water into a 25 litre fermenter. Add 3 kilos (6.6lbs) of white sugar for White and Rosé wines, and add 4 Kilos (8.8lbs) of white sugar for Red wines, and stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, add the large bottle/can of concentrate (do not add the specially concentrated wine compound at this stage) then rinse out any remains with cold water.

Top up to 22.5 litres (5 gallon) with cold water, then add sachets of Wine Yeast and Yeast Nutrient. Stir well until the yeast particles disappear then fit bung and airlock (half fill with cold water). Transfer fermenter somewhere warm between 24º-30ºC (76º-86ºF) to ferment for 5 days - fermentation will take several more days to complete at lower temperatures, but will produce a better quality wine.

 

[ChrisT]

When you say alcohol content of 5%, did you take the SG? Did you measure it after stirring by any chance? What is it now?

 

[Supersocks]

It was a 5 litre container yes.
Bubbling away happily now after the stirring and 3kg of sugar. Hopefully with the opening and stirring etc i havent turned into vineger, time will tell. I didnt remeasure the SG after stirring as i'd dumped in demerara sugar and that was sitting at the bottom so not likely to be an accurate reading i suppose as it wasnt dissolved in, could be wrong with that.

 

[Supersocks]

I've no idea. I don't do wine kits and don't really know the difference between a bog standard kit and a platinum kit, but if you're paying a premium for them to supply the sugar, you;re probably paying too much for it.

I with you on this point, next time I wont bother with one with the sugar added. Thinking about it i assume the platinum premium was for the sugar not any better flavor as i assumed when buying, one born every minute i suppose.