Accidentally brewed wine kits short ?

[Berry454]

Hi all

So I recently brewed some Solomon Grundy fruit wines.

3 of them yielded 6 70cl bottles.

2 of them only yielded 3.5 litres. Instead of 4.5 litres.

I now realize this happened because the 5L water bottles that I used as DJs don't actually hold 5 litres!!

1kg of sugar in 3.5 litres of liquid would yield about 16.8% ABV.

I did notice that these 2 demijohns fermented for about twice as long as the other 3 kits!

What can I expect here? Will these wines actually be 16.8% abv with the yeast in the kits? Or will I just have some extra sugar in the wines?

 

[The Baron]

I think you have suggested both out comes the yeast may ferment right out but depends on its alcohol tolerance and the conditions or it may not fully ferment out and leave a slightly sweeter wine than you planned. You will only find out when it has finished with a hydrometer reading but the benefit either way is that the wine should have a bit more body and depth as it is brewed short

 

[Berry454]

I think you have suggested both out comes the yeast may ferment right out but depends on its alcohol tolerance and the conditions or it may not fully ferment out and leave a slightly sweeter wine than you planned. You will only find out when it has finished with a hydrometer reading but the benefit either way is that the wine should have a bit more body and depth as it is brewed short

Thank you for the response.

Just out of curiosity really want to work out an estimated abv.

I didn't take an original gravity reading.

But I know the total sugar in the kit should have fermented out to 11%. I thought it was higher but after checking the instructions it's definitely 11%.

Can I take a gravity reading now and somehow estimate the abv based off the amount of sugar in the kit?

I guess I would also have to somehow work out how much sugar is in the kit based off the original 11% target abv.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

But I know the total sugar in the kit should have fermented out to 11%. I thought it was higher but after checking the instructions it's definitely 11%.
Can I take a gravity reading now and somehow estimate the abv based off the amount of sugar in the kit?

The kit tells you what the final %ABV is why do you need to work it out?

 

[ColinF]

The kit tells you what the final %ABV is why do you need to work it out?

From what I can establish i'm thinking that although the anticipated ABV is 11%, based upon the sugar content of a 4.5l DJ, that in this case at least two of the OPs "DJs" were only 3.5l so would increase the ABV.

Sadly with no starting gravity the only other way to work it out would be with a Vinometer ....... I think

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks Colin I must have skipped past that part of the OP.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

2 of them only yielded 3.5 litres. Instead of 4.5 litres.

I now realize this happened because the 5L water bottles that I used as DJs don't actually hold 5 litres!!

A 5 litre water bottle holds at least 5 litres if it didnt the company could be sued for marking it 5 litres.

I used to use these when i first started out but i racked to a second and topped up for clearing so i got the full 5 litre i assume you didn't and lost wine due to the sediment.