Fox grape gravity question

[HawleyFarms]

This might sound like a stupid question. I have made tons of different wines, meads, ciders and beers but have never made a grape wine.

The other day I saw some vines full of fox grapes (vitis labrusca) and decided I'd pick as many as I could reach and got a little less than half a bushel. Pressed them and ended up with about 3/4 of a gallon. Took 1 quart and put it in the freezer for backsweetening.

Before I added the 1/2 gallon of white grape juice to top off my carboy I thought I'd check the gravity of the fox grape juice and couldn't believe my eyes. 1.100! Are grapes usually that high in sugar? Or are these wild grapes just exceptionally high?

All in all, gravity ended up at 1.08 after adding less than 1/2 gallon of the store bought white grape juice.

Anyone have any experience fermenting fox grapes?

 

[menerdari]

I haven't had a lot of experience with grapes or must buckets but I have been looking at them and they run any where from 21 to 26 brix on average with a few exceptions higher or lower from what I have seen, converting to SG that would be 1.088 to 1.111, so sounds like your grapes are could be in that range.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Never thought I would need a blowoff tube for grape wine. Lesson learned ... Now I have a couple hours worth of cleaning up little red dots all over my brew cabinet, wall, floor and table after work ...