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Texas1101 · 05-14-2011, 06:26 PM

Just bottled my first. Alcohol contact does not seem very strong. Did I do something wrong? Taste OK. Followed directions except due to illness did not bottle till a week after I was schedule. Wine was clear and tasted fine. Just alcohol level down.
Kit was a Spagnols Breezin

vcasey · 05-14-2011, 06:48 PM

Sounds like you did everything just fine. Those kits have a very low alcohol level so they are quick drinkers for the impatient as well as nice light summer coolers.

Welcome to the forum.

Texas1101 · 05-14-2011, 06:58 PM

Thanks, was afraid I did something wrong

**Rocky** · 05-15-2011, 02:26 AM

Texas,

If you kept a record of the initial SG and the final SG, subtract the final from the initial and multiply the difference by 131. This will give you a good estimate of the alcohol content. For example, given an initial SG of 1.080 and a final SG of .997, the difference would be .083 and multiplying that by 131 gives you 10.873 indicating an ABV of approximately 10.9%.

**cpfan** · 05-16-2011, 08:20 PM

In the case of the Breezin' kits, use the sg prior to adding the flavouring/sweetening pack as your final sg.

Steve

DancerMan · 05-17-2011, 06:03 PM

I made this kit and bottled it two days ago. (Didn't actually bottle, but bagged it, instead. My summer wines I put in the bags, which go with the wine-on-tap dispensers that George sales.) Before fermenting, I added enough sugar to bump the alcohol ABV to about 12%. I like it that way.

It is very strong of blackcherry; way too easy to drink!!!

It really is a nice summer wine and I'm sure it will go over well at the various parties and summer functions I attend. It will be long-gone by the end of September I'm sure.

I also bagged an RJS peach chardonnay the same day. ABV also about 12%. Great summer wine.

**Rocky** · 05-17-2011, 06:53 PM

DancerMan, I agree with you and like wines in the 12-12.5% ABV range. Too much above that is a seditive and too much below that is Cool Aid.

DancerMan · 05-17-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky

DancerMan, I agree with you and like wines in the 12-12.5% ABV range. Too much above that is a seditive and too much below that is Cool Aid.

I just have to remember to warn everyone that is really is not just a nice sweet soft drink. As I mentioned, it really goes down easy...

**Bartman** · 05-18-2011, 05:26 PM

Rocky,
You make it sound like Kool-Aid isn't delicious!

I just bottled a Banana Pineapple Viognier to which I had added about 1 lb of sugar at the start. ABV I calculated to be about 10.1%, and tastes really nice and sweet, but it could have gone a little higher and still been good. Without the sugar, I estimate it would have been about 7.5-8% ABV.

DancerMan · 05-18-2011, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BartReeder

Rocky,
You make it sound like Kool-Aid isn't delicious!

I just bottled a Banana Pineapple Viognier to which I had added about 1 lb of sugar at the start. ABV I calculated to be about 10.1%, and tastes really nice and sweet, but it could have gone a little higher and still been good. Without the sugar, I estimate it would have been about 7.5-8% ABV.

I did the Banana/Pineapple V. last year. I added enough sugar to take the ABV to about 12 %, if I remember right. It handled the alcohol quite well. It didn't last long.

Last year I also did a Sangria with Seville oranges. Same ABV as the B/P V.. I made another one for this summer.

Last night my wife and I played cards with some friends and drank the black cherry pinot noir. It is really a nice treat when poured over a full glass of ice. I just think the summer wines taste much cleaner when poured over lots of ice.