[Pauly2275]

Just wondering what it takes to make port? any good recipes out there?

I have a 5 gallon pail of zinfandel juice that didn't ferment as well as I would have liked. It ended up being around 1.001, so I decided to turn it into a port wine. What is the best brandy to add? How do I figure out how much I will need to add to get around 20% alcohol? Can I backsweeten it?

Paul

[ibglowin]

That will make an excellent Port! You can use the Pearson's Square formula on Jack Keller's site or use the old (1) 750ml bottle of brandy per gallon of wine formula. That will get you right at ~19%ABV depending on where you started at ABV wise. You will need to backsweeten it to your likening with simple syrup. I used a mixture of E&J XO and VSOP Brandy.

You may wish to use Sorbate as an insurance policy but the 19% ABV is usually enough to keep any yeast from thinking twice about trying to go after any of that sugar.

[JohnT]

Look up pearson's square.

This is a great tool for determining port. It will tell you how much brandy / to how much wine to get the desired APV or sugar content.

My advise is to not get anything expensive. The taste and flavor of the fortifier definately changes when you bring grape juice to the party. I know that some have used vodka or grain alcohol as a fortifier, but I have to strongly recomend using a good cheap brandy (EJ or Christian Bros have worked for me).

Brandy is distilled wine, whiskey is distilled beer, Vodka is distilled potatoes, grain (well) is distilled grain (very strong distilled beer).

I prefer having grapes living with grapes. Call me a Republican, but it seems to me that I can always spot the vodka, whiskey, or grain when it's used.

johnT

[Dougxox]

Originally Posted by JohnT

Brandy is distilled wine, whiskey is distilled beer, Vodka is distilled potatoes, grain (well) is distilled grain (very strong distilled beer).

johnT

whiskey= distilled beer??? without the hops, the boiling of the wort, use of malted grain. Not sure how beer would taste made from corn?

Vodka= distilled potatoes...only about two or three, Chopan and Glacier are the only ones that come to mind, the rest are wheat or other grain.

Water, yeast and sugar will get you alcohol. I agree on the brandy into wine for port.

[Pauly2275]

Originally Posted by ibglowin

That will make an excellent Port! You can use the Pearson's Square formula on Jack Keller's site or use the old (1) 750ml bottle of brandy per gallon of wine formula. That will get you right at ~19%ABV depending on where you started at ABV wise. You will need to backsweeten it to your likening with simple syrup. I used a mixture of E&J XO and VSOP Brandy.

You may wish to use Sorbate as an insurance policy but the 19% ABV is usually enough to keep any yeast from thinking twice about trying to go after any of that sugar.

When you say syrup, exactly what brand or kind do you use?

[ibglowin]

No brand, just dissolved sugar in hot water. Google it and you will get the prep.

[Pauly2275]

Originally Posted by ibglowin

No brand, just dissolved sugar in hot water. Google it and you will get the prep.

Thanks for your help :-) I will let you know how it turns out.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by Dougxox

whiskey= distilled beer??? without the hops, the boiling of the wort, use of malted grain. Not sure how beer would taste made from corn?

Vodka= distilled potatoes...only about two or three, Chopan and Glacier are the only ones that come to mind, the rest are wheat or other grain.

Water, yeast and sugar will get you alcohol. I agree on the brandy into wine for port.

Brewed/fermented grain = beer. Do you think that the Egyptians had hops? I know that Bud has rice in it and am pretty sure that they also add corn.

[UBB]

Originally Posted by JohnT

Brewed/fermented grain = beer. Do you think that the Egyptians had hops? I know that Bud has rice in it and am pretty sure that they also add corn.

Bud light is brewed with Rice. Budweiser is not IIRC.