Invert sugar for back sweetening?

When back sweetening, is there any functional difference between dissolving sugar first with low heat vs simply dumping it in and stirring until dissolved?

A few of my wines have a certain "sugary" taste to them after back sweetening with raw sugar. Its more than just a sweetness, but rather I feel like I can taste the sugar. How to avoid this?

Thanks!

brottman said:

When back sweetening, is there any functional difference between dissolving sugar first with low heat vs simply dumping it in and stirring until dissolved?

A few of my wines have a certain "sugary" taste to them after back sweetening with raw sugar. Its more than just a sweetness, but rather I feel like I can taste the sugar. How to avoid this?

Thanks!

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you should make a simple syrup solution so it will not crystalize over time- but you can try Honey if you want sweet but not the sugar taste

I believe there is a functional difference between dry sugar and simple syrup. The chemistry of sugar is complicated, but it ultimately comes down to what you taste. Dry sugar is generally not recommended for sweetening directly, because it takes such a long time to reach its final sweetness. I've made several batches of Riesling, and after some tasting, I ended up using dry fructose for back sweetening. I've also had good results back sweetening with grape concentrate.

I just use table sugar and dump it in, stir until dissolved. I have never had any off flavors or sugary flavors or build up.
The reason I don't use sugar in a simple syrup form is I don't want to add the additional liquid to my wine, therefore diluting the flavor and alcohol.

Stickman, the grape concentrate that you use, is that just the stuff in the freezer section of your grocery store, or is it more specialized?

wineforfun said:

I don't want to add the additional liquid to my wine, therefore diluting the ... and alcohol.

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I understand what your saying here but I think the alcohol dilution is nil. Sweetening is a personal thing but in a totally dry wine I usually add 1/2 cup of sugar to the gallon. If you use the recommended 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to water in simple syrup this is only 1/4 cup or 2 ounces of water to the gallon. Two ounces of water added to 128 ounces of wine would hardly be noticeable.

Thig said:

I understand what your saying here but I think the alcohol dilution is nil. Sweetening is a personal thing but in a totally dry wine I usually add 1/2 cup of sugar to the gallon. If you use the recommended 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to water in simple syrup this is only 1/4 cup or 2 ounces of water to the gallon. Two ounces of water added to 128 ounces of wine would hardly be noticeable.

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Good point as I guess I didn't realize the water addition was that minimal. For me it is just easier and quicker to stir the sugar in. I may have to try the simple syrup someday to be able to do a comparison.

wineforfun said:

Good point as I guess I didn't realize the water addition was that minimal. For me it is just easier and quicker to stir the sugar in. I may have to try the simple syrup someday to be able to do a comparison.

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I have to admit I always just stirred in the sugar also, until this last batch. It is Dragon Blood so I decided to try the simple syrup method. It is easier mixing the simple syrup into the wine than just pouring the sugar in. Less stirring and possible less chance of oxidation.

I generally dump in the sugar as well. The wine is going to sit for quite awhile before bottling or drinking so any 'sugary' taste ages out.

However, I have done invert sugar with the wine instead of water. Just don't boil the alcohol out and you keep all the flavour, plus the sweetness.

Inverted Sugar is when the Sucrose (table sugar) is split into Glucose and Fructose. Inverted sugar is sweeter than non-inverted sugar.

Over time, dissolved sucrose will split on its own to glucose and fructose. Which, is why freshly made sugar water (think lemonade) tastes sweeter if you let it sit overnight.

So, if you are going to back sweeten to taste, then you should use inverted sugar. You are then less likely to overshoot your desired sweetness. If you back sweeten with table sugar, it will taste sweeter in a few days as the sucrose is slowly converted.

Brottman, in my case it was a Riesling fermented dry and then back sweetened with Gewurztraminer concentrate from a kit.