Adding Watermelon to Watermelon Wine After Fermentation Begins

[Kenny Ford]

Hey everyone this is my first post here. I am very new to winemaking. I am making some watermelon wine. The fermentation started yesterday. I am however worried that I will not have much wine. I am not sure if I used enough melon in the beginning. How will adding more juice affect my product at this point?

 

[sour_grapes]

Can you tell us what you have added so far? Did you measure the starting specific gravity?

 

[Kenny Ford]

Well all I have added is about half of a large melon which filled the pot though I did not cut the pieces very small. And the acid blend and yeast nutrient, as well as EC 1118. This is my first attempt at making wine. I do not know what specific gravity is. No one told me about it lol! My wine has started to ferment. The nutrient and acid blend were a tsp each.

 

[FTC Wines]

Not to discourage you but Watermelon Wine is the Only wine I ever thru out! Try and keep the must cool, it can spoil easily. Sorry no other advice. Roy

 

[Stressbaby]

Yeah you picked probably THE hardest wine to start with.

If the must hasn't spoiled and fermentation is still rolling along you could possibly add more melon, sugar, and water.

 

[meadmaker1]

Do you understand SG now.

 

[Kenny Ford]

Wow I had no idea watermelon wine could spoil easy. I am not sure mine has spoiled. It has been kept at around 70 degrees. If I were to add more melon, would I absolutely have to add more sugar?

 

[EelfinnTy]

You will know if it goes bad. Lol I've tried watermelon twice. The first time was a mess and it got tossed out before it cleared. The 2nd time I fermented it in my garage during the winter. Ambient temp was about 50F. It took quite a while and there is still a little funk when you smell it, but it tastes pretty good. This is what I started with both times.

4-gal bags of frozen watermelon.
1.5t pectin
1t tannin
1.5t yeast energizer
1t yeast nutrient
1.5 lb sugar
1g french oak chips
yeast starter

sg of juice 1.04
sg after sugar 1.073

After it cleared I added 1gal of watermelon juice, acid, and more sugar. I can't find my notes at the moment for quantities.

If I did it again. I would try to remove as much pulp before fermenting as I can, and add the acid at the beginning. It went through a weird slimey stage during fermentation. It went away though. I think the cold helped. A 1gal batch might be better.

I'm guessing you will need more sugar.

 

[WinoDave]

In my opinion if your starting to make wine, I’d make a few wine kits first to get a understanding of the wine making process and the Use of chemicals. Orchard Breezin has a nice tasting Watermelon Kit. 6 gallons for around $60.
I would think your fine adding more melon and sugar, the yeast will eat it up. EC 1118 is a beast of a yeast.