alcohol percentage

[rottie6667]

I was just wondering how you can check the alcohol content in your wine. I did buy one of those vinometer from george but find it very hard to read. Also if you want to make your wine alittle higher in alcohol how would you go about it. The kits i have made so far just don't seem to have the kick thatthe wine you would buy in the store's have. I drink mostly red wines Cabs, Merlot,and that sort of stuff.

 

[MedPretzel]

Raise the starting SG. If you have a hydrometer, you can do it.





The SG is calculated, so if you start with a higher SG, you get more alcohol. That's the theory.





Now in practice, it all depends on the yeast. Montrachet only goes up to 14% I believe. But I never go over 1.090 as a beginning SG.





Every wine I drink which is storebought, is usually around 12%. The SG of kit wines are usually based upon that.





I use the simple equation: [SG(beginning)-SG(end)]/7.36


Don't use the decimals. That means: (1090-990)/7.36 = 13.58% alcohol.





There are other ways (adding sugar during fermentation, for one) to raise the alcohol content, but since I've never done it myself, I feel unable to comment on that. I am sure there are some more expereinced people on here who could help out with that.


Hope this helpsEdited by: MedPretzel

 

[rottie6667]

Thanks for the input Martina that gives me somthings to work with. What do you mean when you say 7.36=13.58% Is that the valueof the beginning and ending of both of your sg readings

 

[peterCooper]

Yup, subtract the beginning and ending reading then divide the result by
7.36 to get percent alcohol

 

[peterCooper]

And, I'm not sure it is the alcohol that is the issue. You might also look at
acidity.

 

[rottie6667]

Thank's Peter sounds easy enough.

 

[rottie6667]

Not sure I understand about the acidity. I always try and follow the kits to the letter, is there somthing else I should be looking to do to make my wine kits better.

 

[Hippie]

If you increase the starting SG of the kit, it will throw everything else out of balance and require alot more aging time before you will enjoy drinking it.

 

[rottie6667]

Thanks Hippie that is one thing I don't want to do, I have a hard enough time waiting to let my wines age before I shoulddrink them.

 

[peterCooper]

I know what you mean. If you learn nothing else in wine making, you
learn patience. The longer I leave mine, the more I enjoy them. I'm
working on leaving each batch a month, and then having a bottle every
week or two to check on it's progress. I didn't quite make that with my
first batch (VR Chianti), I've only got a dozen bottles left out of 28 after 2
and a half months because I had to give some away and I had decided not
to buy commercial anymore so it was my only source.

Batch number 2 (Pinot Grigio) is now in the bottle and has been for a
couple of weeks. That one is going to be good but Christmas is coming
so I'll give most of that away also.

Batch number three (Sangiovese) will be ready to bottle in about two
weeks.That's the other half of the Christmas presents.

All this to say, after a few batches you end up with a range of options,
and as long as you make more than you can drink

you can leave
the wines longer and you get a better result.

From kit wines, I plan to keep three or four bottles back for at least a
year, possibly longer to see how they age.

 

[Angell Wine]

I've got like some really oldwine in my cellar. I think the oldest one I got is 4 months old.

 

[rottie6667]

Yes I have also stop buying wines and making my owen instead. So far I have made six batches. I have learn the longer they sit is better. I'am working on a [corv. classico cushendo] that I pick up from george when he had them on sale, I must admitted that is going to be a hard one to let sit. It will be ready to bottle in a week and the stuff already has a great flavour to it. I also made a merlot from the [selection estate series] it has been sitting a month in the bottle so of course I had to try it and that will be another one not to drink before it time. although I did pull 8 bottle and put the in my cooler and told myself not to touch for a year, will see on that.

 

[Hippie]

Gotta make younger drinking wines in between the age-worthy stuff so you aren't as tempted to drink them too early!

 

[MedPretzel]

I agree with Hippie.





It takes a while for that to happen, though.

 

[rottie6667]

I have made a couple of fruit wines because I know you can drink them pretty quick after you bottle them, but they are not like cabs. and merlot or the other reds I really enjoy. Do you have any reccomendation on some of the younger wines you are talking about. I thank all of you for your inputs, I really enjoy the forum.

 

[MedPretzel]

Hmm, depends on what you like.





A little sweeter wine, yet fantastic is hibiscus. A rose-hip wine is even better, if you like full-bodied wines. The hibiscus wine can be drunk right out of the bottle, in my opinion. The rose hip only needs a few months of aging.





I also have drunk apple right out of the carboy, which wasn't bad. Only in comparison to the aged wine, for a year, was it like (*&&*^...





The kit wines are also good for "a quick fix."





Chrysanthemum wine is pretty good right out of the carboy, but it, too, gets better with age.

 

[Hippie]

Joe, fruit wines will not be the best choice for early drinking. I have not made a country/scratch/fruit wine yet that was really ready and at it's full potential to drink in less than a year, most need 2 years to really be their best.


Generally, the cheaper kits with less juice and/or concentrate will be ready to drink sooner than the more expensive kits with more juice and/or concentrate.


A really good early drinking red is Bergamais. An early drinking white would be Gewurtztraminer.

 

[peterCooper]

The WE Pinot Grigio also drinks well early.

 

[Hippie]

Might have to try it Peter, thanks.

 

[rottie6667]

Thank's Hippie I see VR make a Bergamais I'll have to get one of those kits from George the next time I put an order in.