Too Dry Wine

[chazwel]

Newbie trying to make wine. I thought that making my first batch from fruit juice would be the way to start. I am making 5 gallons of white grape wine. Here is the recipe. After 6 weeks I racked and check the Gravity it is 1.000 and very dry. Is there anyway I can fix this into a 10% AC sweet wine in 3 weeks? I am going out of town and would like to that some with me. TIA


White Grape Peach 5 gallons
5 gallons of White Grape Peach Juice (I prefer wal-mart brand)
3 cans White Grape Peach juice frozen concentrate (thawed)
2 cans Niagare White Grape frozen concentrate (thawed)
D47 yeast

Easy directions: Mix the above, put in carboy, wait 2 months or until clear which usually takes 4-5 weeks, bottle, enjoy!

Optional: Pectic Enzyme, Yeast Nutrient

Starting Gravity: really high
Finishing Gravity: Low


All of this goes in a 5 gal carboy, make sure to shake everything well to oxygenate and mix the concentrate in. Then add the pectic enzyme per directions and let it work if you have some, this just helps it clear but you probably don't need it. Then I pitch the yeast. I usually make a starter. After a day or two I add some nutrient which you also really don't need. I use foil for an airlock for a week then switch to a real one. This helps the wine take up O2 during the respiration phase, once again, not necessary.

 

[wineforfun]

You added no sugar up front? What was the SG to start with, I see you have high written down?
Backsweeten it with sugar to the point it is sweet enough for you.

 

[salcoco]

do not forget to add k meta and sorbate. I would only do a portion of this wine. It is young, let it age a bit and then taste. wine will change character over time. You can still back sweeten ratio might be different.

 

[chazwel]

You added no sugar up front? What was the SG to start with, I see you have high written down?
Backsweeten it with sugar to the point it is sweet enough for you.

No sugar up front. Didn't have a hydrometer (sp?) when I started. It was bubbling away for first 2-3 weeks. The airlock was going crazy.

Back sweeten with corn sugar? regular sugar?

Back sweeten right before I bottle or now?

I have 4 weeks before I leave town, anyway to fix this in 3 weeks and bottle?

If not I will have alot of time to mess with it

Thanks for the replies.

 

[chazwel]

do not forget to add k meta and sorbate. I would only do a portion of this wine. It is young, let it age a bit and then taste. wine will change character over time. You can still back sweeten ratio might be different.

Split the 5 gallons? Would there be too much head space?Is there other products that do the same as K-meta and Sorbate? I added Pectic Enzyme and Yeast Nutrient, are these the same? I have some more product at the house. I will see what I have and see if I can use it.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[wineforfun]

No sugar up front. Didn't have a hydrometer (sp?) when I started. It was bubbling away for first 2-3 weeks. The airlock was going crazy.

Back sweeten with corn sugar? regular sugar?

Back sweeten right before I bottle or now?

I have 4 weeks before I leave town, anyway to fix this in 3 weeks and bottle?

If not I will have alot of time to mess with it

Thanks for the replies.

If you are SURE it is done fermenting, then you can add the K-Meta and sorbate and backsweeten it with regular sugar. Some on the forum break the sugar down in hot water to dissolve better. I just put it in and stir real well.
Let it sit for a week, then bottle.

 

[chazwel]

If you are SURE it is done fermenting, then you can add the K-Meta and sorbate and backsweeten it with regular sugar. Some on the forum break the sugar down in hot water to dissolve better. I just put it in and stir real well.
Let it sit for a week, then bottle.

I have Campden tablets, can I crush them up. Will that work?

I have to see if I have some sorbate. I am guessing you mean Potassium Sorbate.

Thanks again.

 

[wineforfun]

Yes, campden tablets will work. 1 tablet per gallon.
Yes, potassium sorbate.

 

[jamesngalveston]

chaz, I made a 3 gallon test batch using the whitegrape peach in cans from welches...I made it just like dragon blood, but instead of the fruit I used 5 cans of concentrate per gallon.
It has been my hands down favorite....I am making 5 more now.
I started with and sg of 1.100, and let it go dry, then added 2 cans of concentrate with simple syrup to back sweeten...
It came out semi dry, and is excellent.

 

[chazwel]

Thanks for all the help, gentlemen and I use that term loosely.

I will let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[wineforfun]

chaz, I made a 3 gallon test batch using the whitegrape peach in cans from welches...I made it just like dragon blood, but instead of the fruit I used 5 cans of concentrate per gallon.
It has been my hands down favorite....I am making 5 more now.
I started with and sg of 1.100, and let it go dry, then added 2 cans of concentrate with simple syrup to back sweeten...
It came out semi dry, and is excellent.

james,
So you just substituted the 5 cans of concentrate for the 1.5lbs. fruit per gallon?
If so, I may have to give this a go, sounds interesting and pretty straight forward.

 

[jamesngalveston]

yes...and , i forgot, I added one can of concord grape juice for color, made a nice blush...but you can leave it out..
the wine has become a favorite...

 

[wineforfun]

Awesome, thanks, I think I will give this a try.

You used just 1 can of concord (I assume you used concentrate) for the whole 6 gallon batch, is that correct?

I have been wanting to make a blush type wine, so this should fit the bill.

 

[chazwel]

I looked and didn;t have any potassium sorbate, so I worked some online.

In the mean time, I thought I would keep it going by racking, add campden tablets and the simple sugar mixture I made (1 part sugar, 1 part water), then I started reading about potassium sorbate. Rut Row.

Potassium sorbate is suppose to stop the yeast and I just feed it with the sugar. Well at least I will see if the yeast is already dead or it should be bubbling away.

Are my thoughts right? Will I be ok?

Note to self.................Read before doing....lol, it is all good.