When Primary Fermentation Looks Done If We Want More Juice Flavor Can We...

[critterhunter]

Primary is fermenting right now. 7 gallons made up of 30 pounds of pears, 1 & 1/2 gallons of Juicy Juice Raspberry/Apple Juice, and 10 pounds of sugar using Champain yeast.

When the visibile (breather bubbling) signs of fermentation in the primary appear to have stopped we plan to taste it. If we find that we want more Raspberry flavor can we dump another half gallon in the primary? Should we then watch for fermentation to pick back up before racking to the carboy? We just want to make sure this wine has a bit of Raspberry flavor that you can tell and not just a pear flavor alone. Or, would it be better to wait until we stop fermentation with sorbate down the road when we are getting near bottling time and then put the juice in? Or, stick the juice in when we rack to the Carboy? Confused what to do here being a newbie.

 

[JohnT]

Depends on the amount of sugar you add. Take a SG reading after all of your additions. Use that to decide.

 

[sly22guy]

you could always wait till the wine is finished and make an F-pac.

 

[JohnT]

yup, Fpac or you could try for a cold, long fermentation so that the fruit flavors do not "burn off" of the wine.

 

[Runningwolf]

I like the f-pac after you stabilize the wine (sorbate and k-meta).

 

[ffemt128]

I would go for an F-pac after stabilizing with kmeta and sorbate after fermentation has stopped.

 

[JordanPond]

Newbie question: Is the preference for a f-pac based on adding juice during the ferment will extend the fermentation and produce a higher alchol content throwing off the balance?

 

[Tom]

Do you have a hydrometer? If so what was the starting gravity and what is it now? You cant make wine without one.
Only AFTER wine is dry and stabilized would I add a f-pac. When you get to this step ask how and what flavor you want to add.
I make alot of pear wine and it has a light flavor. So, adding another flavor can mask the Pear.