Becks the Elder
Country Wines.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2009
- Messages
- 71
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Hi everyone,
The elderberry wine saga continues...
I now have three carboys full of elderberry wine. Yesterday I racked the first and second batches. I had some left over once I'd finished with the first batch so gave it a taste... quite a big taste in fact.
I started this batch around the 9th. March. Since then it has been racked a couple of times and stopped. The wine tasted quite good for such a young one and although there was an alcoholic content it didn't seem anywhere near as high as I had expected.
When I made the original must it had an SG of 1098
The following day, at the point of adding the yeast, it had risen to 1104
The batch fermented out at 992. So I would have expected an ABV of just over 14%
So, what I wish to know is if all the sugar is converted to alcohol at the point the wine ferments out or if fermenting out is only part of the process which eventually gives rise to alcohol.
If my batch's alcohol strengthens over the next couple of months then that is fine - no problem. However, if the production of alcohol has finally finished why does it appear to be so low?
I guess I can fortify the wine latter to get a better alcohol content if need be but I would like to know where I went wrong (if at all) so I can correct the problem with my next batch.
I know someone out there will be kind enough to explain what's going on to me.
Thanks for all your help and support in the past and good luck with your own personal projects.
Cheer!
Becks.
The elderberry wine saga continues...
I now have three carboys full of elderberry wine. Yesterday I racked the first and second batches. I had some left over once I'd finished with the first batch so gave it a taste... quite a big taste in fact.
I started this batch around the 9th. March. Since then it has been racked a couple of times and stopped. The wine tasted quite good for such a young one and although there was an alcoholic content it didn't seem anywhere near as high as I had expected.
When I made the original must it had an SG of 1098
The following day, at the point of adding the yeast, it had risen to 1104
The batch fermented out at 992. So I would have expected an ABV of just over 14%
So, what I wish to know is if all the sugar is converted to alcohol at the point the wine ferments out or if fermenting out is only part of the process which eventually gives rise to alcohol.
If my batch's alcohol strengthens over the next couple of months then that is fine - no problem. However, if the production of alcohol has finally finished why does it appear to be so low?
I guess I can fortify the wine latter to get a better alcohol content if need be but I would like to know where I went wrong (if at all) so I can correct the problem with my next batch.
I know someone out there will be kind enough to explain what's going on to me.
Thanks for all your help and support in the past and good luck with your own personal projects.
Cheer!
Becks.