Adding Simple Syrup?

[Xandra]

Is there some kind of way I can know approximately how much simple syrup to make, to sweeten a 5 gallon batch just enough to bring out flavor? I'd hate to make way too much or way too little... especially if I use the wine itself as the liquid for the syrup. I mean... are we talking cups and pints, or eyedropper drops?

 

[Xandra]

OK, I'm the foolish one... all the previous posts on the topic pretty much answered my question. Sorry about that, all! *blush*

But, I haven't yet found this answer.... If the batch starts fermenting again, because I'm not using chemicals, will I be back to where I started, with a non-sweetened wine? Or... is it a matter of "only the hydrometer knows for sure?" Kind of "do it and find out?"

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Nobody can answer that without you giving us your hydrometer numbers, but yes if you add sugar back to wine with yeast in it you can and probably will get further fermentation. You can add sorbate, it occurs in nature like on blueberries to stop it from refermenting if your wine is already clear and has stopped fermenting, but without numbers hard to say. One thing you have to be careful about is when you add sugar, if your wine is not degassed it can cause all the gas to come out all once causing a nice volcano so either add it to the wine in a bucket or make sure its degassed. How old is this batch? You can make a 2:1 sugar to water syrup to backsweeten with or just stir sugar right into the wine and use your taste and hydrometer to tell you what you like. Good luck, WVMJ

 

[bkisel]

Yes. Take a stab at it the first time around, say 250ml of ss. Next batch of same wine adjust according to your experience with the first batch. Kinda like shooting a bow instinctively vs. using sights.

A 6 gallon batch of RJS VDV Pinot Grigio was sweetened to perfection for my wife's taste using a 500ml commercial wine conditioner (Global brand) which was just inverted sugar with sorbate added and cost about $8.00. I've got a second batch of the same wine about ready (likely today or tomorrow) for degassing, stabilizing and clearing. This time to save a few bucks I'll be adding 500ml of the ss i made just yesterday.

Good luck!

 

[salcoco]

why not do bench trials with a fixed amount of wine, say 100ml, then add sugar syrup , none the first glass, one to next glass, two to next gals , etc. do taste test and then calculate results for the entire batch. make only 2cups sugar to one cup water for bench trials, then produce what results from calculations for entire batch. Definitely use sorbate and potassium metabisuphite on wine with sugar added. wine will definitely ferment if not done so. wait at least a week after adding sugar before bottling to insure fermentation has not restarted. Use of a hydrometer to add sugar is not a bad guide, but each batch of wine is different and the same hydrometer reading in each batch will not necessarily result in same level of sweetness. batch trials are the best control. also go one past the one batch you think is correct to insure you have the right blend.