Adding sugar later in fermentation.

[Coyote Creek]

I was talking to my local brew shop owner today and he was telling me that he doesn't add sugar to his wine start until at least a week into the process. He let's the sugar in the pressed fruit along with the yeast packet get started 1st and then add the water needed with sugar at that time. Says it put alot less stress on the yeast to start that way? Any opinions on this.

Thanks,
Clark

 

[EddyBhai]

I am not sure how you would calculate the final ABV % using this method? Don't you need the initial SG and the final SG for the calculation?

 

[Coyote Creek]

My thought exactly but wasn't going to argue with anyone. We all have our ways of doing things and that to each their own. I have never done it that way but I am a newbie that only been trying to get better over the past 3 years.

 

[Cannew]

A week would be after most of the fermentation is complete and you've racked into a carboy. Seems like he's using it more as a sweetner than to increase the alcohol.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

I am not sure how you would calculate the final ABV % using this method? Don't you need the initial SG and the final SG for the calculation?

Its and additive formula. Take you initial SG, the the SG just before you add the sugar, then the SG after you add the sugar, then add the difference to the initial SG.
ie: initial SG 1.050
Before sugar SG 1.020
After adding additional sugar SG 1.040

difference between the adding sugar is 0.020
Add that to the initial SG of 1.050
you get a new adjusted SG of 1.070

 

[robie]

Like Brew and Wine Supply said.

It will lengthen your fermentation time. As was mentioned, you will need to add the extra sugar before the yeast are slowing down, so you will need to monitor the SG. I don't remember the recommended SG point to add the sugar, but I guess somewhere around 1.020 is a safe point; the yeast are still going pretty strong at that point.

Also, be sure to stir it in very well.

Having said all that, I really don't know what the advantage would be for adding the sugar later. I could only guess it has something to do with extending fermentation time, so more phenolic and other things can better develop and the yeast can better affect the wine. I do know that WineXpert has the kit maker do that for its chocolate Raspberry port.

 

[Deezil]

I staggered the honey additions in my blackberry wine that i made.. Theres details about it in my "wine log", but basically my aim was to keep the fermentation from getting too carried away..

I'm trying to get away from the 3-5 day fermentation periods, and by adding the honey in 3 - 3lbs increments, i managed a two week fermentation... although it finished slightly sweet.

 

[Luc]

I was talking to my local brew shop owner today and he was telling me that he doesn't add sugar to his wine start until at least a week into the process. He let's the sugar in the pressed fruit along with the yeast packet get started 1st and then add the water needed with sugar at that time. Says it put alot less stress on the yeast to start that way? Any opinions on this.

Thanks,
Clark

This is a method used for a long time in winemaking.

First you measure SG of the juice and calculate the sugar amount that is needed.

Then you start fermentation just on the juice and later add the needed amount of sugar (this answers the question of EddyBhai).

The thought behind this is that when you stir in the additional sugar later in the process you will also bring in (by the vigorous stirring) more oxygen which will give the yeast an extra boost.

Problem is that you need to carefully monitor the process the first few days of fermentation. Fermentation might stop if all sugar is consumed before the extra needed sugar is added.

It is a bit what kit manufacturers do.
They tell you to rack at 1020. That is because by racking you will bring in extra oxygen what the yeast needs at that point in the fermentation stage.

But then again we are not making kits.
Most procedures in kit winemaking have nothing to do with REAL winemaking.

Luc

 

[mmadmikes1]

See I don't care what the final ABV is. But if you wanted to you can figure it out .
My goal is to make the best tasting wine I can. If it is 10% or 20 % as long as the people drinking it like it I am happy.

 

[Espoir]

I agree with mad mike. But i guess, the problem its difficult to reproduce the same good wine if its excellent and any future wine becomes more of a trial and error?

I understand that different brewers might have different methods. But is what the person doing have any real advantages? I normally just put in all the sugar, let it go through all the fermentation steps before back sweetening.

 

[Auburn-Bob]

If my fruit wines go dry quickly, I will throw in a little sugar. If they dry up again, I add some splenda. I don't like a totally dry wine.

 

[Rocky]

If my fruit wines go dry quickly, I will throw in a little sugar. If they dry up again, I add some splenda. I don't like a totally dry wine.

I am not sure about adding the Splenda, but I don't know of a specific probem in doing so if you are only trying to sweeten the wine. Do you add potassium sorbate before adding the Splenda? In adding the addidional sugar when the "wines go dry quickly" you know, of course you are increasing the ABV of the wine, right? Personally, I would just use sugar to make the wine "off-dry" but, different strokes for different folks.

 

[mmadmikes1]

I agree with mad mike. But i guess, the problem its difficult to reproduce the same good wine if its excellent and any future wine becomes more of a trial and error?

I understand that different brewers might have different methods. But is what the person doing have any real advantages? I normally just put in all the sugar, let it go through all the fermentation steps before back sweetening.

If I step feed sugar the yeast develop a higher alcohol tolerance. In this method i can make wine stronger than the original yeast was rated at. I did this several times to see how strong I could get it and did make it up to 21% but the wine tasted like nasty. Mead on the other hand seems to work well doing this as long as I age it for years. I really don't know why it's that way. I no longer step feed wines, just Meads