WineXpert another chocolate raspberry port question

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RDavidP

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I have a chocolate raspberry port going in the carboy now. I started the kit off as per directions and had the temperature around 76 degrees. I did add the chapatalization package in thirds over three days, and did it before the gravity got down to 1.015. My experience with meads and stuck fermentations told me not to add all the sugar at once and do it when the fermentation was still going strong. In the past I have added more honey to mead during the last part of fermentation with disasterous results. I added the sugar additions when the gravity reached 1.030 and whipped the must daily. It took it no time to go down to 1.020 after the last sugar addition. I still waited 7 days after the last sugar addition to rack to carboy. The gravity was 1.018 then. I racked to carboy this past Monday I think. The gravity has only gone down to 1.016 since then. I have dealt with stuck fermentations in meads before and usually whipping daily until 1/3 sugar break with another addition of yeast nutrient (DAP) and then just a stir to get the yeast floating again until the 2/3 sugar break with maybe the addition of a little bit of yeast hulls will then get the mead down to where the alcohol level now kills the yeast. I don't make dry meads so usually my fermentations stop due to alcohol killing the yeast. I have never stirred a must this close to being done. Should I still stir it a bit until done? Wouldn't that cause oxidation at this late in the game? As I said it is at 1.016 right now and I have noticed alot of sediment has started dropping out.
 
Im pretty sure that is right in range as far as specific gravity goes on this kit isnt it? There is som much trapped C02 in the wine right now that really what youll be doing is degassng it which needs to be done anyway. I dont think its going to get down much more but it wont hurt to try. Just be ready to rack to carboy if it dont go down after a day or 2.
 
1.016 is pretty close to 1.010, especially with how high that kit starts (if you include the chapitalization step). I'd give it a few more days and see if anything has changed... and if it doesn't I'd call it good.
 
I left mine alone at the normal abv. Im all out now though after 3 years so Ill probably do another dble batch again late this year and up 1 of the 2 kits with some E&J brandy.
 
I GOTTA lok into this chocalate/berry port thing. Since I joined this forum I have seen this mentioned alot, and never paid attention to it, but you all have got my interest now!

There has to be something to this, and so it is on my list of wines to consider...down the road.
 
I added brandy to my first batch. It took some aging to blend the way I wanted, but it turned out great. This time I'm making a double-batch and I plan on adding Brandy to half of it.
 
Thats close enough in my book, you could just leave a tad of the f-pack out if it starts to get too sweet.
 

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