Cold stabilization gone wrong

[kk1224kelley]

So I went to check on my Concord grape in the freezer and what do you know it the bung was popped out and wine was frozen! I had the wine in the deep freeze for 4 days, was that long enough or should I thaw out and begin cold stabilizing again with a bucket and ice?

 

[kk1224kelley]

Thank you all for helping. I also took temps along each day 21f 21f 9f the. This morning froze

 

[Arne]

The freezing shouldn't hurt it any. As your wine thaws out, see how much sediment has fallen out. If not much, I would try and keep it cold a while longer, but try to keep it from freezing. The other thing is you mite not have much to fall out of there. Guess keep plugging away and let us know how it works out. Arne.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Freezing shouldn't hurt the wine - but at 9* is pretty dang cold - I would get it up more in the 24-26* range and leave it for 3-4 weeks...

 

[kk1224kelley]

I really wanted to do it for a couple weeks being that it tasted very tart but I think 4 days should make some difference in smoothing it out a bit. I would tend to think that freezing it could be a benefit as to "shock" the acid and drop out some excess. Thanks for the reply

 

[Arne]

Look at the bright side, when you get it thawed out, it gives you an excuse to taste it. (If you need one) Arne.

 

[kk1224kelley]

Oh, believe me! I will be tasting it. Haha.

 

[btom2004]

I've read that freezing wine and then pouring the alcohol out gives you a wine with a higher ABV. Alcohol doesn't freeze only the water does. Thus you are removing the water from the wine and having more flavor and alcohol.

 

[GreginND]

We've mentioned this in many other threads. It is not legal to concentrate wine to increase the alcohol by distillation or freeze concentration. A home winemaker without a license cannot make spirits (anything over 24% alcohol). And it is frowned upon here to talk about illegal procedures.

 

[novalou]

We've mentioned this in many other threads. It is not legal to concentrate wine to increase the alcohol by distillation or freeze concentration. A home winemaker without a license cannot make spirits (anything over 24% alcohol). And it is frowned upon here to talk about illegal procedures.

Would freeze concentration be legal for blending purposes, such as mimicking ice wine or fortifying other wines?

 

[Wade E]

Maybe if you kept it below 24%. I do think that the sole purpose of doing so would still be illegal but since you didnt mean to do this it can slip by. If you plan on trying to do more cold stabilization you will need a regulator for your freezer to keep it at around 28*There are a few brands like Ranco to do so,

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

. It is not legal to concentrate wine to increase the alcohol by distillation or freeze concentration.

That is called Jacking as in Apple Jack