counfused about sg and need help

[kevinlfifer]

Cindy thanks I really like the batch log

 

[klein]

Do i just bottle it and let it sit now?. Btw this is a blackberry wine from blackberries i picked from our property. Im going to be unconventional with my wines and call it "Bangarang" and give them funky little labels i made on photoshop. Here is the one i made for the blackberry and upcoming peach. let me give credit to artist andrew bell who draws the little characters that i just happen to find.

 

[klein]

The batch is only 1 gallon because thats how much the old 1984 recipe call for

 

[RCGoodin]

I havent tasted it yet actually. The hydrometer goes all the way down to .990 and when i tested it earlier thats what the reading was at. So i assume the fermentation is done? And thanks so far for everyone who is helping

Why haven't you tasted it? That's part of the fun of being a wine maker.

My hydrometer goes below .990.....The Barbaresco I'm finishing is at .986 and very dry.....

 

[klein]

Lol this is my first batch and yea i want to taste iy but didnt know when i could. I thought i had to let it sit for like 8 months before i could. Shoukd you taste it at certain points? And is there anything i shoukd pay attention to when tasting?

 

[RCGoodin]

Lol this is my first batch and yea i want to taste iy but didnt know when i could. I thought i had to let it sit for like 8 months before i could. Shoukd you taste it at certain points? And is there anything i shoukd pay attention to when tasting?

I taste each time I test SG. You can pick up on smells. You can get an idea what it should taste like the next time you make it. Each time you taste you should write your thoughts down......If you tasted now, you'd answer your own question as to whether it is ruined or not.........give it a try. What do you have to lose?

 

[klein]

How would you know if it is ruined?

 

[RCGoodin]

How would you know if it is ruined?

Tell me what it tastes like and I'll tell you if I think its ruined.

 

[klein]

Tasted it and to me it jus tasted like a dry wine. lil bit of an after taste but not necessairly bad, dont know how to explain it. But doesnt taste bad or anything. if i wanted to sweeten it some do i just stablize and add some sugar as needed?

 

[saramc]

If you want to consider tasting...if will be serving chilled....put 12 oz in refrig and chill. Then put 1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp of sugar in 3 different glasses...pour 4 oz into each glass. Taste. The one you prefer, then sweeten to the amount lesser than you picked..ie if you prefer 1/4 tsp, dose at 1/8 tsp...which means:
1/8th tsp to 4 oz wine= ¾ cup sugar to 5 gallons wine
¼ tsp to 4 oz. wine = 1.5 cups sugar to 5 gallons wine
½ tsp to 4 oz. wine=3 cups sugar to 5 gallons wine
**To figure out how to dose a 1 gallon batch just divide the sugar additive by 5 of course**

 

[RCGoodin]

Tasted it and to me it jus tasted like a dry wine. lil bit of an after taste but not necessairly bad, dont know how to explain it. But doesnt taste bad or anything. if i wanted to sweeten it some do i just stablize and add some sugar as needed?

I think you should stabalize before adding a sugar syrup. Sara has a formula to add some sugar to make a wine less dry. I will be using it this Saturday to take 3 gallons of Barbaresco from an sg of .986 to a .998. We think that will give just enough sweetness to take it from very dry to semi-dry.

I'll post my findings.

NOTE: As long as your wine tastes ok, even if it's dry, then it's not ruined. It's time to play a little with it.

 

[klein]

Ok thanks alot that helps alot.

 

[klein]

When stablizing do u just add it in at the end and than experiment with the sugar or do u have to wait a while for it to stablize?

 

[RCGoodin]

When I add an f-pack (sweetend fruit pack) to my kits, it's always right after the wine has been cleared and stabalized. I do mix it. Then you can wait 5-7 days for the sweetener to blend in with the wine.

Do you have any idea how much sugar you plan to add? Or, do you know what SG you're trying to get to?

 

[klein]

I really have no idea? The Sg was 1.030 when i put it into the primary and 1.000 when i put it into the secondary.

 

[saramc]

When doing the tasting trials, you don't have to stabilize AS LONG as you consume that day, otherwise you will start fermenting the sugar you added. Many people stabilize (ALWAYS use k-meta + sorbate at the doses recommended on the package...those two work in synergy when it comes to stabilizing) and then backsweeten at the same time. It is HIGHLY recommended that you document your new SG, pop an airlock back on your stabilized/sweetened wine, and wait 7-10 before racking one final time, filtering if necessary, and bottling. During that 7-10d timespan you will monitor with your hydrometer for the restart of fermentation, a haze may develop AND CLEAR due to the addition of k-meta/sorbate, and you typically see a bit more sediment drop from the addition of the sugar and additional dead yeast cells.

 

[klein]

I read that k meta is just the powder form of campden tablets. So as long as u use and capden in the beggining will that work just ad well?