Cranberry Wine

[ehlenrg]

I started a batch of cranberry wine (4/15) following a WineArt receipe. I used 20# of cranberries and 6# of raisins. The starting SG was 1.115. Fermentation was slow to start and very "quiet". I racked it for the 2nd time this weeked and the SG was 1.028. It was sweet and the taste while not bad was a little yeasty and you could pick up the raisins in the background. The wine did not clear at all and there was hardly any lees in the first or second racking.

I'm looking for some suggestions on how to salvage this wine. Should I add juice, add finings and see what happens then procrastinate and let Mother Nature help?Edited by: ehlenrg

 

[Wade E]

Could you post the recipe? Did the recipe include pectic enzyme? Considering that it is still fermenting it will still taste a little yeasty and really wont start dropping good lees until it is done fermenting as fermentation usually works like a lava lamp bringing up the sediment then dropping back down where the fermentation brings it back up again until it really stops fermenting. When done fermenting you have a choice, either you can add SuperKleer or some other fining agent or you can just let it sit pretty until it settles out racking occasionally. Just remember tp degas thoroughly before adding a fining agent.

 

[grapeman]

What variety of yeast did you use? The fermentation sounds like it either got stuck or died out because of a weak yeast strain. The variety would help us a lot. You dropped enough for about 11% ABV and with all those raisins, that could have raised the SG even more without reading it for a while. It is possible the yeast was just overcome with alcohol. You could make a yeast starter out of EC-1118 and add a little yeast energize and let it finish fermenting to dry, then sweeten to taste. The only thing is the alcohol might get a little high, but the yeast is good up to 18%.

 

[lockdude]

The bensoic acid in the cranberrys probably killed some of your yeast in the begining,and with a little osmotic stress from all that sugar,its just going slow.If its still fermenting,I would just let it go.If its not,make a 1/2 gallonstarter with 2 packs of 1118,and a little bit of the wine and water.{50/50}
After 2 days put the starter in a clean carboy,and rack a gallon of the wine in there.Keep doing this every few days till you get it full.The leftover wine can be used for backsweetening at the end.By adding a little of it at a time,It will give the yeast time to adjust to the alc% and its more likely to not get stuck,or kill off the new yeast.
lockdude

 

[grapeman]

Good explanation of the yeast starter lockdude. Thanks

 

[lockdude]

I have been making cranberry with frozen juice,and really like it.I use lots of juice.{19 cans in 5 gallons and 1 Lb of sugar}I plan on trying one from berrys later on.
lockdude

 

[ehlenrg]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions so far. Here's some more info. Receipe per galloon was 3# cranberries, 1# white raisins, 3# sugar, 1 gallon water, 1 campden, 1 tsp yeast nutrient, 1/4 tsp pectic enzymes. I made a 6 gallon batch. Acid was .65%, starting SG was 1.115. I racked the wine at 5 weeks and SG was 1.016. I added an additional packet of yeast based on the high SG. Yeast used was Lalvin 71B1122. When racked at 6 months (10/28) the SG was 1.028, the wine was still cloudy with practically no lees and mild yeasty/raisin taste.

 

[grapeman]

Those numbers don't add up! The SG would not go up after more time without additions of something. One of the readings may have been skewed due to temps or something. I would check the SG again and see what it is currently.

 

[ehlenrg]

I thought the SG was out of whack too. I couldn't check the SG from the first racking but I did confirm to the 1.028. I'm off to pick up some high alcohol tolerant yeast and try to re-start the fermentation. I did add one campden tablet per gallon on the 28th. What effect might that have or restarting and/or how long should I wait before trying to restart the fermentation?

 

[smokegrub]

Is it possible that CO2 is causing his problem? I would stir vigorously if that hasn't been done already then place back under airlock to see if it clears.

 

[lockdude]

With 3 pounds of sugar per gallon and the sugars from the raisins,I think you just have some unfermented sugar left,and the abv is keeping or killing the 71B1122.The 1118 might do the trick,but dont just pinch it,use a starter,and add the unfinished wine to it a gallon at a time,over a few days time,or the 1118 will be overcommed by the alc%,and not get going.
Sometimes its really hard to get the sugar to ferment out when the alc% is that high.Its going to be strong.