Dry Dry DRY!

[afireguy]

Ok,
So much for the high alcohol content if it has to taste this Dry.
I backed sweeteneda all fruit wine with a lot of sugar (cup per gallon)
and it still tase really bad (15% abv). Been bottled about 5 days and Im wondering If its going to lose that bad dry taste after it sits in the bottle with sugar in it for a while or if it likes this for life.
Thanks
Mark

 

[scotty]

I started making my wines at 15 or 15 % PA. i have learned the hard way that unless you want KICKAPOO JOY JUICE instead of an enjoyable wine. Set your PA at 0 12%
Fruit wines taste so much better to me at closer to 10%PA also I back sweeten my fruit wines to about what i call 2 % prox 75 ml per gallon.((this is not a true 2% but my backyard way of doing it
3785ml/gallon X .02 + I previously used a .04 but I'm
finding the 2 or 3 % figure more enjoyable mainly because since i am making many more batches, the get to age a few month before tasting.
I believe I have been cured of too high alcohol wine making.

 

[Tomy]

Just taking a shot here, I make my fruit wines 11 to 12% alcohol so the fruit flaver comes forward and not overpowered by the alcohol. If the wine doesen't taste good at the end of secondary fermentation I feel I have screwed it up somewhere along the line. I guess the only thing to do is let it age and see how it comes out in six months. Good luck Maybe some one wiser will help you out more than I can.

 

[scotty]

The first orange juice wine was so strong it was terrible.
The folks here have taught me to keep the alcohol low on fruity wine.
I have 6 gallons of OJ wine bulking now-- its going to be a decent novelty wine.
10%PA backsweerened to3% by myback yard method.
Acid finally adjusted- lots of work and lots learned about using quality juice.

 

[afireguy]

Yup,
I know I shouldnt have ...hehe butI did......doesthe harsh dryness ever go away after you back sweeten it and then bottle it?

 

[summersolstice]

The high alcohol content should allow you to safely age it for a few years. The harsh alcohol should moderate with time. How much time? I don't know but I'd try it after a year and if it's still harsh, try it again after another 6 months or a year. If you do age it, make sure you add a little extra k-meta.


The best wines have characteristics that compliment each other and when you have one aspect of the wine out of balance, whether alcohol, tanninsor acid, it's not going to taste right.


If you don't want to wait for it to age, you might try blending it with another fruit wine.

 

[scotty]

We blended one of our mistakes and then sweetened it a lot. We made up some fancy name and called it a cordial. Every body always went for refills on that one.


I think it was elegante russo dulche or some similar name.

 

[afireguy]

Sounds Great ,
My new Wine will be called All Fruit PEACH bomb.......LOL

 

[Wade E]

When making a fruit wine I always keep the Starting SG around 1.080-1.085. The wine will get better and the sweetness will come forward but will take more time, probably around 8 months to a year but may never be balanced.

 

[lockdude]

Did you say peach? The only way to make a good 15% wine is to use a bunch of fruit,so you have lots,and lots of flavor.If its peach,It will be harsh tasting till it ages for a year.Dont try to cover the dryness with sugar because once it mellows,it will be too sweet.I would backsweeten about 7 sg points,bottle it,and forget about it for a year.It might be fantastic in a year.