Duplicating Mogen David

[scotty]

My buddy Duke likes Mogen David sweet wine. I decided to make a gallon. Since Welches juice is concord i started with it. Wall mart had a gallon of 100% for a bit over 3 dollars so i took it home.
I didn't sulfite because i believed that they bottled under conditions that would almost eliminate bad bacteria.
We started with pectic enzyme and got a starter bottle going.
The original gravity showed 15% potential alcohol without needing sugar added.
Pectic enzyme and pitched yeast the following morning.
It fermented like wildfire and in 3 days completely stopped while still in the primary fermenter.

I figured that my fermentation was stuck and decided to taste it to see how sweet it was. YUCK YUCK almost like vinegar. Sooo dry.
To make a long story short, I had read the hydrometer improperly. I was looking at the brix scale instead of the potential alcohol scale.
The actual P.E. was around 7% and thats why it fermented out so fast. I always treat my juices with yeast nutrient and energizer. Sooo, that in conjunction with a proper starter the juice fermented out very quickly.
A lesson well learned. The new batch it really cooking well. I'm looking foreword to seeing the results.
I'mwondering ifconcords can produce an excellent dry wine with proper adjustments.
We shall see.

Edited by: scotty

 

[Coaster]

Are you going to ferment dry and then backsweeten?

 

[scotty]

Are you going to ferment dry and then backsweeten?

Yes. Thats my plan. I havent had a kosher wine in very many years but my recollection is that it is almost a very very light syrup in texture. I intend to Test with a small sample back sweetened to 8% by volume. I will adjust from there.
Do you or does anyone have any ideas.

 

[Coaster]

I would use wine conditioner as the sweetner. I would do it by taste -in say a quart -then scale up, add the required amount, and measure SG afterwards.

 

[scotty]

Good thought. I have a bottle of grape wine conditioner waiting for a reason to be used. Then i could use the rest of it for my redneck special. Thanks for the thought.

 

[scotty]

This is a one shot deal for a very nice gent that rides with us. I really want to use the rest of the dry concord just for drinking. Well I change my mind as i roll along. No big rush wth this wine making