FG reached, but merlot still sweet

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phermenter

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I'm little concerned that I've reached final gravity of somewhere under 1.000 and the merlot I've made from a William's Brewing kit is still sweet. "Jammy" I think some call it. It's been in primary/secondary for a total of almost five weeks, so I thought we'd be down to just aging and such. Is there any chance it'll still dry out after it's seeming done fermenting? Thank you, one and all.
 
I haven't made kit wines but at 1.000 SG it should be pretty dry. At 1.000 SG all of the sugar has been converted to alcohol. The SG can still decrease a few more degrees to something like 0.996 which would be bone dry. Are you sure you are tasting sweetness? Sweet is a taste sensation, where on the tongue are you picking up sweetness?
 
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with Williams Brewing kits, so don't know if it will drop below 1.000. Most kits that I have done reach .995 or lower. But RJS Cellar Classic Winery Series seem to finish around 1.000. Five weeks at a reasonable temp should mean that fermentation is complete.

Have you checked with your supplier about finishing sg?

Steve
 
OK, sorry it's taken me a few days to answer your questions. I've been a busy boy and also wanted to give it a little time before checking it again. The gravity is already below 1.000, I just didn't get all fine as to whether it was 0.096 or 0.997 or whatever.

The taste, now that I sample it again, maybe isn't so much sweet as simple, and I think I sense the CO2 that hasn't dissipated yet. Possibly I was expecting too much after reading the promotional materials about how great it was going to be. It's not bad, and it was only a $60 kit (for 5 gallons) so maybe that's all it was ever going to be. On the other hand, they tell you to leave it in secondary for 12 weeks. It's probably better if I don't judge it after three weeks in secondary.
 
From what I have read, most kits get better with age. They don't taste so great early on but after 9 months or so the flavor really developes. Give it some time.
 

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