First brew in 20+ yrs

[sargan]

It's a long time since I made any wine ... 20 yrs+
but thought I'd blown the dust off the demijohn's and have a go.

I followed a recipe - and since been told current practise has changed and I should not have added water ... but too late for that.
20Lb of stalked clean grapes
2 Lit grape juice
2 gall water

started off the must ... adding citric acid & pectolayze
SG readings at steps were

Initial................ 1.040
added 33oz sugar 1.062
added 27oz sugar 1.082

day 6.................. 0.997
add can of grape concentrate 1.006
plus 16oz sugar.... 1.022

day 10................ 0.996
added 16oz sugar .1.022

day 13................... 0.994
added 16oz sugar..... 1.004

day 15................0.996 (strained off the pulp)
added 16oz sugar 1.006


My simplistic Q is ... I want to finish this at s.g. 1.00 how many more times can I keep adding sugar and letting it ferment out, I know eventually yeast will be killed off by alcohol ... but am I close yet ?

Must volume is currently just under 4 gall.

 

[Deezil]

I'd say you're getting close to dead yeasties - i didnt do the math, but i figure you're around 15-16% ABV

They have some additives you can use these days that'll keep a fermentation from restarting... Wont stop a fermentation, but will keep it from starting again when you add more sugar - potassium sorbate, usually referred to here as "k-meta".. Usually used in conjunction with potassium sulfite, because it helps the sorbate work more efficiently.

Unless you want high ABV

Also, citric acid is pretty harsh on the palette - you should be able to find some tartaric acid at any winemaking shop, its a lot more palatable..

I would recommend you do a lot of reading here as i imagine a lot has changed in the last 20 years

 

[robie]

You wine is going to be pretty thin. Under normal circumstances water does not need to be added to the grapes. I'd triple the amount of grapes in this batch and not use water in the next batch.

 

[sargan]

I realise that now ...my fault and an old recipe book.
That is why I added in the can of wine concentrate which was supposed to be made up to a gal l with water, plus the 2L of pure grape.
juice.
Not perfect, but trying to recover something from this.
A light weight Rose would do.

 

[robie]

I realise that now ...my fault and an old recipe book.
That is why I added in the can of wine concentrate which was supposed to be made up to a gal l with water, plus the 2L of pure grape.
juice.
Not perfect, but trying to recover something from this.
A light weight Rose would do.

You are right, I forgot about that concentrate; I just saw the grapes. That should make a big difference. It will be more than a rose for sure.

 

[GreginND]

ont stop a fermentation, but will keep it from starting again when you add more sugar - potassium sorbate, usually referred to here as "k-meta".. Usually used in conjunction with potassium sulfite, because it helps the sorbate work more efficiently.

Just to clarify, "k-meta" is not potassium sorbate. It is potassium metabisulfite.

Potassium sulfite is a whole 'nother beast altogether. Not to be used in wine.

Sorry the chemist in me had to speak up.

 

[sargan]

Is it worth me making a simple must on a couple Litre of grape juice, with no water, and once fermented out, blend that with the bulk?
Or not worth the bother, and just finish what I have.

 

[Deezil]

Just to clarify, "k-meta" is not potassium sorbate. It is potassium metabisulfite.

You're right - i really should slow down but my computer crashed on my b-day so im not on my machine.. Bit outta sorts, my bad