High Starting S.G. of cranberry wine

[bakervinyard]

I'm making a cranberry wine and the directions call for a starting S.G. of 1.085. I've followed the directions and I'm at 1.104. I'm following the recipe from Wade's thread from a few years ago. 21 pounds of cranberries, 15 pounds of sugar and 5 gallons of water. The yeast i'm useing is K1-V1116, it will take ABV of 18%. Will I be OK ? If I ferment to 1.010-1.020 It will be a little sweet but I won't have to back sweeten, correct ? Any thoughts ? First time making a wine from scratch. Thanks, Bakervinyard

 

[BernardSmith]

I know nothing about the tolerance of yeasts - so take what I am about to say with a pinch of salt - But if you think that the ABV you are likely to obtain (about 14 percent) might be too high for the yeast or for a good balance with acidity and the residual sweetness then what is to prevent you from adding more juiced cranberries. That will reduce sugar concentration and so the potential ABV...

 

[saramc]

How do you plan to halt the ferment at 1.010 +/-...pasteurize to kill the active ferment? Because your yeast should chug right through that fermentable sugar, down to 1.000 or lower. Typically one would allow the must to ferment to its natural FG, degas, clear, stabilize with k-meta plus sorbate then backsweeten.

 

[bakervinyard]

Thank You Bernard and Sara, I went to my LHBS today and I was talking to the owner about my high S.G. He suggested to add more water to get it down to 1.085 split it in 2 fermenters. I think I'll try that. Thanks again for your suggestions. Bakervinyard