How much sugar for 1 gallon

[TorontoPaul]

The port seems a bit thin and light. Maybe I need to blend with some plain grape juice for body

 

[TorontoPaul]

Hey all,

The wine turned out great. It never hit below 1.0 I think because it was too much sugar at one time. Most of them stopped at 1.02.

The plain grape juice tasted very sweet and a bit cherry like.

The batch with wildberries and pomegranate tastes better.

Oh and the batches with apple juice turned out badly. I will probably toss it.
It tastes very sour.

The batch of berry pomegranate that I added brandy to turned out amazing. Best port I ever had.

Im going to start another batch with just wildberries and pomegranate. Im going to wait until i get the campden tablets.

 

[heatherd]

Paul,

Glad your wines turned out well! Maybe the apple just needs time?

Camden tablets are mandatory. Sorbate is needed if you plan to back-sweeten. You also need a cleaner that is specific to wine, like OneStep, and sanitizer, like StarSan.

Knowing that you're making more, I would suggest that you get a few pieces of equipment like a food grade primary fermenter, hydrometer, and carboys with airlocks.

The thing I use the most is a notebook. I record all the steps I take in making wine, so that I can repeat the good and avoid the bad, and improve my wine.

Best of luck!

 

[wineforfun]

The thing I use the most is a notebook. I record all the steps I take in making wine, so that I can repeat the good and avoid the bad, and improve my wine.

Amen to that.

 

[yanks4carolyn]

TorontoPaul, I feel your pain! My first experience with wine wouldn't have got a nat drunk. I thought the recipe was crazy for asking for so much sugar. Surely I knew more than the ones that had made it, I obnoxiously thought. Second time around, I was armed with additives, hydrometer, air locks...the whole shebang. Now...I'm making really good wine. I didn't want a cheap drunk but some good wine. What you started out with was jailhouse hooch. A cheap, bad drunk with the porcelain god invited to your party. By the end of the thread you have learned a lot and that's what's so good about coming here. Occasionally, people will talk over your head and seem rude but they are a good bunch of Winos that know a lot! My Mom use to make Concord grape wine with a balloon attached and kept it in her closet. I don't know how much sugar she used, I only know it was sweeet and strong. She poured straight from the primary. I'd rather not duplicate that. Hooch is made daily in jail and prison. The prisoners save their sugar packets and bread (for the yeast) and their fruit. Eventually they have a buzz going on. Keep on trying with this hobby. You will not be disappointed in your small investment and time. Put a lid on that Apple wine and forget about it. In a few months you may have a pleasant surprise. Keep notes!