I guess I tried too many things

[Ernest T Bass]

Carboy bubbling like mad:
From the beginning:
10/1/10= 9:00 am
Grape Wine= 3 lbs of red grapes and 7 lbs of green grapes
washed and removed stems
mashed them up as I put them in a 10 gallon plastic container
added 4 gallons of well water
added 4 crushed campden tablets
8:00 pm
SpGr 1.020
10/2/10
added 4 teaspoons of yeast nutrient
added 8 teaspoons of acid blen
added 18 cups of sugar
SpGr 1.070
added 1 pack of yeast (red star premier cuvee)
10/3/10 SpGr 1.060
10/4/10 SpGr 1.030
10/5/10 SpGr 1.020
Racked (dipped out and poured thru strainer into carboy with air lock
had 1 gallon left over and put it into a 1 gallon jug with air lock
10/9/10 all bubbling stopped for 3 days, racked (the right way)
5 gallon carboy and 1 gallon jug and checked the SpGr=1.090
tasted bitter, but stong on alcohol, re-checked SpGr=1.090
added 5 lbs of sugar and a half pack of yeast
added 1 gallon of welchs 100% pure purple grape juice
10/11/10 everything back to bubbling good = SpGr 1.030
10/12/10 SpGr 1.040 = has a continious stream of bubbles

Should I just wait it out? have I gone too far ? is it a lost cause now?

Thanks for any help

Semper Fi

 

[winemaker_3352]

When all the bubbling stopped on 10-9 for 3 days - did you verify SG reading to ensure that fermentation was complete?

On 10-5 - SG was 1.020 but after you racked on 10-9 - SG was 1.090? Did you add sugar to get back to that SG? And on 10-11 SG was back down to 1.030.

IMO - it sounds like fermentation was not complete - you added more sugar - and it is still fermenting - fuel on the fire..

Are you trying for a high ABV - or were you backsweetening? If backsweetening you need to wait until fermentation is complete and then stabilize with sorbate and k-meta - wait a week - then add the sugar.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

Reply

On 10-9 I didn't make a note of it, but I remember it taste awlful and hi in alcohol. I checked the SpGr and it was .0990. Later that day I checked the SpGr again and that's when the SpGr was 1.090 so that when figured the yeast was gone and it still taste awlful. Thats when I added the sugar, yeast and grape juice.
Not trying for high ABV, would really like it to be 10% or a little less.

Semper Fi

 

[winemaker_3352]

On 10-9 I didn't make a note of it, but I remember it taste awlful and hi in alcohol. I checked the SpGr and it was .0990. Later that day I checked the SpGr again and that's when the SpGr was 1.090 so that when figured the yeast was gone and it still taste awlful. Thats when I added the sugar, yeast and grape juice.
Not trying for high ABV, would really like it to be 10% or a little less.

Semper Fi

So the SG was at .990 - and then later on the SG changed to 1.090? The only way i know that the SG would go up like is the addition of sugar. But you are saying that you didn't add any sugar at that point yet - are you sure you are reading your hydrometer correctly?

 

[Ernest T Bass]

So the SG was at .990 - and then later on the SG changed to 1.090? The only way i know that the SG would go up like is the addition of sugar. But you are saying that you didn't add any sugar at that point yet - are you sure you are reading your hydrometer correctly?

I feel sure I am reading the hydrometer right. I think the only thing is that, I did something and didn't log it. I think what I must have done is, since it tasted so bad, I added the juice and sugar to correct for the taste and that started it all over again. If that is what happened, what will my results be? I guess I'll just ride it out until it stops working and read the SpGr again and hope for the best.
Thanks for your time and help, I'll report back later on what happens

Semper Fi

 

[winemaker_3352]

If you adjusted for taste by adding juice and/or sugar that would explain the raised SG.

Let if finish fermenting to dry and stabilize it. The abv will be high. You could add water to lower the abv - but you have already added 4 gallons of it (next time increase your #'s of grapes - you shouldn't really need to add water when making wine from grapes) so you could add welch's 100% white grape juice to taste.

 

[MN-winer]

You are likely to have rocket fuel tasting wine. I did something similar and more alcohol will not make it taste better. Actually most likely it will be worse. I would think your only hope at this point is to either blend with another low alcohol batch or add a very large f-pak to sweeten, but you need to make sure this ferments out and then add Sorbate and k-meta, then degas, rack and clear it.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

sounds like you are going to have rocket fuel. adding sugar to wine with live yeast will only raise the abv. let it die out for a week and then re-sweeten, but make sure you add some sorbate and k-meta. what yeast was used? the yeast will only tolerate a certain amount of abv. most are 15-18% range though, so you'll probably be in the upper part of that range.

as winemaker posted, resweeten with juice later after it stops for a week or so and then add some sorbate and k-meta to stop it from going again, but i doubt it could at this point. don't over sorbate a wine though, once in the end is all you should do.

it might still be a good wine, i would taste it, add more juice and then let it age. aging will really change many wines and will help to mellow it out some.

edit: mn-winer posted at the same time. i think we've all done this, whether on purpose or not. it's important to add the chemicals after sweetening, but more important to wait long enough for the yeast to starve/run dry.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

So that I don't mess up again

Is this the order I do it?
Add Sorbate and K-Meta and then sweeten to taste

or

Sweeten to taste and then add Sorbate and K-Meta

Patience ----- Patience ----- Don't give up on me

Semper Fi

 

[winemaker_3352]

Is this the order I do it?
Add Sorbate and K-Meta and then sweeten to taste

or

Sweeten to taste and then add Sorbate and K-Meta

Patience ----- Patience ----- Don't give up on me

Semper Fi

Add sorbate and k-meta - same time - wait a week or so - backsweeten, f-pac if needed, and fining agent if desired.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

Thanks

I would never have made it withour ya'll help

Semper Fi