Inherited an batch in progress - Need help

[DageonYar]

I recently inherited some batches of Elderberry wine when a friend of the family passed away. The wine was made from berries he grew in his back yard, and it appears the batches are marked Nov 11th 2011. The wine tastes great, a bit sweet, but there is 'some' alcohol content from what I can tell. The wine is nowhere near clear.

What should be my first steps to ensuring these batches don't go to waste? There are 2 5Gal carboys (topped up) and 4 1gal carboys (topped up). I have no idea what process he used, or what chemicals (if any) were added. Should I sulfide the batch to be sure?

Many thanks -

 

[Rocky]

I am sure you will hear from some of the Elderberry wine makers, but in general, if the wine was made in November, 2011 and put into carboys at or near that time, it has been in the carboys for about 3 months. Adding 1/4 teaspoon of Potassium Metabisulfite per 5 gallons would not hurt anything. As for the clearing, I have no idea. I have never made that wine but I would expect it to be clearing by now.

 

[robie]

I recently inherited some batches of Elderberry wine when a friend of the family passed away. The wine was made from berries he grew in his back yard, and it appears the batches are marked Nov 11th 2011. The wine tastes great, a bit sweet, but there is 'some' alcohol content from what I can tell. The wine is nowhere near clear.

What should be my first steps to ensuring these batches don't go to waste? There are 2 5Gal carboys (topped up) and 4 1gal carboys (topped up). I have no idea what process he used, or what chemicals (if any) were added. Should I sulfide the batch to be sure?

Many thanks -

Without knowing what was previously done/added to the wine, it is just a guess.

If the wine is sweet, does that mean he/she stabilized, added sorbate, then back sweetened, or did fermentation simply never complete.

I would sure try to get these questions answered. If the wine is sweet and sorbate was not added, the wine will likely start fermenting again.
Warm the wine up to 75F, take an SG reading; let it set for a week (topped-off), take another SG reading and see if fermentation starts again. If not, go ahead and stabilize with Kmeta and to make sure, add a little more sorbate.

Good luck with this one!

 

[ffemt128]

Without knowing what was previously done/added to the wine, it is just a guess.

Warm the wine up to 75F, take an SG reading; let it set for a week (topped-off), take another SG reading and see if fermentation starts again. If not, go ahead and stabilize with Kmeta and to make sure, add a little more sorbate.

Good luck with this one!

I agree with the above. I would get it to normal temps, rack it off into clean carboys off the sediment, check sg, add kmeta and more sorbate if in doubt that it was added to begin with.