Mist wines

[jdeere5220]

well i just did a mist this weekend and i had done some simple syrup 6 cups of sugar for 3 cups of water but that wasnt enough so i added some more sugar directly to it... but took a whole lot to bring to 1080

My opinion, for what little it's worth, is that shooting for 1.080 is too high for these WE Island Mist kits. I've done a Blackberry Cab (by the book), Wildberry Shiraz (5 cups + 1/2 fpack up front = 1.068 starting SG) and Pom Zin (7 cups sugar = 1.074 starting SG).

The Pom Zin is not well balanced, too high ABV. The Wildberry Shiraz is pretty darn tasty but IMO also just a tad too high ABV. Not bad at all though, we are drinking it fast! The "by the book" Cab is a little too sweet for me (not to mention it takes two bottles to get any buzz!).

So for me the "magic recipe" might be adding about 4 1/2 cups sugar with no F-pack up front. I've got the Black-Rasberry Merlot on deck and that's what I'm going to try. That would get you to about 1.065 starting SG and you would still end up with a light sweet wine with an ~8% ABV which is what is intended with these mist kits. Everyone's taste differs of course. I'm just suggesting that boosting to the ABV level of a full-bodied red might not be the best plan or best final result. You can always mix with some Schnapps or something if you want to fortify by the glass.

 

[jdeere5220]

Been clearing for over a week and still very cloudy.

Hmm... I posted in another thread about my WE Grenach/Shiraz clearing slowly. Well, I didn't add anything or do anything and guess what... after another two weeks it's sparkling clear, no cloudyness at all from top to bottom, and it's ready to bottle. My point is maybe just give it some time.

I read in this forum that pretty much any wine will clear on it's own, with no fining agents at all, if you just give it enough time. I'm thinking maybe you don't need to do anything except be a little patient.

 

[spilet]

I used the Mist Blackberry Merlot, and I found it to be weak (calculated to be about 4%). I wish I read this forum before I started and added sugar to boost the alcohol content. At the same time, I found it to be too sweet, almost like sweet grape juice. It's very possible it didn't ferment correctly, as I put very fine wood chips in it as an additive. If anything, it will make a great sangria for the summer.