Plum Wine screw-up

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

cowboytex

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2010
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
After 30 days I siphoned my plum wine into a clean gl jug. I could not get enough out on my jug without disturbing the botton junk. I needed more to top-up so I used water......I know, I know...I had a senior moment! I'm wondering if I completely ruined the wine? I had to add a plastic water bottle of water! Is there a way to save it or not?
thanks
cowboytex
 
If I'm understanding you right,your'e worried because you topped up with a bottle of water instead of wine.

There is the matter of minimum alcahol needed to preserve, and maybe a few other tidbits some others may want to discuss, but you most likely didn't ruin your wine, maybe just watered it down a bit.
You should taste it and see what YOU think.
Also if you have any more info on your batch, even the recipe you used would help to get some more helpful answers.

Just how sophisticated in your winemaking are you?
 
After 30 days I siphoned my plum wine into a clean gl jug. I could not get enough out on my jug without disturbing the botton junk. I needed more to top-up so I used water......I know, I know...I had a senior moment! I'm wondering if I completely ruined the wine? I had to add a plastic water bottle of water! Is there a way to save it or not?
thanks
cowboytex
cowboytex...I think you're a big old worrywart. Your wine will be just fine. But just out of interest, did you add 500ml to a gallon of wine? 1.5 litres to 23 litres? So far all we know is that you added some water to some wine.

BTW does "clean gl jug" mean "clean glass jug", or "clean googalitre jug". And if it's googalitre how big is that exactly? I 've got ml (millilitre) and cl (centilitre) figured out, but I've totally forgotten the others. :i

Steve
 
cowboytex...I think you're a big old worrywart. Your wine will be just fine. But just out of interest, did you add 500ml to a gallon of wine? 1.5 litres to 23 litres? So far all we know is that you added some water to some wine.

BTW does "clean gl jug" mean "clean glass jug", or "clean googalitre jug". And if it's googalitre how big is that exactly? I 've got ml (millilitre) and cl (centilitre) figured out, but I've totally forgotten the others. :i

Steve

sorry for the confusion, yes clean glass (1 gallon ) jug. I added .5L of spring water to the gallon.
 
Yeah no worries - i would just take some acid and SG readings and see where you are at.

I am sure you will rack again - as fruit wines take several rackings - and if you add a fining agent - you will have a sediment layer left behind.

Then top up with a like wine or possibly do an fpac if the flavor is watered down.

But be sure to add k-meta or sorbate before doing this.
 
Not to worry however when you go to sweeten it, take some of the wine out and place in a pan on the stove. Gently warm and add/stir your sugar. Turn off the flame/burner so as not to get hot. Just warm it up to disolve the sugar.

Don't mix sugar with water to sweeten, use your wine. You will want to check your s.g. and other items but if your not sure, no worries. It will taste good after you sweeten it up.

A lesson learned.
 
If I'm understanding you right,your'e worried because you topped up with a bottle of water instead of wine.

There is the matter of minimum alcahol needed to preserve, and maybe a few other tidbits some others may want to discuss, but you most likely didn't ruin your wine, maybe just watered it down a bit.
You should taste it and see what YOU think.
Also if you have any more info on your batch, even the recipe you used would help to get some more helpful answers.

Just how sophisticated in your winemaking are you?

Here is the recipe:pLUM WINE (2)
6 lbs plums
3-1/2 lbs fine granulated sugar
Water to one gallon
1-1/2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
1/4 tsp grape tannin
wine yeast
Put water on to boil. Wash the fruit, cut in halves to remove the seeds, then chop fruit and put in primary. Pour boiling water over fruit. Add half the sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Cover and allow to cool to 70 degrees F. Add acid blend, pectic enzyme, tannin, nutrient, and energizer, cover, and wait 12 hours before adding yeast. Recover primary and allow to ferment 5-7 days, stirring twice daily. Strain, stir in half remaining sugar to dissolve, syphon into secondary, and fit airlock. Rack after 30 days, add remaining sugar, stir well to dissolve sugar, top up, and refit airlock,(here is where I added the water)Rack every 30-45 days until wine clears. Wait two additional weeks rack again, stabilize wine, and bottle. This wine can be sampled after only 6 months. If not up to expectations, let age another 6 months and taste again. I have aged plum wine up to four years and the result was exquisite, but that was only because the wine got covered with blankets and was forgotten. I suspect it was ready long before it took on its heavenly quality. [Author's notes and adaptation from Dorothy Alatorre's Home Wines of North America]

Not sophisticated at all! this Plum was my second wine to make. I have made Blackberry, Skeeter Pee and the Plum so you see I am very new at this!
 
Not to worry however when you go to sweeten it, take some of the wine out and place in a pan on the stove. Gently warm and add/stir your sugar. Turn off the flame/burner so as not to get hot. Just warm it up to disolve the sugar.

Don't mix sugar with water to sweeten, use your wine. You will want to check your s.g. and other items but if your not sure, no worries. It will taste good after you sweeten it up.

A lesson learned.

ok thanks!
 
sounds ok to me because there is nothing in your ingredient list or instructions that says use anything but water. don't worry. be happy.:w
 
Here is the recipe:pLUM WINE (2)
6 lbs plums
3-1/2 lbs fine granulated sugar
Water to one gallon
1-1/2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
1/4 tsp grape tannin
wine yeast
Put water on to boil. Wash the fruit, cut in halves to remove the seeds, then chop fruit and put in primary. Pour boiling water over fruit. Add half the sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Cover and allow to cool to 70 degrees F. Add acid blend, pectic enzyme, tannin, nutrient, and energizer, cover, and wait 12 hours before adding yeast. Recover primary and allow to ferment 5-7 days, stirring twice daily. Strain, stir in half remaining sugar to dissolve, syphon into secondary, and fit airlock. Rack after 30 days, add remaining sugar, stir well to dissolve sugar, top up, and refit airlock,(here is where I added the water)Rack every 30-45 days until wine clears. Wait two additional weeks rack again, stabilize wine, and bottle. This wine can be sampled after only 6 months. If not up to expectations, let age another 6 months and taste again. I have aged plum wine up to four years and the result was exquisite, but that was only because the wine got covered with blankets and was forgotten. I suspect it was ready long before it took on its heavenly quality. [Author's notes and adaptation from Dorothy Alatorre's Home Wines of North America]

Not sophisticated at all! this Plum was my second wine to make. I have made Blackberry, Skeeter Pee and the Plum so you see I am very new at this!


Also when first racking to secondary - you don't need to top it off yet - as it is still fermenting - the CO2 will protect it from oxidation - once it is done fermentation - you want to rack and then top off.
 
Also when first racking to secondary - you don't need to top it off yet - as it is still fermenting - the CO2 will protect it from oxidation - once it is done fermentation - you want to rack and then top off.

winemaker, it was my second racking, it had been in the secondary 30 days
thanks
cowboytex
 

Latest posts

Back
Top