I have been making wine about 5 years now and lately I can not get my fruit wines to ferment out dry. I currently have a batch of apple, 18 gallons going, it is in the primary for over a week now and it is only down to 1.07 SG, it was started at 1.113. Tempeture is controlled at 80 degrees, sugar was added via syrup so it was completely dissolved, and all other material was added according to the receipt. The only difference is that I bought a 20 gallon primary frementor that is 15 by 15 inches by 36 inches high. I am using lalvin 1118 yeast. I made two batches of Strawberry and fermentation stopped at 1.003 using the same primary but added raw sugar, with the same yeast. In between these two wines I made my fresh grape wine, used sugar syrup for sweetening, starting SG of 1.110 same yeast, a different primary. The primary was a wide 12 gallon tub and the wine cooked down to .084 SG.One of the first times I used the new primary significantly over sulfide the must and it took me two weeks of air-rating the must before I could get a fermentation started. That fermentation did go down below <1. SG.
I am baffled and would appreciate any ideas anyone might have on what is going on. Thanks
Tony