Started a gallon of grape, might have already messed up

[super_n00b]

Ok,

I got me a 2 1/2 gallon primary bucket today to start my batch. I found a couple recipes that where idenical so I went with those and tweaked it just a bit and well I added to much sugar but I *think* I will be fine.

So here is the batch-

3 cans of welches grape juice concentrate
2 1/4-2 1/2 cups of sugar, I don't have an exact because I filled the entire measuring cup up.
Brought the batch upto 1 gallon using purified water.
1 tsp of yeast engizer
Starting SG 1.12<-- that is my worry
Currently the temp of the batch is at 69-70 degrees

No acid blend and peptic enzyme is going into it, but maybe some acid blend later on (if advised that it is a good idea).

Now the recipes I have read say I need to cover with a napkin for 12 hours then add yeast and recover with the napkin. After about 5 days rack and add air lock.

Currently as I type it is sitting in my primary fermentation bucket (2 1/2 gallon) with the lid on, do I need to take it out and put it in a different container?

Is my SG being 1.12 to high? I know it's going to yield a higher alcohol content and I'm really not worried about that.

Hope all that makes sense.

Here are the pics

The batch

The SG

The juice

The yeast

 

[garymc]

What yeast did you use? If you used a yeast that dies at 14% alcohol, then you won't have to backsweeten it. Someone will be along shortly to get onto you about not posting every single detail about what you've done.

 

[super_n00b]

What yeast did you use? If you used a yeast that dies at 14% alcohol, then you won't have to backsweeten it. Someone will be along shortly to get onto you about not posting every single detail about what you've done.

I posted a pic of the yeast I'm going to be using. I haven't dropped the yeast in yet.

 

[Elmer]

Few random points in response:
I always use Lavlin 1118.
The High SG is just going to give you a high ABV, (I did the same thing with my 1st batch of welches and unded with a 17% alcohol, it certainly has punch to it).

I have always used 4 cans of concentrate per gallon

I always start my batchs and leave the lid on 3/4 of the way. I have never used a towel (my wife would kill me when I dye it purple). but the lid has always worked for me!

 

[Loner]

1118 should handle that starting SG. You should end up with an abv @16.7% which is kicking. Most Welch's recipes I have seen called for pectin Enzyme acid blend and yeast nutrient however.

 

[super_n00b]

Few random points in response:
I always use Lavlin 1118.
The High SG is just going to give you a high ABV, (I did the same thing with my 1st batch of welches and unded with a 17% alcohol, it certainly has punch to it).

I have always used 4 cans of concentrate per gallon

I always start my batchs and leave the lid on 3/4 of the way. I have never used a towel (my wife would kill me when I dye it purple). but the lid has always worked for me!

Lol, thanks for the info.

1118 should handle that starting SG. You should end up with an abv @16.7% which is kicking. Most Welch's recipes I have seen called for pectin Enzyme acid blend and yeast nutrient however.

They do call for the pectin enzyme and acid blend, when I stopped by the beer and wine store he was telling me that I can squeeze some lemon or orange juice into it for the acid. Never really gave me the reason why no pectin enzyme tho.

 

[jswordy]

You can squeeze a lemon into it or use ReaLemon. You can do that on the back end after it is fermented if you need to, and I'd recommend it, since oftentimes more acid is not needed. It will cloud the wine but settle out in secondary.

I would add the enzyme. It is mainly a haze preventative in this wine.

EC1118 is a high alcohol yeast, so it will do fine fermenting to dry from where you are. I wouldn't use it, but there ya go. I prefer RC212, which has always quit for me in Welch's wines at 13% ABV, leaving residual sweetness that I like. Another one I have used is 71B1122, which makes a more hot wine alcohol-wise. All in all, I like the RC212 best.

If you want to do things as most home winemakers do them, you'll start out next time around 1.080 or 1.085, ferment to 1.000 or a little below, then back sweeten with more concentrate and/or sugar to raise sweetness as desired. That ought to be about 11-12% ABV tops.

I'm going to opposite way now, starting up high where you did and using a yeast that is not strong enough to consume all the sugar. I also use 4 cans concentrate per gallon. So there are lots of ways to approach Welch's.

Next you might try playing around with oaking some of it, adding in other fruits or concentrates, etc. It's a fun low-cost wine to play with.

If you can do it, hide a bottle for 6 months plus - up to a year. Once you open it, you will discover the joys of aging, and you never will look back from there.

 

[wineforfun]

super_n00b,

I made a batch that jswordy speaks of and it turned out great. It is a fairly sweet wine that turned out around 13.5 - 14% ABV. You just start your SG out high (1.14 - 1.15) and then the residual sugars left over are your "sweetener".

 

[super_n00b]

You can squeeze a lemon into it or use ReaLemon. You can do that on the back end after it is fermented if you need to, and I'd recommend it, since oftentimes more acid is not needed. It will cloud the wine but settle out in secondary.

I would add the enzyme. It is mainly a haze preventative in this wine.

EC1118 is a high alcohol yeast, so it will do fine fermenting to dry from where you are. I wouldn't use it, but there ya go. I prefer RC212, which has always quit for me in Welch's wines at 13% ABV, leaving residual sweetness that I like. Another one I have used is 71B1122, which makes a more hot wine alcohol-wise. All in all, I like the RC212 best.

If you want to do things as most home winemakers do them, you'll start out next time around 1.080 or 1.085, ferment to 1.000 or a little below, then back sweeten with more concentrate and/or sugar to raise sweetness as desired. That ought to be about 11-12% ABV tops.

I'm going to opposite way now, starting up high where you did and using a yeast that is not strong enough to consume all the sugar. I also use 4 cans concentrate per gallon. So there are lots of ways to approach Welch's.

Next you might try playing around with oaking some of it, adding in other fruits or concentrates, etc. It's a fun low-cost wine to play with.

If you can do it, hide a bottle for 6 months plus - up to a year. Once you open it, you will discover the joys of aging, and you never will look back from there.

could i add the enzyme in a couple days or should i have added it and let it sit to work its magic 1st?

Im going to let this do its thing for now and see how it turns out and then a few batches down the road start fiddling around with flavoring.

I had already planned on setting a bottle back to age for a good bit.

super_n00b,

I made a batch that jswordy speaks of and it turned out great. It is a fairly sweet wine that turned out around 13.5 - 14% ABV. You just start your SG out high (1.14 - 1.15) and then the residual sugars left over are your "sweetener".

So basically i really shouldnt have to back sweeten it?

 

[wineforfun]

You probably will have to backsweeten it if you are going to use EC-1118, unless you add some more concentrate or sugar to get the SG up higher. EC-1118 will probably eat up most of your sugars. It really depends on your taste and what you are looking for.

 

[super_n00b]

You probably will have to backsweeten it if you are going to use EC-1118, unless you add some more concentrate or sugar to get the SG up higher. EC-1118 will probably eat up most of your sugars. It really depends on your taste and what you are looking for.

Alright, would I be alright then by adding another can of juice to it?

I'm trying to go for a sweeter flavor but not like super sweet. Make sense?

 

[Loner]

Ferment to dry. Add sorbate and sulphite. Now you can back sweeten to taste.

 

[super_n00b]

Checked it today and it looks like this

Is this normal?

 

[wineforfun]

Looks good. It is working well.

I would probably do as Loner said and run it dry and then sweeten it.
If you do this recipe again, get your SG up to 1.14-1.15 to start with and then go with RC-212 yeast, and let it go. It will end up semi-sweet with a 13-14% ABV. The SG will be somewhere around 1.035-1.045 when done.

 

[super_n00b]

Looks good. It is working well.

I would probably do as Loner said and run it dry and then sweeten it.
If you do this recipe again, get your SG up to 1.14-1.15 to start with and then go with RC-212 yeast, and let it go. It will end up semi-sweet with a 13-14% ABV. The SG will be somewhere around 1.035-1.045 when done.

Awesome.

Once I make another batch I will do as recommended by him lol. This is I guess my trial run.

 

[super_n00b]

One month later I reracked it and now it looks like this.

Going on Monday to get the sorbate and sulphite. Now do I add them to it then back sweeten then add the camdem tablet? Do I have to degas it?

Also plan on bottling this up coming week. I'm not going to run it thru a filter machine, is that a good or bad idea?

 

[Stressbaby]

One month later I reracked it and now it looks like this.

Going on Monday to get the sorbate and sulphite. Now do I add them to it then back sweeten then add the camdem tablet? Do I have to degas it?

Also plan on bottling this up coming week. I'm not going to run it thru a filter machine, is that a good or bad idea?

Are you in a hurry to bottle? I ask because the wine is pretty young and doesn't look clear yet. It has not had time to degas on its own.

Generally what I do at this point is nothing. Vacuum racking a couple of times over the next few months will degas it. Degassing will help it clear and it should be clear before it is stabilized (sorbate and Campden/sulfite). It should be stabilized before back sweetening and you should watch it at least a few days prior to bottling.

 

[super_n00b]

Are you in a hurry to bottle? I ask because the wine is pretty young and doesn't look clear yet. It has not had time to degas on its own.

Generally what I do at this point is nothing. Vacuum racking a couple of times over the next few months will degas it. Degassing will help it clear and it should be clear before it is stabilized (sorbate and Campden/sulfite). It should be stabilized before back sweetening and you should watch it at least a few days prior to bottling.

Well the pictures really don't do the justice. All the recipes I seem and the one I'm using say should be clear at 30days. But no I'm in no rush to bottle.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[Abrnth3]

take some time and do a few rackings, giving it time to settle between racks. You will get a better product in a couple more months.

 

[super_n00b]

take some time and do a few rackings, giving it time to settle between racks. You will get a better product in a couple more months.

10-4

Now my question is what is the difference in letting it "age" in the car boy than degassing it and bottling?