Cellar Craft Sterling syrah into port.

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markb1983

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Hello! I am taking a risk! I am going to fortify a cellar craft sterling syrah kit. I have been reading 2 schools of thoughts.

1) add sugar to the must to keep it sweet and increase the alcohol. Then fortify it.


2) make the kit as usual fortify it and add sugar.



Thoughs?????
 
Definitely following this!! I would ferment half way, then add simple syrup to add about 5% abv, let that ferment then cold crash and fortify at 1.030-1.020 giving time for fermentation to stop. Hopefully at 1.020-1.010. Good luck, if it turns out I may have to try!!!


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Thanks! My research also has concluded that adding simple syrup . Is the way to go. I'm thinking vsop. Brandy.
 
Nice!!! Can't wait to hear how it turns out! Will this prevent you from being able to age a regular wine after your port in the same barrel?


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That I can't help you on. There should be some info you can find on google for abv boosting.


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Haha ok I know 1 cup of sugar raises SG of one gallon by .010 so multiply that times 6? And figure what .010 is in abv :)


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1 cup white sugar (200 g) raises 1 gallon SG by about 0.020. Use that to select your initial SG. I would think you would want something like an SG of 1.13 which, if fermented down to approx 0.997 with a high alcohol tolerance yeast like EC1118 should give you about 18% ABV.

For details see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix
 
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Following!

I did this kit about two years ago and tweaked the bejezuss out of it. It actually turned out quite well - especially considering I'd only been making wine about 6 months. I added dried cherries and blueberries to the primary and gave it a lot of oak and some tellicherry peppercorns in bulk aging. I ended up giving it a hint of sugar as well, before bottling. I think this kit could make an excellent port.
 
1 cup white sugar (200 g) raises 1 gallon SG by 0.020. Use that to select your initial SG. I would think you would want something like 1.13 which, if fermented down to approx 0.997 with a high alcohol tolerance yeast like EC1118 should give you about 18% ABV.

Yep, target 1.100-1.150. You can also try to step feed on top of that during fermentation, but know that the yeast may stop on you, leaving more sugar than you wanted. To be safe, you can always target that SG, then back sweeten and fortify to your desired ABV.
 
Prager port works in St Helena California uses a syrah as a body for their port. And it's to die for. Their royal escort port is 90.00 a bottle =(
 
I'm totally not sure how to do this, but would a yeast nutrient plan help with alcohol toxicity to keep the yeasties working hard? Some Fermaid O, maybe?
 
Well I started today. I made a the kit with 1 cup of extra table sugar as well as not quite to the 23 liter mark. Took a brix reading and it indicated that the alcohol content is 16%. The temperature is near 73 degrees in my garage.
 
Well I started today. I made a the kit with 1 cup of extra table sugar as well as not quite to the 23 liter mark. Took a brix reading and it indicated that the alcohol content is 16%. The temperature is near 73 degrees in my garage.

Are you sure about that? 1 cup of sugar is not much in 23 L. I expect that should only raise the SG by about 0.003 -- equivalent to a fraction of a percent ABV.
 

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