Strawberry / Blueberry fiasco!

[DizzyIzzy]

K

Here's my expert opinion (haha) about what your alcohol concentrations were at various stages of you ferment. BTW, at then end when you say you couldn't taste alcohol, I estimate it was likely about 16.5%.

I did this strictly out of curiosity, and to satisfy myself that your troublesome fermentation was not due to high alcohol levels. I used FermCalc to work backward to an equivalent starting SG that would match the readings you took along the way. "Berry" and "Duncan & Acton" methods agreed to within 0.2% ABV. The "Balling" method is more suited to beer fermentations, I believe, and not as accurate in the range of wine ABV.

1. When your wine was dry (0.990), before adding sugar: 13.5%.
2. After adding sugar, because it increases volume, thus decreasing alcohol concentration: 12.7%.
3. After fermenting, slowly, to 1.030, and getting stuck: 13.3%.
4. After adding 34 oz of water: 12.6%.
5. After fermenting to 1.010, and again getting stuck: 15.0%.
6. After splitting the batch, degassing, and fermenting to 1.000 (4L): 16.4%, 0.998 (bucket): 16.7%.
7. If ferment continues to 0.990: 17.7%
8. I had a DB ferment to 0.988: that would put you right at 18%.

That's my 2 cents' worth. I had fun doing it. Now you get to have fun drinking it!

KC................................you are so'o'o clever....................I love that mind!.............................Dizzy

 

[KCCam]

K

KC................................you are so'o'o clever....................I love that mind!.............................Dizzy

Logical & analytical? Sure. Insatiable desire to learn? Absolutely. The creative spark I see so much of around here? Uhh, umm, when are they handing that out again?? Darn, I think I missed that memo.

 

[winemaker81]

Here's my expert opinion (haha) about what your alcohol concentrations were at various stages of you ferment. BTW, at then end when you say you couldn't taste alcohol, I estimate it was likely about 16.5%.

The addition of that much sugar late in the process can shock the yeast, regardless of the ABV potential of the yeast.

I had that happen with a elderberry port. Instead of feeding the sugar gradually, I dumped it in, pretty much as @G259 did. Nothing I did would kick start it, although I didn't try diluting it. I ended up with a plain dessert wine instead of a port style (which folks like) so I didn't lose anything, I just did not achieve the intended goal.

@G259 -- kudos for the recovery!

 

[KCCam]

Thank you very much, I too use Fermcalc, but didn't have time to do the work! Another twist, since I felt that it was 'weak tasting', I added 1 qt. freezer bag (that I found) of each fruit, and I crushed it up and added it. Ferment increased, as expected, pretty good. I call this: Franken Wine - (It's Alive!)

BTW, I just added to the bucket, I plan to mix them possibly later.

@G259, how is this going?

 

[G259]

@G259, how is this going?

I don't know if it was the 'nutrient' I added, but it fermented to .990! With all of the additions, I'm waiting for it to clear. I started with a 3 gallon batch, now it is 3 gal. + 4L + a 750! I tasted a bit on the last racking, and I thought it had a much improved mouthfeel and weight, which is what I wanted, I guess more fruit won.

 

[G259]

I guess that's what real wine making is, the ability to see what you have, and make the necessary additions to balance your wines appropriately. I have been struggling with 'Franken wine' now for a while, I forgot to look at the dates on my other wines! I should, at least, be able to rack a few of them.

 

[G259]

. . . it turns out that I have an apple mead (cyser), from 10/07/19, that I'm ready to rack, and/or bottle. Also, an apple cider wine from 2/2, that smells amazing (3 gals.)!

 

[G259]

. . . and just to say. I have learned so much from this site, and I only contribute what I thought was the best answer, but a few here go 'Above and Beyond' (the motto of my first ship in the U.S. Navy, USS Ainsworth), and it is much appreciated.

 

[winemaker81]

I guess that's what real wine making is, the ability to see what you have, and make the necessary additions to balance your wines appropriately.

Agreed. Wine is a natural product, dependent upon the whims of nature. We do the best we can to control everything, but that only works to a point, and sometimes we make mistakes. If things don't turn out the way we want, all we can do is figure out how to make the best of it.

If that works out, we have succeeded!