RJ Spagnols strawberry zin

[dcrnbrd]

I am starting this kit this weekend. How do I raise the abv of this wine without affecting flavor? Is it just sugar? What sg do I need to raise it to? The starting sg of this kit is 1.050-1.060.

 

[grapeman]

If you want to bring it up to about 11-12% ABV, it will take about 4-5 pounds of sugar. Bring SG to about 1.085. You might also want to add just a bit of yeast nutrients to make sure the yeast has enough food for the extra sugar. Some folks just dump the sugar in and stir well to dissolve, but the preferred method is to make it up as a syrup by adding the sugar to some water and heating up until well dissolved. Let it cool and add it to the must before adding the water to bring up to 6 gallons(assuming this is a 6 gallon kit).

 

[dcrnbrd]

It is a 6 gal kit. So I just need to keep adding sugsr until I get sg 1.085 and that will get abv to 11-12. Ok I think I might go ahead and try that today. Thanks I will start sanitizing.

 

[Waldo]

I just started close tothe same kit dcrm ( Mine was a Strawberry/Riesling )and added 4 lbs of sugar I had dissolved in hot water before adding to primary. My beginning SG was 1.092 at 76 degrees. It is bubbling away nicely right now.Edited by: Waldo

 

[dcrnbrd]

Thanks waldo, I have the syrup ready and will start everything up in the morning. We will see what happens.

 

[dcrnbrd]

Wow Waldo that was dead on. I added 4 cups sugar and brought sg up to 1.085. It started cooking today. I cant wait to find out how its gonna be.

 

[Wade E]

You do mean lbs. right?

 

[dcrnbrd]

Thanks wade thats what I meant.

 

[dcrnbrd]

Kit is aging in carboy. Had a taste tonight and wow you can really tell the abv is punched up there. I am really excited about this one. Too bad its being auctioned off to raise money.

 

[Waldo]

Where can we bid on it at dc ?

 

[dcrnbrd]

We are working on that waldo. I will let yall know when we get it finalized. Its for a great cause because everyone has been struck with cancer in one form or another. The whole hospital where I work is really getting excited about the auction, so I hope it goes good. I wish I would have made more. I guess I learned something for next year.