Sweetening for a non-dry wine

[Julie]

Julie,

I racked, cleared, stabalized and de-gassed Sunday. After all that the SG = .986. I was surprised it was below .990.

Ok, this Saturday I will filter 6 gallons and then bottle 3 gallons (per kit instuctions) while racking the other 3 gallons to a 3 gallon carboy. From that carboy I will extract some wine (using formula above from other post) and add sugar until just before I think I'll like it. Then do the calculation to add concoction back to the three gallons. Stir gently (take a new SG) and let it sit for 5 days (take a taste and if I like it, bottle it, or if I don't think it's right, repeat the process.)

I will record my notes and use that formula for the future when I move an sg of .986 to whatever I get after my finished product.

I'm looking to take a dry Barbaresco and make a semi-dry Barbaresco.

Sound like a plan?

Wow, I'm surprised you got .986, my hydrometer doesn't go below .990 but I know there were others who said they had one that went below.

Yes I like your plan, sweeten it to .998 and taste that. I'm thinking you might like that level.

 

[RCGoodin]

Wow, I'm surprised you got .986, my hydrometer doesn't go below .990 but I know there were others who said they had one that went below.

Yes I like your plan, sweeten it to .998 and taste that. I'm thinking you might like that level.

I will work toward a .998. Does being below .990 add to the dryness, or what are the characteristics of fermention that falls below .990?

I just bought some Wine sweetener that acts like sugar but it's in liquid form......Oh boy, more experimentation.

 

[Runningwolf]

I will work toward a .998. Does being below .990 add to the dryness, or what are the characteristics of fermention that falls below .990?

I just bought some Wine sweetener that acts like sugar but it's in liquid form......Oh boy, more experimentation.

Do yourself a huge favor! Don't use it!!!! This stuff is nasty and I have never heard anything but complaints after using it.

 

[RCGoodin]

Wine Sweetener

Do yourself a huge favor! Don't use it!!!! This stuff is nasty and I have never heard anything but complaints after using it.

Well, there goes another $8.50 down the drain....Thanks for info....

 

[Julie]

Wow, Thanks Dan for catching that. Dan is right, RCGoodin. I used this stuff once and will never do it again., It leaves a nasty aftertaste.

 

[saramc]

Don't forget if you are adding ANY backsweetener that has the potential to ferment you MUST add k-meta and sorbate...or you will start fermenting in the bottle. And one last thing to think about, when you add your sugar to backsweeten it TYPICALLY causes some more sediment to drop. You may want to split into the 2 three gallon batches, backsweeten and stabilize, wait 7-10 days THEN rack and filter. Just a thought.

 

[RCGoodin]

Don't forget if you are adding ANY backsweetener that has the potential to ferment you MUST add k-meta and sorbate...or you will start fermenting in the bottle. And one last thing to think about, when you add your sugar to backsweeten it TYPICALLY causes some more sediment to drop. You may want to split into the 2 three gallon batches, backsweeten and stabilize, wait 7-10 days THEN rack and filter. Just a thought.

I appreciate your thought and advice. I am splitting 6 gallons into 2 separate 3 gallon batches. One 3 gallon batch is going through filtering and straight to bottling (I'll add a 1/4 tsp batch of sorbate to that batch prior to bottling). The other 3 gallons is the play batch. I plan to use the formula of adding a 1/4 tsp of sugar to some wine, then another 1/4 tsp and continue until I'm just be low where I want it, Then I'll calculate that amout and how I need to adjust for 3 gallons.

I can't wait and I'll keep you informes.

 

[RCGoodin]

I found the formula below from a different thread that helps in formulating how much sugar to add based on moving the SG from one position to another. So for me to move from a .986 to a .998, I subtract the two (.998 -.986) = .012. If 2 oz of sugar will move a gallon up .005, then 6 oz of sugar will move 3 gallons up .015. That's close to my .012, so I need just less than 6 oz's, so that equates to around 10 TBSP for me (9.6 to be exact) ..........someone check my math.....

I'll still do Sara's test to compare.

SUGAR NOTES

2 oz. (4 TBSP) sugar raises 1 gallon's s.g. by .005
1 cup sugar raises 1 gallon's s.g. by .020
5 cups raises 5 gallons' s.g. by .020
4# sugar = 9.44 cups
1# sugar = 2.36 cups
5# sugar = 11.8 cups
10# sugar = 23.6 cups
1# sugar in 5 gallons liquid will raise Potential Alcohol 1%

UPDATE: I used the formula above and the SG now equals .998. The wine is sweeter and still has a little dryness. Mission accomplished. I'm assuming it will still get a little less dry as it ages.

I feel I learned a lot and will go forward knowing I can change it at anytime. I have the power.

Thanks to all for their thoughts and knowledge. This is a great forum for the home winemaker.