Your advice, please?

[SpoiledRotten]

Some of you have read some post regarding my two 5 gal mistake batches of Niagara/Cherry, where I added sugar per recipe before checking SG and adding just enough to get to the correct SG. I had two one gal jugs of left-over from the 5 gal carboys so I played around with those to try to get the sweetness out. The best I could do is 1.020 from using a small about of left-over Strawberry/Mango, blended with one of the gal jugs. Still not enough! I do have a 5.5 gal of Strawberry/Mango that has fermented and stabilized, and is ready to be used if you guys think it's worth doing. What would you do; take a sample out of each and blend a small amount of each to see if the SG will come down? The S/M is at .998 or so and the two CB's of Niagara are between 1.025 and 1.030 (yes, really sweet).

The taste of the blended should be fine. I'm in need of getting that sugar content lower so you don't feel like you've just downed a glass of humming bird food. I've had a couple of glasses of it and don't know whether I'm getting a little lose from the wine or from a sugar high.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Heck - it is worth taking a few samples out to blend. See what works and what doesn't work. Won't know until you try it.

 

[Arne]

But do not forget to let everybody know how it turns out. Mite save somebody else from making the same mistake or have em treat it like you did to save what they are doing. Arne.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

I mixed 2 parts 1.020 Niag/Cher with 1 part .999 Strawb/Mango in a 1.5L bottle, and it came out good as far as sweetness goes, but I did add a little of the Da Vinci "unsweetened" Raspberry flavor and, at first the taste was pretty nice, but after about a half of a glass, it started tasting more like Vick's NyQuil (Baptist Alcohol).

I'm leaning toward saving the rest of the S/M to back sweeten to preference and create another batch of N/C to blend with the 1.030 of like flavor, leaving the raspberry flavor out. I'll do a plain Niagara f-pac for that.

I started the Strawberry right and would like to carry most of it to the end, doing what I'm supposed to do in hopes that it will lift my encouragement level, because at this point, it's not too high.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

And BTW.... you guys are so right about the hydrometers getting broken if you only have one. I broke mine night before last.... just because I didn't have two of them. Now, I'm having to put everything on hold until I get another... BUT, I did order two (2) from George (FVW) yesterday, so hopefully, they will be here tomorrow.
I placed an order earlier that evening, before the hyd breakage, and called George the next day after I got a tracking number from him. He broke open the package and added the 2 hyd's for me.

Good guy!

 

[robie]

Good move. Unless you live close enough to just run down to the LHBS, you always need two hydrometers. Now you will be set.

 

[JohnT]

Question for ya would be "what's the APV"?

If 14% or less, why not try to re-ferment? Try using Lalvin EC-118 yeast. This is designed as a champagne yeast and is tollerent to high APV.

For about a buck a packet, It might be worth a try.

 

[robie]

Question for ya would be "what's the APV"?

If 14% or less, why not try to re-ferment? Try using Lalvin EC-118 yeast. This is designed as a champagne yeast and is tollerent to high APV.

For about a buck a packet, It might be worth a try.

That's one alternative. Don't know if sorbate was used, and if so, what effect it would have at this point. EC-1118 is pretty robust. He might still have to blend with another batch to get the ABV to a balanced level.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

I've already stabilized the batch since I thought it had gone as far as possible. That's why I figured all that was left was to blend with very dry to offset the very sweet. Thoughts?

 

[robie]

You could still try some EC-1118, just to see what will happen, or you can blend.

if I were to vote, I would vote to blend.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Thanks robie. That is what I'm thinking as well. I hate to toss the whole batch or to blend with the Strawberry/Mango, which I believe will be my best to this point, so I'll make another batch of dry Niagara and blend with that.

 

[Sirs]

much better to let that sit and make another batch really dry to blend then you got double the goodness

 

[SpoiledRotten]

much better to let that sit and make another batch really dry to blend then you got double the goodness

Sirs, you are a gentleman and a scholar! I guess something has definitely got to get better along the way to a blend with dry. I'll do that. It's not hurting anything by just sitting there. I can always do as I stated before if it doesn't get any better. I can drink it with candy bars and it won't see so sweet then.

 

[Daisy317]

much better to let that sit and make another batch really dry to blend then you got double the goodness

This is exactly what I was going to suggest.

Or blend some and rack some into a smaller carboy to blend with others at a later time.

 

[Runningwolf]

This is exactly what I was going to suggest.

Or blend some and rack some into a smaller carboy to blend with others at a later time.

you are a gentleman and a scholar also