# I want to make rocket fuel



## arcticsid (Oct 15, 2009)

I want to make rocket fuel as an experiment.

If I start with concentrated juice, add th appropriate additives and add enough sugar to get the pontential ABV up real high, please explain about adding the sugar in stages.

What yeast would I use?

I would back sweeten this. What I am trying to accomplish is like a Boones Farm product, can I say that?LOL

Seriously. This wouldn't be a wine to bottle and share or enter in a contest. I realize I may be shunned for even asking this but without fortifying it, what would it take to achieve the highest ABV possible in a regularly fermented wine?

I am not trying to make a distilled product here. How high can I get a wine?

I realize there are champagne yeasts that will get up there around 18%. So if I can accomplish this with this type of yeast and the right amount of sugar, then why worry about adding sugar in stages to begin with?

Just a question, winter is just starting. 
Troy


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## myakkagldwngr (Oct 15, 2009)

I backsweetened my blackberry the first time and put it back into fermentation. Learned quickly about bottling what was left over from the additional liquid going into the carboy when I found the three bottles had blown out the corks!
It definitely boosted the alcohol content up when it went back to fermenting.
Compared to almost everything else I drink, I can feel two glasses. A half a bottle sure makes me sleep good!


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## Sacalait (Oct 15, 2009)

Try finding turbo yeast. Some of these claim alcohol as high as 23%.


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## mmadmikes1 (Oct 15, 2009)

Turbo yeast will go high, you need to add sugar as you go, not all at once. I would use Apple for this because in frozen form it is cheap. I did this and though it out it was gross. It might have gotten better in a few years but at 6 months ,I dumped it


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## cpfan (Oct 15, 2009)

I have made alcohol (I refuse to call it wine) from Turbo Yeast, sugar, and water. I added sorbate, charcoal to remove off flavours & tastes, and a clearing agent. I also filtered. Pretty decent low alcohol vodka (about 19% I think). I also flavoured it to make brandies, liqueurs, etc.

I used products from http://www.brewhaus.com/DefaultBH.aspx But the kit that I used to use doesn't seem to be on their site now. The one I used was the 8kg Turbo Yeast.

Steve


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## non-grapenut (Oct 15, 2009)

*Adding sugar all at once to net a rocket fuel wine*



mmadmikes1 said:


> Turbo yeast will go high, you need to add sugar as you go, not all at once. I would use Apple for this because in frozen form it is cheap. I did this and though it out it was gross. It might have gotten better in a few years but at 6 months ,I dumped it



I have found that making wine with sweet rice (paddy/sushi rice..you can find it at oriental markets or online. It's round-grained) netted me "SAKE"...white grapes chopped up added extra flavor and color to the wine. To increase the alcohol, it's best to add a little sugar at a time and tend to the fermentation, but this mash was very forgiving! I ended up with 20% alc using champagne yeast. Here's the jack keller recipe (note the 2-week primary fermentation---easy for adding sugar again and again 

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques74.asp


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## Wade E (Oct 15, 2009)

Turbo yeast will get you a little higher and I use it for something other then wines as I can remove most of the flavor that it leaves behind during tye process, I would never use it on a wine though. Use Red Star Premier Cuvee or Lalvin EC1118 for this and you can start with a pretty high sg like 1.115 and then chaptalize a few times.


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## Racer (Oct 15, 2009)

Troy here is another super harsh condition for yeast to start in. That high of a concentration of sugar to get the highest % alc. at the start can and will kill off yeast pretty easy. 

If you do want to try it I suppose you could make a really strong starter to begin with and then feed it some must until you have a rather large starter to add to the fermentor. Or you could start it at a lower sg. and feed the ferment with sugar a few times like others have already pointed out to you. Either way it sounds like a good experiment to have going this winter.


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## St Allie (Oct 15, 2009)

arcticsid said:


> I want to make rocket fuel as an experiment.
> 
> Just a question, winter is just starting.
> Troy



Yeah right Troy.. just an experiment.. you won't drink it...of course..

hehehhe

Allie


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## myakkagldwngr (Oct 16, 2009)

The blackberry I made used the Lalvin EC1118 yeast. I have to admit, even with the extra kick from the second fermentation, it still has a good flavor after you take the first taste.


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## Madriver Wines (Oct 16, 2009)

So what was the first taste like??


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## myakkagldwngr (Oct 17, 2009)

Why, do you really need to ask???
Rocket Fuel...


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## arcticsid (Nov 7, 2009)

READY!

O.K., gonna start the experiment. Gonna go get the juice tommorrow.

(Remeber, this is only an experiment and should not be tried without your parents supervision!)

Gonna start with 2 gallons white, 2 dark, regular old Welches grape juice from concentrate. 4 gallons total, will add enough suger to get the SG up high as Wade suggested. Will use a starter made with CUVEE.

Now what is this chapitlizing? Should i stir in sugar every so often, when? And should I remove some of the must and disssolve the sugar in this nefore reintroducing it?


If I start with a high SG, and an PABV of 18% or so, why the addition of more sugar along the way? The yeast is only going to convert it to its tolerance and stop, right?

And, normally we talk about racking into the secondary from 5-10 days, or so. With the addition of the extra sugar along the way, would this change. I would assume you would still want to rack it around 1.010 or something.

Staying Curious,
Troy


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## Wade E (Nov 7, 2009)

The 1.115 that I had mentioned will only ferment out to around 15%. By starting there you dont over do the yeast with sugar making it very hard to start off. Chaptalizing is the act of adding sugar toa fermentation in progress and by doing so you can achieve the higher abv you so desire. I would let it ferment down to about 1.020 and then add enough sugar to bring it back up to 1.040 or so which if fermented out will give you about 17.5% and if you want you can again chaptalize around 1.010 and and bring it to around 1.020. You can sually get the yeast to go beyond what its stated if done properly by keep stirring and keeping it warm. Does it matter if this stops with residual sugars in it?


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## arcticsid (Nov 7, 2009)

No , but who is going to teach me how to do it properly?

Sir in the sugar or dissole it first?


I joke gonna go just that way Wade, will report back.
troy


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## Wade E (Nov 7, 2009)

Always dissolve the sugar in liquid 1st!


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## myakkagldwngr (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm about to bottle my Welch's concentrate. Maybe even tomorrow. About a month ago I added two more cans of concentrate to it to build up the flavor a bit. I had only used 14 cans of concentrate in a 6 gallon batch.
Just last week I took out one 750 ml and experimented with adding sugar. I ended up adding three table spoons per 750. 
Now it seems to have cleared nicely and I'm ready to get the better bottle back into use. I can't say it's as strong as the Blackberry I made, but after a couple glasses I know I've had a drink.
Next time, I'll definitely use more cans per batch from the start.


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## arcticsid (Nov 8, 2009)

MYAK, I've made alot of wine from frozen concentrate and, well, at least for starters, 3 cans and enough water to make a gallon seems to work okay.

As I said this is an experiment, it is almost a waste to investthe time and money to make a wine that is overpowered by the alcohol.

But..., if I can get it up pretty high, and go through all the rest of the "procedures", I was hoping to be able to back sweeten it. All the hippies would love me. LOL

I will point out however, my experiment isn't making wine, it is making alcohol. That discussion is for someone elses forum.

Spending alot of time and money, and probably frustration, on trying to get a wine over 13% is really a waste of time. Most everyone in here enjoys enjoying their wine. And almost everyone will also agree trying to get a wine with a ABV over 13% is just silly.

Enjoy what we get, got, or could.

Just my disclaimer.

Troy


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## Leanne (Nov 8, 2009)

Troy, 
in my early days as a winemaker I tried the same experiment. Lol. I ended up with something that is probably illegal worldwide. I had little experience and found that putting sugar in every now and then made it fizz really prettily.
Thankfully I lived.
Do let us know how it turns out.


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## arcticsid (Nov 8, 2009)

Leanne, I will most certainly let you all know. Again, this is an experiment and in no way a reflection of what we know as a nice wine. I am listening to Marty Robbins as I write this. Any relation?

Troy


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## Leanne (Nov 8, 2009)

Marty Robbins the country singer?


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## upper (Nov 8, 2009)

OL,Golden tounge.Loved him......Dig it Upper


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## Leanne (Nov 8, 2009)

I agree Upper, but why would I be related to him?


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## upper (Nov 8, 2009)

I don't know; do you sing mexican songs?? Upper


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## Leanne (Nov 8, 2009)

Only when in my cups.


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## myakkagldwngr (Nov 9, 2009)

Marty Robbins was really great. I really enjoy the two songs he sang about El Paso. 
He sure had a way of telling a story with his lyrics.


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## bryano (Nov 9, 2009)

I've used the Triple Distilled Turbo Yeast many times. I just follow the recipe on the pouch. 15.7 lbs corn sugar, Turbo Carbon, 5.5 gallons water. When it's done use the Turbo Clear and the carbon filter. Then add whatever flavor. I usualy just mix with cranberry juice. I call it a "red and white"


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## Nubz (Nov 11, 2009)

my apple wine is turning out to be rocket fuel without even trying troy 
lol want the recipe? its on the forums someplace or i could just pm it or repost it w/e 
you would probly want to use different yeast though


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## arcticsid (Nov 11, 2009)

Yeah ! Go ahead and post it if you can.


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## Leanne (Nov 12, 2009)

How is your rocket fuel going Sid?


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## JakeSnow (Nov 12, 2009)

Hey Troy have you seen the Alaska Bootleger's Bible? If you haven't you need to check it out! The post title kinda reminds me of the book. haha.


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