# Finish Rhubarb Wine withe Backsweeten Questions.



## beggarsu (Oct 6, 2013)

*Finish Rhubarb Wine with Backsweeten Questions.*

Ok I am going to finish Rhubarb Wine 5 Gallons in carboy probably at 3 months 2 weeks stage. I used Sparkloid to clear looks like it did well - but not re-rack it since the time I used the Sparkloid - I will do that in next 2 days.


From lots of research - here is what I've got as best advice to simply finish wine.
Use One campden pill per gallon plus 1/2 Tsp of Potassium sorbate per gallon
= 5 Campden pills + 2.5 Tsps of PS.
Wait 10 days.
Bottle.

Sounds simple but then I want to backsweeten and I have bought a 500 ml of wine sweetener which should meld better than sugar.. Trouble is the wine sweetener I wan to use has potassium sorbate in it but does not say how much per bottle.. The conditioner has absolutely no instructions nor on the net 
The label says "Wine Maker's Choice" made by Danbar Company in Calgary.

BUT.. there are instructions and various vague advices on the net for other products. Ones site says absolutey don't use wine conditioner if finished wine has potassium sorbate in it. Other places I see users complain that their batch started to re-ferment after using wine conditioner because they didn't add any PS. Another site says NO PS is needed unless less that one third of the 500 ML bottle has been used in a five gallon bathc (Or 6, they didn't make it clear).
No mention of Campden is made - but every other advice says use the sulphide (Campden for one) in conjunction with PS to finish wine. 

Confusion, confusion, confusion..

...
Here's an idea - I wll use 5 campden tablets , one teaspoon of the sorbate ? and I am pretty sure I swill sweeten the 5 gal of rhubarb quite a bit (probably use at least 2/3 of bottle or more. since I did not and will not de-acidify,

I have heard that sweetening will counter the acidity in taste makes sense if one thinks of eating rhubarb stew or rhubarb pie. 


Dangers here are - over sorbate -sulphide to ruin taste
not use enough sorbate and bottles start to referment could even be moths later 


Advice from other Wine conditioner manufacturers. (not the brand I bought)


> http://www.thegrape.net/browse.cfm/wine-conditioner-500-ml/4,8762.html
> 
> 
> Wine Conditioner (Sweetener). 500 ml (16 oz) bottle. An easy way to sweeten wine prior to bottling. Add a minimum of 2 oz per gallon. Wine will not start to re-ferment. Contains sugar solution and sorbic acid. Will sweeten 8 gallons maximum.
> ...



(ok - from that above product for 5 gals max should be 10 ounces. 
I will first try 6 ounces sweetener for a saturation of 3 gallons and therefore will add 1 tsp Potassium Sorbate (one half tsp per gallon)
Of course I will taste test the sweetness level, though if 10 ounces is max for 5 gal then 6 will probably do. So I will be forced to add the PS after the sweetener as I can't add it til I determine if the sweetness is ok. 

That will account for PS for 5 gallons, Also I will add the 5 tabs campden.

Assuming this product is the same. 


E.C. Kraus



> E.C. Kraus’ wine conditioner (SGR310) reduces harshness in a finished wine by sweetening it to a desired finish. Turn a dry wine into a sweet wine or use just enough wine conditioner to take the dry edge off your wine. This conditioner will reduce any wine’s aging time by making it drinkable sooner. It is very convenient and easy to use and comes with complete directions.
> 
> Directions: Before adding conditioner to any wine verify with a hydrometer that its fermentation is complete. The wine should be clear and moved off of any sediment into a clean container and ready to bottle. Add the Wine Conditioner directly to the wine and don’t forget to stir thoroughly to evenly dispense the sugars.
> 
> ...



This product jells with the previous one.

*So there is my guide and my answer i guess*, - go for 2 ounces per gallon = 1/2 tsp of PS. I woudl add 1/2 tsp PS per gallon for unused would seem more accurate and safer as PS is used normally for 1/2 tsp per gal. 
..
Again they don't mention campden but i think i must add that.
Now I have to check to see if I have soemting in the cupboard that measures ounces... lol or else I have to eyeball it, the plastic bottle is 500 ml = 16 ounces.


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## salcoco (Oct 7, 2013)

I would forget the wine conditioner and control your additive yourself. first do a bench trial to determine level of sugar required. make a sugar syrup, 2 cups sugar to 1 cup hot water, mix in a blender. let sugar syrup cool. take a measured amount of wine say 1/4 cup, make 5 samples. leave number one as control. add 1/4 tsp sugar syrup to first, 1/2 tsp to second, 3/4 tsp to third and 1 full tsp to last. taste each and determine sweetness desired. calculate amount for final batch . add k-meta and potassium sorbate . let stand for one week to insure ferment does not restart. bottle.


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## beggarsu (Oct 7, 2013)

sal said:


> I would forget the wine conditioner and control your additive yourself. first do a bench trial to determine level of sugar required. make a sugar syrup, 2 cups sugar to 1 cup hot water, mix in a blender. let sugar syrup cool. take a measured amount of wine say 1/4 cup, make 5 samples. leave number one as control. add 1/4 tsp sugar syrup to first, 1/2 tsp to second, 3/4 tsp to third and 1 full tsp to last. taste each and determine sweetness desired. calculate amount for final batch . add k-meta and potassium sorbate . let stand for one week to insure ferment does not restart. bottle.



thanks for the formula and reply. Though I will try the wine sweetener on first rhubarb batch i got and (5 Gal) and if work use it also non the 6 gal batch. Then I will try the sugar method on the Crababble 6 + 1 Gals. and maybe the raspberry (4 Gals).


So I will try both methods.

Though I've read the nothing really blends well in backsweetening and sugar is the least for blending in. Makes sense - I've tried sweetening a glass of finished wine with sugar and it doesn't blend well - tastes exactly like wine with separate sugar but that is without aging of course.

Maybe I'll control the additive as per your formula but use some kind of syrup.
But I don't know what kind? What can be bought? if anything.


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## beggarsu (Oct 8, 2013)

Ok I did it.

My carboy (water jug # 1) is slightly over 5 gal - maybe plus 500-750 ml.


I used 4.5 campden and 1.5 teaspoon potassium sorbate and 9.6 oz (300 ml) of the sweetener. 

So I used almost full limit sweetener - why? Because I can hardly taste it - right now anyway -my Ginger rhubarb has quite a kick - tastes good to me - 

I think I'l throw in an extra campden because I racked it again having accidentally muddied my settlement this afternoon and air exposure dissipates the campden.

Since I use theoretically the full 10 oz limit on 5 gallons , I shouldn't need PS but I don't trust they have full strength PS there better safe than sorry -err on the side of caution
current taste is A-OK to me,

Now wait 10 days rack out the last settlement and bottle. If that stuff I accidentally muddied doesn't clear up to like it was this afternoon I will reuse sparkloid but I think it will just settle again. First 4.5 gals was exceptionally clear but I muddied the last part and I had to top it - put it back in as I wasn't in the bottling stage.

I re-racked again tonight but obviously it needs more time as it didn't have the clarity it had this afternoon. Have to be really careful with this stuff on the bottom - only way to separate it is to siphon and siphon carefully. Try to pour it out and it instantly becomes mud - and mud that will not filter.


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