# wine taste like throwup



## captainl (Nov 18, 2011)

Yep you read it. I just tasted my wine I made out of wild Mustang grapes(originally though they where muscadines). It actually smells good and looks nice. First, I tasted it and then my wife tasted it. I asked her what it tasted like and she said throw up. I was thinking the exact same thing...you know that acidity taste. I am pretty sure this taste is from excessive acid content from these grapes. I did the acid test kit initially but I couldn't tell what was going on with the red turning to grey colors?? Guess I didn't do a very good job.

Has anyone had a similar experience. What can I add post fermentation to reduce the acid. Whatever it is I'll need a lot of. I'll try whatever extremes I can but I'm ok with dumping it too if I have to. All I'll lose is the time it took to collect the grapes and my labor.


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## Minnesotamaker (Nov 19, 2011)

I think we need more conclusive information. I'm left with the pressing question of: "does this guy have really bad tasting wine or really good tasting vomit"?

Even with a wine of high acid, I wouldn't expect a "throw-up" flavor; but that is where different people perceive different tastes. Other things of high acid are lemon juice, rhubarb stalks, and vinegar. How does your wine taste in comparison to these items. To me, a throw-up taste would have other elements that are lacking in those other examples. Maybe someone else can chime in with a diagnosis for you.

If your problem is acid, wine makers have several remedies, but none are super simple. *Potassium* Bi-carbonate can reduce acid, malo-lactic fermentation can also work to reduce the acid bite a wine has. Cold stabilization might also drop some acid content. You also need to be careful not to over-correct or reduce the wrong acids in your wine.


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## captainl (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks for the response. Its definitely similar to a strong lemon without the lemon flavor if that makes sense. Vinigar??? maybe but probably not. Maybe I'll try some bicarbonate but not sure how much more effort I want to put towards this.


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## Minnesotamaker (Nov 20, 2011)

Before giving up on it, you might want to take a small glass, chill it, and slowly add sugar and taste as you go. Sometimes a wine that's very tart benefits from sweetening. Just like with fresh squeezed lemonade, without sugar it isn't universally popular, but add some ice and sugar and you can get a very popular summer drink.

If you come to a conclusion that adding sugar is a good move, be sure to add sorbate and sulfite before sweetening or you will get a new ferment going.


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## Julie (Nov 20, 2011)

I agree with Lon, taste some that has been sweeten. And post your recipe to your wine. If this is straight juice with no water added, I can see how the acid would be high. And try taking another acid test, you really should not be reducing acid if you don't know what the level is in the first place.

I really believe your wine is fine, especially if it smells ok, I can't imagine it being bad but all we can go is give our best guessimate without know the recipe.


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## docanddeb (Nov 20, 2011)

The other thing you could do is blend it with a very low acid wine... elderberry comes to mind. It NEEDS acid to balance it. You could make a batch of something that you add NO ACID to and do a little taste test and see what ratio turns it into FANTASTIC!! Make it sweet enough for a dessert wine.... never give up the ship!!

Debbie


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## captainl (Nov 20, 2011)

All good points. I think Ill try to sweeten a sample first. 

Recipe: Don't have my notes with me but I'll try to remember:

39 lbs of wild mustang grapes. These grapes where very acidic probably more so than muscadines. 

water up to 5.5 gallons...about 3 gallons of water total maybe. pectic enzy, k meta, Not sure which wine yeast I used. sugar to around 1.090
Once I removed the grapes I was left with probably 4.2 gallons so I top off with merlot from the gallon jug??

OG was around 1.090. SG finished at 1.000. Very thick wine. I may have left it on the grapes too long??

I tested the acid prefermentation but I wasn't very sure of my accuracy with the kit. The best I could tell it was around .6 or so.


I'll test again before I start messing with it. I'll start by sweetening and then bicarbonate as necessary. I also like the idea of try to make a port or something out of it. I don't really have room or want to make something to mix with it. I would rather just dump and make something different. I want to have all my options ready to go so when i start pulling samples I can finish it and determine what to do so I don't have to top it off. thanks.


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## RLWinemaker (Nov 22, 2011)

This could definitely be a wild yeast or bacterial contaminate having produced butyric acid, which tastes and smells very much like vomit. If that's the case, then your wine might be a total loss. The only hopeful thing is that butyrate is very volatile and you can always smell it too, so if you don't smell the "vomit" you could have a different problem.


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## Julie (Nov 22, 2011)

captainl,

I am not thinking your acid is too high, .60% is on the low side but still good. Does the wine smell like vomit and is the wine clear?


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## captainl (Nov 22, 2011)

I'll have to go check my notes on the acid. I know I did the test 3 or 4 times and I still wasn't sure what the ta was. It smells fine. I'm pretty sure its not infected...

Ok the notes show the ta between .6 and .75 with a big question mark. I think it could have been even higher though. Another thought is that maybe the grapes where under ripe.


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## Julie (Nov 22, 2011)

captainl said:


> I'll have to go check my notes on the acid. I know I did the test 3 or 4 times and I still wasn't sure what the ta was. It smells fine. I'm pretty sure its not infected...
> 
> Ok the notes show the ta between .6 and .75 with a big question mark. I think it could have been even higher though. Another thought is that maybe the grapes where under ripe.



I agree, I don't think it is spoiled and I believe the acid is fine. I think you just need to sweeten it up some and let it age, the wine really won't come into it's own for another 6 months or so


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## HankRearden (Dec 11, 2016)

I know this is an old thread, but I'm having the same problem now with my Welch's wine. 
I'm just getting started and this is my second batch with this taste. 
In my case, it's definitely butyric acid. Tastes like regurgitated milk. 

As I understand it, it's caused by bacteria, often on the grape itself - but this is Welch's concentrate.. so I would think less likely. 
My primary and secondary fermentation were at about 75F .

Does anyone know the fix?


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## montanaWineGuy (Dec 12, 2016)

My first wine was Elderberry, and it was poo. Several racking, and added sugar saved it from being dumped.


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## Wiz (Dec 12, 2016)

Sounds like your TA is within bounds but you don't say how long you have aged your wine. I make a grape wine and at 9 months it is starting to be drinkable and ready at almost a year. Pre-nine months it is very sour.


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## HankRearden (Dec 12, 2016)

Wiz said:


> Sounds like your TA is within bounds but you don't say how long you have aged your wine. I make a grape wine and at 9 months it is starting to be drinkable and ready at almost a year. Pre-nine months it is very sour.



How does aging remove butyric acid?


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## Wiz (Dec 12, 2016)

Who said anything about butyric acid?


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## Wiz (Dec 12, 2016)

I'm referring to the original post.


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## HankRearden (Dec 12, 2016)

Wiz said:


> Who said anything about butyric acid?



Post #8 mentioned butyric acid.


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## Brub58 (Dec 12, 2016)

Wiz said:


> I'm referring to the original post.


The original post is over 5 years old. Probably more useful to refer to the current question.


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## kevinlfifer (Dec 13, 2016)

How old is it?

I added a bunch of Mustang grapes to a kit. after 12 hrs I was sure it was trash. It truly Stink, Stank Stunk. As often suggested, I just let set in the bottle. 3 yrs now and it has a very unique spicy taste. It is a bit tart, extra acid. BUT it is very drinkable.


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## HankRearden (Dec 13, 2016)

kevinlfifer said:


> How old is it?
> 
> I added a bunch of Mustang grapes to a kit. after 12 hrs I was sure it was trash. It truly Stink, Stank Stunk. As often suggested, I just let set in the bottle. 3 yrs now and it has a very unique spicy taste. It is a bit tart, extra acid. BUT it is very drinkable.



Brand new! Have to taste test a few bottles, right 

The other half is going to sit for a couple more weeks before bottling. 
Then, I'm going to set aside a bunch from both batches and open at 3, 6, 9 months etc. 

I know time helps, but I'm not sure where the funk would go.
But yours is a good testimony and I hope to have the same good fortune.
Thanks!


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