# Mustang grape wine, need advice!



## agdodge4x4 (Jun 17, 2011)

I have enough grapes to make this recipe:



> MUSTANG GRAPE WINE (Sweet, Red) [4]
> 
> 10 lbs. (one gallon) black Mustang Grapes
> 2-1/4 lbs. granulated sugar
> ...



Why does one reserve 1 qt of sugar water instead of simply making 1 gallon of must at 1090 and being done with it? Why set must at 1090 with less than 1 gallon of juice, ferment for 7 days, put in secondary and top up with sugar water of super high sugar content that is unknown?????


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## shanman75 (Jul 15, 2012)

It's likely due to space, and yeast stress. Yeast need all the nutrients that are in grapes, but are not in sugar (cane, beet, or corn). Space is also a premium especially in the primary where you lose much of the must/pulp in moving to the secondary.


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## agdodge4x4 (Jul 23, 2012)

You WILL know the sugar content. You know the volume and you know the content based on your hydrometer reading. You will also know what the must started at and what it is now and exactly how much of it you have. With careful math you can calculate the numbers.


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