All flavor lost after primary fermentation

[mbjg0788]

I have been making wine using one gallon glass jugs. I have fermented grape juice, apple juice and cranberry juice and mead using three pounds of honey. With the grape juice I have added a couple cups of sugar for each gallon.

After primary fermentation, I racked the wine. When I have done so, I have tasted the wine, and for each of the fruit juices the wine has tasted very very dry, not sweet at all. I like my wine a little on the sweet side. Now I have read about backsweetening. I think that is the correct term. It is where you add the same juice you are fermenting to the wine after primary fermentation. You do this to sweeten the wine as an alternative to adding white sugar after secondary fermentation. Here are my questions.

If I add more sugar to the fruit juice before I pitch the yeast, am I correct that doing so will not sweeten the wine but will actually make it dryer since it will increase the alcohol content?

I have read that the dryness I am tasting after primary but before secondary fermentation will dissipate with aging. Is this correct?

The grape juice and the mead were in primary fermentation, according to the bubbles in the airlocks, for over ten days. Is this possible?

The apple juice was in primary fermentation for just three days according to the bubbles in the airlock. Does this sound correct?

I racked the wine as soon as the bubbling in the airlock substantially slowed - no bubbles for over a minute. Should I have racked sooner or later or did I do it at about the right time?

Thanks so much for your time, your counsel and advice.

John S.

 

[salcoco]

sugar added to the wine will make it sweeter not dryer as long as you add potassium sorbate to stop the yeast from multiplying as adding sugar is food for the yeast. potassium metabisulfite will also be required.

just observing the bubbles or lack there of is not a good indication of fermentation or completeness. a hydrometer is the only way this can be accomplished.

 

[Norton]

To answer your first question, adding more sugar before you pitch the yeast will increase the ultimate alcohol content. I think the concept of dryness as you are referring to it though is really a question of whether you ferment all of the juice or if you somehow try to stop the fermentation which is not easy for a home winemaker to effectively do.. If so, I don't think it really matters how much sugar you add if you ultimately ferment to complete dryness although some people think that a higher alcohol content actually makes wine taste sweeter as it is perceived.
As to your second question, the taste will change over time although I don't know for sure if that would affect the dryness sensation.
Usually bubbles are in indicator of fermentation initially although after fermentation is,complete it can still bubble as carbon dioxide is released from the must.
10 days is not unusual for active bubbles in the air locks, but three sounds a little low. I suggest you read the article on using a hydrometer to determine your sugar levels and fermentation levels in the future.

 

[richmke]

Now I have read about backsweetening. I think that is the correct term. It is where you add the same juice you are fermenting to the wine after primary fermentation. You do this to sweeten the wine as an alternative to adding white sugar after secondary fermentation.

Backsweetening is adding sweetness after fermentation is complete. You can use a variety of sugars to do it. Same juice is just one option.

If I add more sugar to the fruit juice before I pitch the yeast, am I correct that doing so will not sweeten the wine but will actually make it dryer since it will increase the alcohol content?

Dryness is really a measure of residual sugar. Assuming all the sugar is fermented, it will end up at the same level of "dryness". What you are thinking is probably "hotness". the higher the alcohol content, the "hotter" the wine. Adding sugar in the primary will increase the hotness.

I have read that the dryness I am tasting after primary but before secondary fermentation will dissipate with aging. Is this correct?

The bitterness/sharpness does tend to "smooth out" over time. You may also be tasting the byproducts of fermentation (yeast cells, oak dust, grape solids, and other such stuff) that settle out during the clearing process.

 

[mbjg0788]

Thank You

Much thanks to all of you for the education. I am still a novice and all the info is much appreciated.

John S.