Any Experienced Port Makers?

[vernsgal]

Hi Kim;

Used to live in Langley before I moved to the windy city.
Had to give away 50 gal of wine when I moved, broke my heart!
A few trips to Blain will fix you up with everclear.

This is going to be a winner. I’ll know in a year or two.
Cheers
Jim

Jim you'll have to find this thread a year or so from now and give us your reviews!!

We're part time in Coquitlam but have built and are retiring in June to the Shuswap. So can you bring that stuff easily over the border?

 

[dangerdave]

Great info! Thanks for all the clues, guys!

 

[FTC Wines]

Cmason, when my blackberry port needed a little sweetening I used Blackberry Brandy, just go slow, that stuff is pretty sweet. I made my port from concentrate got to 16.5 ABV, then after clearing fortified with regular Brandy & blackberry Brandy. It turned out real nice. Roy

 

[cmason1957]

Cmason, when my blackberry port needed a little sweetening I used Blackberry Brandy, just go slow, that stuff is pretty sweet. I made my port from concentrate got to 16.5 ABV, then after clearing fortified with regular Brandy & blackberry Brandy. It turned out real nice. Roy

I just said blackberry brandy to my associate winemaker (wife). She said ob my, that sounds like an interesting way to fortify this. I may have to get some and try that.

 

[dangerdave]

Yes, indeed. Some blackberry brandy would go good with the Dragon Port recipe. I'll have to see if I can find some.

 

[petey]

Has anyone tried a side-by-side using the two most popular 'port' methods?

1) Chapatalization to get high ABV, then backsweeten and flavour if necessary
2) Stop fermentation with brandy at 1.055-1.045ish without any further sweetning or flavouring?

I think I see an experiment brewing...

This spring I racked some of my blueberry wine off onto a gallon carboy @1.030. I used grain alcohol (extract) that I made with blueberries,quite nice. The extract stopped my fermentation and left my wine both fortified and sweet. At last racking it was young but Very promising . I Will use a homemade extract like those for my future fortified wines

 

[vernsgal]

I know this is an older thread (but not that old) and since posting I have another question for you port makers that step feed your sugars in your ports.
I did a 1 gal. chocolate/cherry port which I step fed to just over 17% alc,(at which time it stopped) then added cherry brandy which brought it just over 18 %.
My question is: if I'm to back sweeten this now, it ended at 1.014, do I need to add sorbate or because I ran the yeast out, it not be needed?

 

[Runningwolf]

Kim you do not need to add sorbate or K-meta. The alcohol will protect it.

 

[vernsgal]

Thanks Dan. I didn't know I wouldn't need the k-meta, wouldn't have thought to ask on that one

 

[vernsgal]

Hi everyone! Doing a 2nd port and since there was so much useful info on this thread I figured I would stay with it
I'm planning a blackberry port in the next few days. I think I'm going to step feed following cmasons feeds (i think it was p.2 or 3) Anyways, what starting SG do you guys recommend?Should I start real high so it ends at a higher number,then just not needing much sweetener other than alcohol?Or should I stick around 1.100?I want to use a blackberry brandy to fortify.
suggestions ...

 

[spaniel]

I would not add all the sugar up front. Too much sugar can inhibit proper activity of the yeast. Whether you add it now or later, you still need to add it. Waiting doesn't help you and adding up front COULD hurt you.

 

[richmke]

My port kit started at 1.128, and it has you adding another 0.015 when it gets down to 1.020. I wouldn't start it any higher than that. The combo gets you to 18% abv (assuming all the sugar is fermented), which is the state limit on the yeast. Probably better to start lower, and add more sugar in stages. But, as a kit, most people would mess up if there are too many time critical steps.

The home made port has you starting at 1.10 and fortifying when you hit 1.020.

 

[vernsgal]

Here is what I did with my blackberry port style that I made this year. 65 pounds of frozen blackberries, a small amount of water and sugar to get the sg up to 1.120 (or about that) let it ferment down to 1.050, add sugar to take the sg back up to 1.100, let ferment to 1.050 add sugar back to 1.100. Let ferment to where it stopped. And I think it got almost to dry. I believe this gave me about 20% alcohol. I'll probably sweeten it some. It still tastes like a blackberry, but with a heck of a kick.

this is about how I was thinking of step feeding

 

[richmke]

this is about how I was thinking of step feeding

Too much sugar.
1.120-> 1.05 is ABV of 9.2%
1st addition 1.10->1.05 is ABV of 6.6%
2nd addition 1.10->1.00 is ABV of 13.1

Total alcohol is 28.9%. Way too high for most yeast.

If you stop at the 1st addition, it will hit 20% abv at SG 1.02, which is about where you want Port to stop.

 

[vernsgal]

Too much sugar.
1.120-> 1.05 is ABV of 9.2%
1st addition 1.10->1.05 is ABV of 6.6%
2nd addition 1.10->1.00 is ABV of 13.1

Total alcohol is 28.9%. Way too high for most yeast.

If you stop at the 1st addition, it will hit 20% abv at SG 1.02, which is about where you want Port to stop.

Thanks. I didn't do the math.

I haven't tried adding all the sugar up front and letting it go. It would be easier than trying to catch it at certain points.Can a yeast survive if I bring my sugars up to 1.120 and let it go dry?

 

[oldwino54]

I have fortified adding brandy on a couple of ports, one a little strong!!! Any thoughts on the amount of brandy for a kit sized port??

 

[richmke]

Can a yeast survive if I bring my sugars up to 1.120 and let it go dry?

The WE kit starts at 1.128, so the answer is yes. But, they give you 2 packets.

IMHO: I would start at 1.10, let it ferment down to 1.02, add sugar to 1.05, then

Let it ferment down to 1.01, and add sugar back to 1.02. Repeat until the yeast give up.

 

[richmke]

I have fortified adding brandy on a couple of ports, one a little strong!!! Any thoughts on the amount of brandy for a kit sized port??

Port is typically 19-23% alcohol. If you follow the kit instructions, you get to 18%. Brady is 80 proof, or 40%.

For a 3 gallon kit, 1 bottle (750 ml) will get you to 19.4%, and 4 bottles will get you to 22.6%

 

[sour_grapes]

I have fortified adding brandy on a couple of ports, one a little strong!!! Any thoughts on the amount of brandy for a kit sized port??

Rich has given you the bounds. To dial in you preferred amount, you can use a Pearson's Square.
Here is an explanation: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/pearsons-square-wine-blending-fortifying

And here is an online tool to do the math for you: http://www.vinovation.com/Pearson.html

 

[richmke]

FYI: True port is fortified with 190 proof Grape Alcohol. I have no idea if there is a taste difference between Grape vs. Grain Alcohol (Everclear).

So, one could say that fortifying with Everclear (95% alcohol) is closer (less dilution) to true port than fortifying with Brandy (40% alcohol).