Coffee Wine Question - Need Opinions Please!

[vinny]

I wouldn't worry about the amount of coffee. I used 14 oz Sumatra to make cold brew and then a 1 gallon batch of wine.
It was a relatively quick ferment going from 1.088 to .998 in 4 days, finally finishing at .990. Bottled at the end of November, 8 months in bulk.
Oh My God is it good!!
My only suggestion is to be very careful with the brown sugar. I used 25% dark brown for back sweetening but 100% in the original ferment. First sip I thought I was drinking Kahlua. I think more for back sweetening would have been too much, but that's me.
Oh yeah, I'll make it again!

I can't imagine you sit down to a bottle of coffee wine. My issue with making these oddball recipes is that unlike a liqueur the wine is not shelf stable. How are you saving the sippers?

One of them bottle vacuum cap thingamajiggers?

 

[winemaker81]

I can't imagine you sit down to a bottle of coffee wine. My issue with making these oddball recipes is that unlike a liqueur the wine is not shelf stable. How are you saving the sippers?

One of them bottle vacuum cap thingamajiggers?

If the ABV > 10%, it's wine and it's shelf stable if bottled properly. I bottle all dessert or oddball wines in splits, as (as you said) I'm not drinking as much in a sitting and it makes the batch last longer. It helps that I use a vaccuvin (purchased in 1988 and still works!) and refrigerate.

 

[BigDaveK]

I use bakers yeast as a nutrient. I boil it to kill it. Yeast are cannibals and get the required nitrogen from the yeast cells. You can compare it to fermaid O for the ratios, but I just boil up about a 1/4 cup in a cup of water and add a few tbs per 6 gallon batch. I feel it's hard to overdo it. If they don't need it they won't eat it and it will fall out of suspension with all the others.

Just in case you have some on hand. It's something to consider.

Oops!
I forgot to mention this...good point vinny! @Ericphotoart that nutrient is pretty darned important. Stressed yeast can lead to undesirable consequences.

 

[BigDaveK]

I can't imagine you sit down to a bottle of coffee wine. My issue with making these oddball recipes is that unlike a liqueur the wine is not shelf stable. How are you saving the sippers?

One of them bottle vacuum cap thingamajiggers?

ODDBALL!!?? I'm not going there...

One thing I noticed about unusual and unique wines (OK, I went there a little) is that they don't often pair well with a meal. I read a lot so that's when I drink them. Yes, I use a Vacu Vin. Love it. Don't know how long they're effective because I usually finish a bottle in 2 days.

 

[vinny]

If the ABV > 10%, it's wine and it's shelf stable if bottled properly. I bottle all dessert or oddball wines in splits, as (as you said) I'm not drinking as much in a sitting and it makes the batch last longer. It helps that I use a vaccuvin (purchased in 1988 and still works!) and refrigerate.

Ok.. Shelf stable was a lazy way of saying you can't have an open bottle for years due to oxidation unlike a liqueur. flavor is the concern, not spoilage.

I should look into getting some 375ml bottles for sippers. I have some plastic 500ml screw top beer bottles, any thoughts on plastic and wine other than I can't vacuum opened bottles.

I think I will order a vaccuvin, or the like. I am sure it is overdue. Then I won't be forced to finish the bottle.

 

[vinny]

ODDBALL!!?? I'm not going there...

How to ruffle a few feathers on WMT...

I am really interested in getting a cinnamon going, but it's unique (I can play along) and, as you said, we're not going to finish off a bottle with dinner.

This thread on coffee wine has added another one to the list, as well.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Yeast nutrients are to be delivered tomorrow. I started the wine 01.13. Is it ok to add nutrients on the 17th? It went from 1.092 to 1.060 in 3 days.

 

[Ericphotoart]

It was stirred about 20 minutes ago. Fermenting pretty well.

 

[vinny]

BTW @BigDaveK, this is where a list and ratings of your finished wines would be a great resource for the rest of us... A quick peruse through a short list and coffee wine has an excellent next to it. I have fresh vanilla beans for the first time in my life... it's a sign!

Maybe one day...

 

[BigDaveK]

This thread on coffee wine has added another one to the list, as well.

You won't regret it!
But please, don't use instant coffee or brew a pot. Cold brew is the way to go.

 

[BigDaveK]

Yeast nutrients are to be delivered tomorrow. I started the wine 01.13. Is it ok to add nutrients on the 17th? It went from 1.092 to 1.060 in 3 days.

I think the nutrients should still be added but I've read that too much can lead to off flavors. Since the fermentation is going like gangbusters I wonder if a reduced dose is in order? Uncharted territory for me. Maybe @winemaker81 or @Rice_Guy or someone else knows for sure.

 

[BigDaveK]

BTW @BigDaveK, this is where a list and ratings of your finished wines would be a great resource for the rest of us... A quick peruse through a short list and coffee wine has an excellent next to it. I have fresh vanilla beans for the first time in my life... it's a sign!

Maybe one day...

I'll work on a list.
I have too much in secondary or bulk right now. Dead in the water. I only have three unused 3-gallon carboys and they're reserved for raspberry, mulberry, and ground cherry which will be started soon. Guess I'll have to bottle before I can make more.

Right.

Expecting a delivery this week.

 

[winemaker81]

I think the nutrients should still be added but I've read that too much can lead to off flavors. Since the fermentation is going like gangbusters I wonder if a reduced dose is in order? Uncharted territory for me. Maybe @winemaker81 or @Rice_Guy or someone else knows for sure.

I've never had an off flavor from too much nutrient. I HAVE had problems with H2S. Given the choice, I'll risk off flavors vs H2S.

 

[Raptor99]

One thing I noticed about unusual and unique wines (OK, I went there a little) is that they don't often pair well with a meal.

I have discovered that as well. I am working on a recipe for chocolate peppermint wine. That will probably have to be sweetened as a dessert wine. Hm... that would be awesome with cheesecake!

 

[Rice_Guy]

@BigDaveK If you are using an organic nitrogen you will be safe. Fermaid O will give yeast growth similar to several times the number one would get by testing nitrogen in the lab. NOTE yeast have demands for more than just nitrogen, ,,, oxygen for building cell walls is useful in the first third of sugar consumption (ex by racking a fruit/ punching down a red) and sterols/ vitamins are used in building cells. Once you get into the last third of the sugar cellular mass has grown enough that adding more nutrients aren’t worth it.

 

[vinny]

@BigDaveK If you are using an organic nitrogen you will be safe. Fermaid O will give yeast growth similar to several times the number one would get by testing nitrogen in the lab. NOTE yeast have demands for more than just nitrogen, ,,, oxygen for building cell walls is useful in the first third of sugar consumption (ex by racking a fruit/ punching down a red) and sterols/ vitamins are used in building cells. Once you get into the last third of the sugar cellular mass has grown enough that adding more nutrients aren’t worth it.

I was under the impression that H2S was of biggest concern in the last third of the fermentation. Reading this, I assume that this is a result of stressed yeast during the second stage, and that although the problem usually becomes evident later, the conditions that created it were present much earlier in the fermentation?

I wonder in a situation where nutrient wasn't available until the last third, as mentioned above, would it be of benefit to nourish possibly stressed yeast towards the end of fermentation as a failsafe?

 

[cmason1957]

Yeast can't (or maybe it's don't) benefit from nutrition additions after some point in the ferment. Generally that is belived to be around 1.030. I'm sure you know this part, but in case someone else doesn't.

Nutrition should be added at the start, the at about the 1/3 sugar depletion point.

 

[heatherd]

@BigDaveK I'm curious as to whether your coffee wine will benefit from oak. I did coffee port as a kit a few times, added heavy toast oak, and fortified with brandy, and it turned out awesome.

 

[BigDaveK]

I was under the impression that H2S was of biggest concern in the last third of the fermentation. Reading this, I assume that this is a result of stressed yeast during the second stage, and that although the problem usually becomes evident later, the conditions that created it were present much earlier in the fermentation?

I'm reading too much.
As I understand it all yeast produce H2S during fermentation and a moderate addition of DAP will actually increase the production. But there is no direct correlation between H2S produced during fermentation and the final amount. Yeast strain, YAN, temperature and speed of fermentation all play a part, among other things. We happily follow a simple recipe and make something nice but the incredible complexity of what's happening behind the curtain is astonishing.
Darn rabbit hole.

 

[BigDaveK]

@BigDaveK I'm curious as to whether your coffee wine will benefit from oak. I did coffee port as a kit a few times, added heavy toast oak, and fortified with brandy, and it turned out awesome.

Good question. I haven't done anything with oak, yet, but I now have some and it's on the list for this year I plan to make another batch of coffee wine this year with a different yeast and maybe I'll oak.