Coffee Wine Question - Need Opinions Please!

[vinny]

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.

This whole hobby is a rabbit hole. The thing that I truly appreciate is all of the experience. I have not had any signs of H2S, simply because I have been told when to add nutrient. Same as your post about K-meta, ya we don't know the exact numbers, but we don't need to, we know what works.

As complicated as it is, it is more forgiving than anything else. A+B=C

The longhand calculations could take you to the moon, but A+B still equal C

 

[Rice_Guy]

Reading is great! hug your English teacher

all yeast produce H2S during fermentation

There are several hybrid types sold byRenaissance which claim NO H2S. Practically speaking sulfur is in the metabolism of all proteins therefore if one looks for parts per trillion it should be there.

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.

Correlations:
* spraying sulfur fungicide or adding metabisulphite increases H2S, this is a reversible chemical reaction
* speeding the rate of yeast growth by raising temperature increases H2S, yeast break down proteins to build cell material and release waste
* a shortage of nutrients increases H2S production, if you look at the Scott Handbook yeast are ranked based on how much nitrogen they need
* some grape varieties correlate with more H2S, this is probably related to insufficient soluble solids/ complex amino acids in the juice
* if you look in detail at vineyards there are blocks which don’t produce enough nutrients for unknown reason, but a guess is soil variations producing lower levels of complex AA.
* DAP is not a balanced yeast nutrient, it doesn’t have complex amino acids or oxygen or sterols . . . Yup DAP is bad and you have to hope the juice has enough missing nutrients.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I've measured gravity yesterday although it was not easy due to foam but it is around 1.040. I added 1 tsp of yeast nutrients. I was thinking although about fortification after the fermentation and I'm a little confused. I've never did it before and based on FermCalc calculator if I use it correctly, after adding the whole bottle (750 ml) of 40% brandy to 3 gallons of 13% wine, it will increase the alcohol content only by 1.6%. To get 20% I would need over 3 liters of 40% brandy. I think 13% coffee wine is a little weak and 20% would be just right but 3 liters of brandy, is kind of expensive.

 

[BigDaveK]

Reading is great! hug your English teacher

Sister Monica was the first. That was a time when all nuns carried a rosary and a ruler. And I'm sure there was a pocket in that black fabric that had brass knuckles.

 

[BigDaveK]

I've measured gravity yesterday although it was not easy due to foam but it is around 1.040. I added 1 tsp of yeast nutrients. I was thinking although about fortification after the fermentation and I'm a little confused. I've never did it before and based on FermCalc calculator if I use it correctly, after adding the whole bottle (750 ml) of 40% brandy to 3 gallons of 13% wine, it will increase the alcohol content only by 1.6%. To get 20% I would need over 3 liters of 40% brandy. I think 13% coffee wine is a little weak and 20% would be just right but 3 liters of brandy, is kind of expensive.

I haven't tried fortification either. Certainly brandy would affect the flavor but you could do quick and dirty and use Everclear to raise the ABV.

Something to consider in the future - last year I did 4 dessert wines. Using step feeding they all hit a little over 20%.

 

[winemaker81]

I've measured gravity yesterday although it was not easy due to foam but it is around 1.040. I added 1 tsp of yeast nutrients. I was thinking although about fortification after the fermentation and I'm a little confused. I've never did it before and based on FermCalc calculator if I use it correctly, after adding the whole bottle (750 ml) of 40% brandy to 3 gallons of 13% wine, it will increase the alcohol content only by 1.6%. To get 20% I would need over 3 liters of 40% brandy. I think 13% coffee wine is a little weak and 20% would be just right but 3 liters of brandy, is kind of expensive.

When fortifying a wine, it's far cheaper to chaptalize the wine to a high ABV, as it takes a fair amount of 40% ABV liquor to raise the overall ABV by much (as you discovered).

I used EverClear 151 proof, as it dilutes the wine a lot less, it's cheaper to do so, and it imparts less flavor. While many sources state that Port is made with brandy, other sources state the eau-de-vie (unaged brandy) is most commonly used, and it's typically at high proof (170 to 190 proof).

 

[Ericphotoart]

I will start step feeding today as the wine has still a lot of active yeasts. Oak chips? I’m not sure. Neither I nor my wife are fans of oak flavor in wines.

 

[BigDaveK]

I will start step feeding today as the wine has still a lot of active yeasts. Oak chips? I’m not sure. Neither I nor my wife are fans of oak flavor in wines.

Just in case...
Take an SG measurement, add sugar, take another SG measurement, let it work. (Maybe a 1/2 dose of nutrient)
Take an SG measurement, add sugar, take another SG measurement, let it work.

Using all the changes in SG measurement will give a good approximation of ABV.

I did two additional feedings and I used 1118 like you. I don't have my notes here but I think I fed around 1.020+ and only fed to 1.060+. That worked for me.

Be aware that the ferment will probably slow down. Mine crawled but kept going.

 

[Terryfirma]

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.

BigDaveK:
What yeast will you try next? ( I think you used 71b? )
I’ve been following and hope to get a batch of Coffee Wine going in the next month or so. I’ve not Cold-brewed my fav Coffee. I will do a cold brew trial..but, I fear that it will be flat - missing the slight bitterness that I like?.( I guess I could always Hop it later!? )
I had to put the brakes on “production” until I could get bottles and free up some carboys and fermentation vessels.!
I know you understand!

 

[BigDaveK]

BigDaveK:
What yeast will you try next? ( I think you used 71b? )
I’ve been following and hope to get a batch of Coffee Wine going in the next month or so. I’ve not Cold-brewed my fav Coffee. I will do a cold brew trial..but, I fear that it will be flat - missing the slight bitterness that I like?.( I guess I could always Hop it later!? )
I had to put the brakes on “production” until I could get bottles and free up some carboys and fermentation vessels.!
I know you understand!

I have a LOT to learn about the different yeast strains. I was fortunate to make two nearly identical flower wines last year the only difference being the yeast. I was amazed - they tasted like two completely different wines! To answer your question, I'll probably use 1118 only because I have a bunch in the fridge.

Brewing methods definitely produce different results. The heat extracts more of that bitterness you mention. Yes, please make some cold brew and compare. Use whichever you like! (I've read about hops and wine in multiple places. Sounds interesting. I may explore that in the future.)

I also had to pause my wine making because I was out of jugs. I do mostly small 1 gallon batches because I like variety, learning, and experimenting. I won't tell you how many gallon jugs I have but last week I looked around and thought, "This is getting out of hand!" - and then ordered more. Four jugs delivered yesterday. We are back on line!!!

 

[Ericphotoart]

I'm curious if you had the same experience when making coffee wine. The fermentation is not vigorous. I would say pretty normal but when I pour some sample to a cylinder to measure gravity, there are a lot of bubbles. It looks almost like a coca cola with smaller bubbles. Measuring gravity is really difficult. Hydrometer is going up or down a few points after swirling. I've never had any problem with measuring gravity with any wine at any stage of fermentation. Also, I stir the wine twice a day in a primary and it creates a lot of foam. It stabilizes after a minute or so.

 

[Rice_Guy]

and thought, "This is getting out of hand!" - and then ordered more. Four jugs delivered yesterday. We are back on line!!!

Humm, , , you should have one 4 liter for every gallon/ 3.78 liter so you can do racking

 

[BigDaveK]

Humm, , , you should have one 4 liter for every gallon/ 3.78 liter so you can do racking

Don't I know it!!!!! Being sloppy. I was positive I had at least one jug left in the box. Live and learn. Partial boxes now have post-it notes with bottle counts, empty boxes are gone.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Step feeding in progress. I did it twice adding sugar to bump SG by 0.012. SG was back to the original SG within 24 hours. I plan another step around 0.020 so it will get me to around 18% ABV when fermentation is complete hopefully at 0.990.

 

[winemaker81]

Step feeding in progress. I did it twice adding sugar to bump SG by 0.012. SG was back to the original SG within 24 hours. I plan another step around 0.020 so it will get me to around 18% ABV when fermentation is complete hopefully at 0.990.

You may consider feeding it until the yeast gives up the ghost. At that point there's no need for sorbate, and if there's a bit of residual sugar? Oh, well, you're going to backsweeten anyway, right? With this plan, I'd make each bump ~0.010, so you won't have too much RS.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Thanks. This is what I’m doing. I will try to feed the wine until it stops eating

 

[jdixon]

Well, the tomatoes are out of the freezer for this weekend's tomato wine. And since "one is the loneliest number" I have to make a second - COFFEE!
My question is about sugar. I've seen white sugar used and dark brown. I have no problems making a gallon batch of each if they're both good. If the dark brown sugar version is hand's down better I'll make 2 of that. I plan on using cold brew with an addition of vanilla at the back end. I was also thinking about back sweetening with a dark brown syrup. Overkill? Don't know. I don't have dark brown sugar so I'll be making my own - one cup sugar and one tablespoon molasses for light brown, 2 tablespoons for dark brown. (I'll be using unsulfured organic molasses.) Really curious about what y'all think about juzil maca coffee price in pakistan. Thanks everybody!!

This wine needs 4-6 months to mature. Longer is better. ABV: 12.7-14% 6 oz medium roast ground coffee, by weight. I used Dunkin' Donuts brand, because that's what I like to drink. About 2 1/2 lbs of granulated table sugar. 2 lbs for fermenting, 1/4-1/2 lb for back sweetening. 2 tsps yeast nutrient 1 tsp yeast energizer 1 5 gram packet of Pasteur champagne dry yeast 1/2 tsp bentonite powder, optional 2 tsp vanilla extract Pour the ground coffee into a 1 gallon container, or a couple of smaller pitchers, add hot water until total volume is 1 gallon. Hot water in this case is not boiling, or the typical 212F for brewing coffee. It's more like 110-120f. You aren't trying to brew the coffee with heat, just get some body out of it. If your tap water tastes good then just hot from the tap is fine. If not, heat some bottled or filtered water on the stove. In a few minutes the ground coffee should have formed a kind of mat in the top of the container. Break that up and stir it into the liquid. Most of the coffee should drop into the bottom of the container. Cap the container, or put aluminum foil over the top of the container. Let it sit at room temperature for approximately 24 hours. After about 24 hours, pour the coffee through a coffee filter. Leave the majority of the grounds in the bottom of the container, they will just make it take longer to pass through the filter. The point of this is to brew coffee with a low psuedo-tannin content. That's what makes coffee bitter, and coffee has a tendency for far to high levels of these to enter solution in the presence of alcohol. That's also why there aren't any coffee solids in the fermentor. Brewing long and at a low temperature extracts lots of coffee flavor compounds without extracting a significant amount of psuedo-tannins. Pour the cold brewed coffee into your fermenting container. I would recommend a 2 gallon fermenting bucket. The caffeine causes even low flocculating yeast to foam more then is normal. Add sugar in two or three additions until your gravity is between 1.095 - 1.100. Make sure to fully dissolve each sugar addition before adding the next, and check the gravity before each addition. It's Ok to pour the sample back in. If you are off even a little in your volume you change the sugar needed in a batch this small fairly significantly. With the volume lost from the coffee solids left behind, and the water in them, you should get almost exactly 1 gallon of liquid after the sugar has been added. Add the yeast nutrient, stir until dispersed. Aerate if you wish. You will probably have to shake the ish out of it to dissolve the sugar so aeration is going to be redundant. Pitch the yeast. Seal your fermentor up. In about twelve days add your bentonite powder if you are using any. In about 14 days, transfer off the yeast cake. Give it another week to be sure it's done fermenting. Add vanilla extract. It is recommended this be back sweetened, then pasteurized. Somewhere between 1/4 lb and 1/2 lb of sugar is about right, depending on taste.

 

[BigDaveK]

@jdixon you had a lot of great and detailed information! Unfortunately, it was late to the party. I made two coffee wines last year using cold brew Sumatra. The Keller recipe I used tastes more like molasses wine. Not unpleasant just not what I wanted. The other used a small amount of brown sugar syrup as part of the back sweetening and some vanilla extract and it turned out very nice! I'm happy with it.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I was reading this thread and I planned to backsweeten my coffee wine with brown but I did with white one. Damn, I totally forgot. I started it in January and bottled in late March. I didn't open even one bottle. I'm not sure how long coffee wine should be aged.

 

[winemaker81]

I was reading this thread and I planned to backsweeten my coffee wine with brown but I did with white one. Damn, I totally forgot. I started it in January and bottled in late March. I didn't open even one bottle. I'm not sure how long coffee wine should be aged.

20 minutes.

That thing I said about patience? I lied.



Ok, maybe I didn't lie to you. My ballpark guess based upon no facts is to pop a cork at 6 months of age. If you're happy with it, start drinking it. If you think it's lacking, give it another 1 to 3 months before you try the next one.

There are sooo many variables that affect the lifespan of a wine, including overall body, ABV, acid level, tannin, and residual sugar. While coffee wine is a dark wine, it's not necessarily robust in the aforementioned items, so it may be quite drinkable quickly.

Note that the most important factor in determining if a wine is drinkable, is whether or not YOU like it. If you are satisfied, no one else's opinion matters.