Cranberry wine at 1.006 for a month

[Raptor99]

I don't think that we really need a super accurate OG number. If my ABV estimate is off by 0.5%, who cares? If it's in the right ballpark, that is fine.

 

[barryjo]

Because I tend to like simple, I use the Fermcalc method for determining ABV. The SG of a certain quantity of product is reduced by half by simmering. It is then reconstituted to original volume and SG again taken. A conversion chart gives the ABV. Much better than a $750 ebulliometer! 20-25 minutes.
Of course, I only use this when I neglect to record the Original SG!. It sure makes the winery smell good.

 

[Jovimaple]

@ChuckD I haven't tried my Tilt yet with fruit, but I suspect it will run into issues. As I understand it, it measures the S.G. by the angle it's tilted in the must ("so THAT'S how it got its name"). However, for an all juice batch, it would definitely work.

These are the numbers from when I first mixed up the Skeeter Pee batch I have going, then around the time that I pitched the yeast. Since I currently have it logging every 15 minutes for this batch, I was able to see that it fluctuated a bit as the must warmed up on the heating pad - it dropped down to 1.088 then climbed up to 1.094.

Timestamp	SG	Temp
2/7/2022 20:12	1.091	62
2/8/2022 18:12	1.094	74

 

[Paulietivo]

I was planning to backsweeten the wine after fermentation is complete. I think dry cranberry wine would be not very pleasant to drink so now I achieved a slightly sweet wine without backsweetening and I am actually happy with it. So ChuckD, do you think it is ok that the wine didn't reach FG of 0.998 or 0.996 as wine should?
I did add yeast energizer at the beginning of the fermentation but I have to way to check ph.

I actually made a dry cranberry wine and people either loved it or hated it. I fermented to dry so below 1.00 but think it was around .996 if I remember. I added potassium bicarbonate to raise the ph to low 3s. & Pectic enzyme.
I didn't back-sweeten but added glycerin for body and smoothness. It wasn't bad w turkey dinner. I figured worse case mixed w ginger ale for cranberry spritzer. Salute!

 

[Paulietivo]

My second go at the cranberry wine was to go for off dry or semi sweet. No potassium bicarbonate this time.
I fermented to dry w R2 yeast.
Backsweeten w monin pure cranberry syrup & will definitely use this process again as it added body and flavor. Also a little glycerine to smooth it out. Salute!
The cranberries I use are from a friend. He has some of the oldest boggs in Carver Massachusetts.

 

[Ericphotoart]

This is my Cranberry Wine aging

 

[winemaker81]

This is my Cranberry Wine aging

Nice color!

 

[Paulietivo]

This is my Cranberry Wine aging View attachment 85723

Great color!
Did you use fresh cranberries?
How many pounds?

 

[Ericphotoart]

Yes. Fresh cranberries by Ocean Spray slightly chopped in food processor. 16.5 lbs of cranberries - 6 gallons of must at start.

 

[Paulietivo]

Nice! I ask because I'm in Massachusetts now so its easy to get cranberries when the season arrives. Anyway I use to play soccer in east stroudsburg tournament when I was a kid. Fun times up there.
So back to the cranberry wine. What recipient did you follow? If any.
I follow an old EC Kraus recipe I found and just tweet it depending on what I have.
Pretty sure this is for 5 gallons.
I have used EC 118 yeast and R2 with decent results.
* 15 lbs. of cranberries
* 10 ½ lbs. of sugar
* 1 tbsp. Yeast Energizer
* ¾ tsp. Pectic Enzyme
* 1 Packet of Wine Yeast: Montrachet
* 10 Campden Tablets (5 prior to fermentation and 5 at bottling time)

 

[Ericphotoart]

Funny. I live in E.burg.
I added 2 tsp of pectic enzyme, 1 tsp of tannin, and 4 small bags of raisins. EC1118.