Dessert wines

[Jasper24]

Hi all,

I have this strawberry rhubarb wine that I over sugared SG 1.150 my mistake. Anway the fermention is at SG 1.050 now and I think the yeast are about done with it.

I just read about dessert wine and it said that the SG needs to be 1.040 or above. My question is could someone please tell me more about dessert wine and the best way to stop the fermention.?

Thanks in advance, Hallie

 

[fivebk]

If the hydrometer reading remains the same for three days in a row then fermentation is done. It may not ever start back up because of the high alcohol content,but I would stabilize it with k-meta & sorbate just to be sure fermentation does not start again. Let it clear then bottle and what do you know you now have a dessert wine to enjoy.

BOB

 

[Jasper24]

If the hydrometer reading remains the same for three days in a row then fermentation is done. It may not ever start back up because of the high alcohol content,but I would stabilize it with k-meta & sorbate just to be sure fermentation does not start again. Let it clear then bottle and what do you know you now have a dessert wine to enjoy.

BOB

Bob thanks for the rePly do you know how much sorbate and kmeta to add to a 6 gallon batch?I don't have a recipe for this.

Thanks, Hallie

 

[fivebk]

K-meta is 1/4 tsp for 5 or 6 gal batch. I think the directions on my bottle of sorbate says 1/2 tsp per gal. Add k-meta first then sorbate.

BOB

 

[Johnd]

To make port, you add alcohol to fortify it, the high ABV will stop the yeast.

 

[Jasper24]

To make port, you add alcohol to fortify it, the high ABV will stop the yeast.

Johnd should I use the pearson square to figure out amount to add. I just happen to know where some strawberry rhubarb brandy is freshly made. What do you think?

Thanks, Hallie

 

[Johnd]

Johnd should I use the pearson square to figure out amount to add. I just happen to know where some strawberry rhubarb brandy is freshly made. What do you think?

Thanks, Hallie

Brandy is the typical liquor for the purpose, that one sounds right on time! Yes, Pearson’s square will get you to the finish line.

 

[Jasper24]

Brandy is the typical liquor for the purpose, that one sounds right on time! Yes, Pearson’s square will get you to the finish line.

Well it John's it looks like I get my cake and can eat it to. I can make slightly more than 1 gallon of port and 5 gallons of dessert wine out of this 6 gallon mistake I made.

God I love wine making I am still new enough that I get surprised each day. I get to make two things I never thought I would make.

Thanks go out to Johnd and fivebk for all your help.

Thanks, Hallie

 

[NorCal]

I shoot for 20% abv. with the brandy.

 

[Jasper24]

I shoot for 20% abv. with the brandy.

NorCal thanks for your input. That is my target too. I have 60% abv brandy and a 12% wine. Doing the math my 750ml of brandy will spice up a gallon of wine.

Question, do I need special bottle for a port wine or dessert wine for that matter. Thanks for the help.

Hallie

 

[NorCal]

I use 350ml & 500ml bottles, simply because I consume lass of it at a sitting (a drinking?). With the sweetness and brandy, the port can take some oak.

 

[Jasper24]

I use 350ml & 500ml bottles, simply because I consume lass of it at a sitting (a drinking?). With the sweetness and brandy, the port can take some oak.

Thanks for the info NorCal. About the oak how would you handle having only a gallon to work with?

I was thinking about bottling as soon as I got the wine cleared and the brandy added. I was thinking that I would age it in the bottle for at least two years to give the brandy a chance to mellow since it is so young. The oak ideal sounds good but I dont have a two gallon hug to age it in.

Your help would be appreciated since I have very little knowledge about ports or using oak as a flavor additive.

Thanks, Hallie

 

[Jasper24]

Well I got my dessert wine stabilized and clearing agent added. In about two weeks I will pull one gallon off the top and add my brandy to it. I am using strawberry rhubarb brandy to fortify my strawberry rhubarb wine. Waiting for it to mature is going to be the death of me.

Thanks to everyone for your help, Hallie

 

[Scooter68]

As someone else suggested - the way to avoid waiting/impatience.... start more batches of wine. Soon you will find yourself having to work to keep up with which batch needs what step done, Rack, Fining, Filter, Stabilize, Back-sweeten, Bottle, Make labels etc. Before long waiting will not be an issue.

Day before yesterday I had to rack 16 gallons of wine in 8 different carboys, cut up and press apples for a new batch and I still have five more carboys to rack and more apples to cut, oh and there's a bucket cold crashing in the fridge, and then get the apple juice started in another batch of wine... or will this be a cider on this one.

See, just keep cruising the stores looking for buys on seasonal fruit and before you know it... waiting is no problem at all.

 

[Jasper24]

As someone else suggested - the way to avoid waiting/impatience.... start more batches of wine. Soon you will find yourself having to work to keep up with which batch needs what step done, Rack, Fining, Filter, Stabilize, Back-sweeten, Bottle, Make labels etc. Before long waiting will not be an issue.

Day before yesterday I had to rack 16 gallons of wine in 8 different carboys, cut up and press apples for a new batch and I still have five more carboys to rack and more apples to cut, oh and there's a bucket cold crashing in the fridge, and then get the apple juice started in another batch of wine... or will this be a cider on this one.

See, just keep cruising the stores looking for buys on seasonal fruit and before you know it... waiting is no problem at all.

Scooter68 thanks for the advice. I feel bad having only filtered 17 gallons of wine today and get my port ready. I like the way you work I think I will take a page out on your book and get something else going after my Dragon Blood gets into secondary.

I will be making a sparkling lemon lime tomorrow and bottling 5 gallons of watermelon. The busier the day is the better.

Thanks for the good word , Hallie

 

[WeimarWine]

Hallie, I would suspect that 20% alcohol would overpower strawberry wine to the point you would only taste the alcohol. If that does happen, you could blend some of the strawberry wine with the port until the alcohol is more in balance with the fortified wine. I think about 15 to 16% might be about right. You might want to mix several 100 ml trials at different alcohol percentages and choose whichever one tastes the best to you. Good luck.

WeimarWine

 

[Jasper24]

Hallie, I would suspect that 20% alcohol would overpower strawberry wine to the point you would only taste the alcohol. If that does happen, you could blend some of the strawberry wine with the port until the alcohol is more in balance with the fortified wine. I think about 15 to 16% might be about right. You might want to mix several 100 ml trials at different alcohol percentages and choose whichever one tastes the best to you. Good luck.

WeimarWine

WeimarWine, thanks for the input about trials. I have never done that before and will have to read up on it. Thankfully I have two weeks before the wine clears to do it in. If you have any information about trials I am all ears. Once again thank you.

Hallie

 

[richmke]

I just read about dessert wine and it said that the SG needs to be 1.040 or above.

Make the wine to your personal taste. I prefer desert wines in the 1.02-1.03 range.

Assuming you don't want it any sweeter, you can skip the Sorbate (IMHO: why add something you don't need to?). It may ferment down a little lower over a long period of time, but who cares?

If you do want to keep the current sweetness level, then you may need to add sorbate. However, if you boost the ABV with brandy (or other alcohol), then that may be enough to keep whatever yeast that is left from doing anything.

 

[Jasper24]

Make the wine to your personal taste. I prefer desert wines in the 1.02-1.03 range.

Assuming you don't want it any sweeter, you can skip the Sorbate (IMHO: why add something you don't need to?). It may ferment down a little lower over a long period of time, but who cares?

If you do want to keep the current sweetness level, then you may need to add sorbate. However, if you boost the ABV with brandy (or other alcohol), then that may be enough to keep whatever yeast that is left from doing anything.

Richmke,

Thanks for the information, I read that sorbate was not needed, I did add campdan tablets to the wine. It's good to get confirmation about that.

Right now I am holding steady at 1.040 so I am waiting for the wine to clear. If it goes a little lower that would be fine. After tasting the rhubarb flavor is dominant with a soft strawberry finish I really like the way it taste. Once again thanks,

Hallie