Gaudet/Waldos Muscadine Port

[Waldo]

What Are you going to fortify wirh?

 

[gaudet]

I was planning on using everclear, same as you were. Unless you have a better idea. A local store has it for < $12 a bottle before tax.

 

[gaudet]

Using Pearson's square I came up with a 13:1 ratio to get me close to 20%

Converting gallons to liters 5.5 gallons = 20.8L

Needing a 13:1 ratio divide 20.8L/13 = 1.6 L Everclear or two fifths to achieve 20% ABV



Getting every possible drop out of this would leave me with 29.5 bottles port.



Anyone with experience want to check my math & logic on this one??

 

[Waldo]

Checked the SG on my Port yesterday and she is at 1.020 and slowing down considerbly. I figure she will be done by probably Tuesday evening.

 

[gaudet]

As you saw, mine will need back sweetening. Right now its clearing pretty nicely since the last racking and degassing. My oak spiral is sitting on the bottom. Was wondering how long should I leave it on the wine? I know I will have to rack in the next 3 or 4 weeks to get it off the lees, but will that be enough time on the oak? If not, should I retrieve the oak, clean it off and resanitize it and allow it to soak longer?

 

[Waldo]

About 6 weeks total should be about right but I would reommend checking it after about 4 and then weekly after that if it needs to stay in longer. If you decide it needs to be in there longer after you rack then yes I would clan it up good then add it back to the wine

 

[gaudet]

Great to know. I need to take a picture of the port as you can already see the oak spiral at the bottom (how quickly its clearing). I think adding it before degassing the wine made it sink prematurely. But I'm sure its still releasing its oaky goodness.

 

[Waldo]

Oh be assured buddy it is still releasing its goodiies

 

[Waldo]

My Port completed fermentation at 1.012. I racked and stabilized this morning.
I did rack into 5 gallon and 1 galloncarboy and pretty much ended up with 5-3/4 gallon of wine.

I made a bit of an oops and transferred my oak spirals to the racked wine beforeI had degassed. I was therefore reluctant to use my fizz-x and drill for degassing so I am degassing this one using the vacu vin method

At next racking, which I estimate to be in 3 weeks I will removethe oak & fortfy

 

[gaudet]

Looking good there Waldo...

Did you see my math for fortification? I see that no one made note if I was correct or not. I came up with 1.6 liters of everclear to make this 20%. I will check the SQ on the next racking and see what I have. But I stabilized it when I racked it at 0.998 and I don't expect it to be much different.

 

[gaudet]

Just a quick rehash on my port

02/27/09 Started/pitched yeast, sg was 1.114
03/04/09 Racked, sg was 1.024 kept almost all the lees.
03/19/09 Racked again sg was .998, stabilized k-meta/ksorb, degassed with vacuum pump, added 2nd oak spiral

about 5 and 1/2 gallons. I expect to add 2 bottles of everclear 750ML to get it close to 20%

 

[gaudet]

Talked to Uncle Waldo today. They were having a crappie catching contest and having a good time. Didn't keep him on the phone too long. I racked this port today and tasted it dry. It wasn't bad at all. But it wasn't a port either. After remeasuring the sg it was down to 1.000. so I expect it to be approximately 15.5% ABV.

I precalculated that I would need a little more than a bottle of everclear to bring this close to 20% ABV. So I got the two bottles I needed from the local grocery store (yes we can get groceries and booze at the same place here).

I had 5 and 1/2 gallons of this port, I racked the 1/2 gallon to a pot and used it to backsweeten the port with 5 pounds of sugar. I gently heated the pot and its sugary contents to dissolve the sugar completely. I poured 1 bottle of everclear into the primary and stirred it well. Here is my measurement after 1 bottle of everclear and the half gallon of wine and sugar additions.

It looked like 1.032 or maybe even 1.034. I made the snap decision to
use the last bottle of everclear to dilute this down and bring the port
to over 20% ABV. This brought down the SG to 1.024 maybe 1.026, I will take another gravity before bottling which won't be until September.

Here are the last remains that I was able to salvage and taste.

Waldo, this one shows a lot of promise. I think it will be a killer in a year or two. The alcohol taste is just a little overbearing right now, but the oak is coming through, I can taste the muscadines, and not sure if I can taste the elderberries, but I bet they would enjoy another 4 oz. I will take that into consideration if I make this again.

 

[Wade E]

Me thinks the elderberry would add a little more "Port" color to it and more body if needed.

 

[gaudet]

Any suggestions on how to add another 4 ounces of the dried elderberry?

 

[Wade E]

Maybe steep them in a tid bit of water? i have never worked with dried fruit so just throwing any idea out there!

 

[gaudet]

I saw where Waldo simmered them on the stove top. I guess I could simmer em down to extract the color and add it to the wine as well. I should probably simmer them in say a pint of wine and then add it back to the carboy. Strain it through a cheesecloth and smash the berries then add it back....

 

[Wade E]

Thats what a really meant by steep but I do like the using wine idea better.

 

[gaudet]

Using Jack Kellers Blending tool I figured that I now have 21% ABV

Wow

that's gonna sting........

 

[IQwine]

NASA might be interested in rocket fuel

 

[gaudet]

NASA might be interested in rocket fuel

Might have to incorporate that into the label