hibiscus wine

[Roncito]

making 3 gallon of hibiscus wine.
SG was 1.070 ended at .097
think ill add 6 ounces of Potassium Metabisulphite and 3 Carmen tablets.
Does that sound about right?
What do you recommend to top it off with it after racking other than water?
thank you
R

 

[Ohio Bob]

Your SG numbers are not right, do you mean 0.997?

Potassium metabisulfite and Camden tablets are the same thing, just different form. 6 ounces is wrong, maybe you mean something else. Kmeta is usually 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallons.

Top off with any similar wine, home made or store bought.

 

[Roncito]

Your SG numbers are not right, do you mean 0.997?

Potassium metabisulfite and Camden tablets are the same thing, just different form. 6 ounces is wrong, maybe you mean something else. Kmeta is usually 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallons.

Top off with any similar wine, home made or store bought.

Your SG numbers are not right, do you mean 0.997?

Potassium metabisulfite and Camden tablets are the same thing, just different form. 6 ounces is wrong, maybe you mean something else. Kmeta is usually 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallons.

Top off with any similar wine, home made or store bought.

hello,
yes
Sorry 0.997.
thank you
Ron

 

[Roncito]

hello,
yes
Sorry 0.997.
thank you
Ron

It's Potassium Sorbate that I also wanted to add. 1 and 1/2 tablespoon.

 

[ChuckD]

It's Potassium Sorbate that I also wanted to add. 1 and 1/2 tablespoon.

The recommended dose for potassium sorbate is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. It is used to prevent fermentation in the bottle when you are back sweetening.

If fermentation is complete and off-gassing is done you can skip the k-sorbate… as long as you aren’t adding any more sugar. Likewise, if you bulk age the wine for more that nine months after fermentation is complete you can back sweeten without k-sorbate because all of the yeast cells will be dead.

As for topping up, I would not use water. Use a similar or neutral wine.

 

[barryjo]

The recommended dose for potassium sorbate is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. It is used to prevent fermentation in the bottle when you are back sweetening.

If fermentation is complete and off-gassing is done you can skip the k-sorbate… as long as you aren’t adding any more sugar. Likewise, if you bulk age the wine for more that nine months after fermentation is complete you can back sweeten without k-sorbate because all of the yeast cells will be dead.

As for topping up, I would not use water. Use a similar or neutral wine.

I think I would still add the sorbate. Just for insurance. Transfering the wine might possibly wake up some yeast. Better safe than soory.

 

[winechef]

If you will sweeten, for topping up, make a small amount of hibiscus tea and add sugar if back sweetening. if your alcohol level are low.adding , juice will lower more. can add brandy or other alcohol to raise it.

 

[Rice_Guy]

I see this is your second thread, welcome to WMT.

I am curious how your hibiscus wine turns out. Have had it a few times in the Vinters club and debated making one.
the hibiscus flowers I have looked at are the common yard flower, you too?

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

I just planted some Roselle hibiscus which is not the common Florida hibiscus but a wild hibiscus. The Roselle (outer seed casing) are what I’ve had before raw as a garnish and canned in light syrup as well as dry for hibiscus tea.
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/roselle.html

 

[Roncito]

hello
Any thoughts
Hibiscus wine stopped fermenting at 1.050
SG was 1.070
Did a quick tasting and sweet.
Was going to rack again and add some sorbate and degass.
Alcohol content lower then what I thought
Can I make it less sweet and raise alcohol content a little?
Any suggestions welcome
Thanks

 

[Rice_Guy]

hello
Any thoughts
Hibiscus wine stopped fermenting at 1.050
SG was 1.070
Did a quick tasting and sweet.
Was going to rack again and add some sorbate and degass.
Alcohol content lower then what I thought
Can I make it less sweet and raise alcohol content a little?
Any suggestions welcome
Thanks

As a food system you will have a high risk of bacterial infection if the alcohol is under 4%.
Sweet, , , , the one vinters member who puts out hibiscus wine comments that hibiscus is a natural sweetener. I haven’t played with the plant to confirm or rebut. I have been reading a thread called”Yeast Life Span”. A concept that ring true is that if we don’t put enough yeast nutrient in the fermentation is likely to get stuck. This leads to what was the rest of your recipe?
The hibiscus that I got to test last summer has a mucilage sort of like okra. Again what was the recipe? ,,,, a 1.070 starting gravity could be off as a sugar measure.

 

[Roncito]

As a food system you will have a high risk of bacterial infection if the alcohol is under 4%.
Sweet, , , , the one vinters member who puts out hibiscus wine comments that hibiscus is a natural sweetener. I haven’t played with the plant to confirm or rebut. I have been reading a thread called”Yeast Life Span”. A concept that ring true is that if we don’t put enough yeast nutrient in the fermentation is likely to get stuck. This leads to what was the rest of your recipe?
The hibiscus that I got to test last summer has a mucilage sort of like okra. Again what was the recipe? ,,,, a 1.070 starting gravity could be off as a sugar measure.

 

[Roncito]

Here was my recipe
Ingredients: 6 ouncesdried hibiscus flowers
11 cups sugar
3 gallon water
1/2 lemon
1 package teaspoon wine yeast (Red Star Premiere Blanc )
seems now its about 6% ABV

 

[winechef]

i use Pectin enzyme and not sure why you added lemon. should check the ph. hibiscus is acidic enough usually. your low photo could be a factor. in stalling. also might go to metric weight for sugar and hibiscus, that way you have more precision. things done in a percentage can be scaled up or down.
make a wine starter next time that will help build a stronger yeast before the alcohol level goes up.
sometimes during secondary fermentation some of the sweetness reduces and if your alcohol is still to weak abv can fortify it a little.

 

[Roncito]

Im wondering if I need to put some more yeast into to lower the 1.050 reading, although the fermentation has stopped.
I haven't added any sorbate yet because not sure it can be bottled
ABV really low also 2.6 %
Any ideas ?
Thank you

 

[winemaker81]

Im wondering if I need to put some more yeast into to lower the 1.050 reading, although the fermentation has stopped.
I haven't added any sorbate yet because not sure it can be bottled
ABV really low also 2.6 %
Any ideas ?
Thank you

I'm confused. In the first post you said the wine ended at SG 0.997, but in two subsequent posts you listed the SG as 1.050. Which is it? Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the SG?

Read this post, as it will help you better understand the winemaking process. The more you understand, the easier it will be for us to help you.

How long has the wine been fermenting? Typical fermentations take 4 to 10 days, but longer is certainly possible, e.g., I've cold fermented whites for 3 weeks.

You're no where near bottling time. While some wines can be bottled within a month, I generally recommend at least 4 months before bottling. Fermentation has to complete and the wine needs to clear, else you'll have a bunch of mini-volcanos, the wine will be muddy.

Sorbate is for stabilization of the wine when backsweetening, to prevent a renewed fermentation in the bottle. That doesn't get added until the wine is clear, which happens after fermentation ends.

 

[Roncito]

I'm confused. In the first post you said the wine ended at SG 0.997, but in two subsequent posts you listed the SG as 1.050. Which is it? Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the SG?

Read this post, as it will help you better understand the winemaking process. The more you understand, the easier it will be for us to help you.

How long has the wine been fermenting? Typical fermentations take 4 to 10 days, but longer is certainly possible, e.g., I've cold fermented whites for 3 weeks.

You're no where near bottling time. While some wines can be bottled within a month, I generally recommend at least 4 months before bottling. Fermentation has to complete and the wine needs to clear, else you'll have a bunch of mini-volcanos, the wine will be muddy.

Sorbate is for stabilization of the wine when backsweetening, to prevent a renewed fermentation in the bottle. That doesn't get added until the wine is clear, which happens after fermentation ends.

Thanks again.
Sorry it is 1.050. and using a hydrometer. it's been fermenting for about 2 months. I've made this wine on two other occasions with no problems. This time though the SG is not dropping below 1.050? Ive racked one time thus far.
thank you.

 

[winemaker81]

Sorry it is 1.050. and using a hydrometer. it's been fermenting for about 2 months. I've made this wine on two other occasions with no problems. This time though the SG is not dropping below 1.050? Ive racked one time thus far.

Is it in an open container or under airlock?

If it still tastes good, even if sweet, it's probably still ok. I'd make an overnight starter with EC-1118, transfer it to an open container, and inoculate the next morning. Don't stir for 24 hours, then stir twice per day. Check SG after 48 hours. If the SG drops, fermentation is proceeding.

I wrote a post explaining how to make an overnight starter. I've been using them for 2 years and get excellent results.

 

[Roncito]

Is it in an open container or under airlock?

If it still tastes good, even if sweet, it's probably still ok. I'd make an overnight starter with EC-1118, transfer it to an open container, and inoculate the next morning. Don't stir for 24 hours, then stir twice per day. Check SG after 48 hours. If the SG drops, fermentation is proceeding.

I wrote a post explaining how to make an overnight starter. I've been using them for 2 years and get excellent results.

Ok
Thank you
Using an airlock

 

[Roncito]

Is it in an open container or under airlock?

If it still tastes good, even if sweet, it's probably still ok. I'd make an overnight starter with EC-1118, transfer it to an open container, and inoculate the next morning. Don't stir for 24 hours, then stir twice per day. Check SG after 48 hours. If the SG drops, fermentation is proceeding.

I wrote a post explaining how to make an overnight starter. I've been using them for 2 years and get excellent results.

hello
Thanks for the tip. Read the resource that you provided and implemented the suggestion. I added it about three days ago to my 3 gallon wine and have some fermentation going on now. How long do you think it will go? Is that the only thing that I needed to add for the three gallons.?
thanks again