My new batch!

[snowgirl812001]

Ok, so if I did add too much sugar, how do I fix that?

 

[southlake333]

should be a winner just yours will end up either a touch dryer in need of some back sweetening or a touch sweeter depending on when you stop it or the yeast just cant take it anymore.

i would for sure toss in the engergizer especially if you go for dry thats a pretty good haul for the yeast from the 1.120 to reach 1.020 im not sure on the Red Star yeast as to what it can take before it chokes itself out.

i to plan to use something close to southlakes cinnamon solution im gonna have to cut it down for my 3gal batch, and i thought i would need white sugar as well but being as it is i should still have plenty of sugar left after my yeast kills itself off. i will post up exactly what i do when i get to that point

Robin's should ferment dry, then she can backsweeten to taste. Even if the initial SG truly was 1.120 (16% ABV), that's the rated limit of Red Star Champagne yeast so it should go all the way.

Usually you ferment dry, stabilize and backsweeten as it is a more accurate way to get the exact sweetness level you want. Adding too much sugar initially and hoping it stops where you want it will end up with a much wider variation from batch to batch.

I would not suggest adding more energizer. You already have 3 tsp initially which should be more than enough for this wine. Even skeeter pee which is kind of hostile to yeast only calls for 2 tsp. Honestly you could probably ferment this without any energizer but the variation I took my original recipe from called for it. Only add more (along with nutrient) if fermentation totally stops (which it should not).

As for white vs brown sugar...brown is what will give it that apple pie flavor so be sure to include it in your backsweetening at some level.

 

[southlake333]

Ok, so if I did add too much sugar, how do I fix that?

You can either let it go as is and end up with a higher alcohol content or you can dilute it down with straight apple juice which would reduce the SG and make a larger batch than the original recipe.

 

[snowgirl812001]

Ok, I will just take a deep breath and relax lol. And wait. I will check again tomorrow morning & keep you posted.

 

[Dend78]

Robin's should ferment dry, then she can backsweeten to taste. Even if the initial SG truly was 1.120 (16% ABV), that's the rated limit of Red Star Champagne yeast so it should go all the way.

awesome i wasnt sure on red star ive only used the bakers yeast

Usually you ferment dry, stabilize and backsweeten as it is a more accurate way to get the exact sweetness level you want. Adding too much sugar initially and hoping it stops where you want it will end up with a much wider variation from batch to batch.

this is why ima let mine choke itself out, the lower the gravity reading the better, as you said its easy to sweeten in the end.

I would not suggest adding more energizer. You already have 3 tsp initially which should be more than enough for this wine. Even skeeter pee which is kind of hostile to yeast only calls for 2 tsp. Honestly you could probably ferment this without any energizer but the variation I took my original recipe from called for it. Only add more (along with nutrient) if fermentation totally stops (which it should not).

maybe i missread her original post on page 2 i think she said she didnt add any.

**edit**yes i misread**edit**
if it has 3tsp in it you should be fine

 

[snowgirl812001]

Well I decided to go ahead and check it now. The SG is at 1.095.

 

[Dend78]

Well I decided to go ahead and check it now. The SG is at 1.095.

 

[snowgirl812001]

I know, I've been freaking out lol. I just don't wanna mess it up, as I don't really know what I'm doing yet. Thank God for you guys!

 

[southlake333]

If you're at 1.095 either you just got a more accurate reading or fermentation has started and your yeast has already eaten .035.

Patience truly is key in this hobby. Of course patience is easier to come by after you have a few batches bottled.

 

[Dend78]

Patience truly is key in this hobby. Of course patience is easier to come by after you have a few batches bottled.

ill let you know when that happens

 

[Dend78]

well kinda suprised this morning 1.081 really expected it to be lower, its still going but its slowing down

 

[southlake333]

Stir it up vigorously to add in more oxygen. That should help.

 

[Dend78]

Stir it up vigorously to add in more oxygen. That should help.

yup i do that every morning and sometimes in the evenings, i did notice its not foaming up as much now the bubbles disipate before it even gets done swirling.

**edit**

any suggestions on when to move this to secondary? generally i would wait till 0.995 -1.030 or something like that im not totally sure it will be able to go to 0.995 i havent tested the end limits of EC1118 but guideline says 18% whats the choke and die limit?

 

[Dend78]

well we have hit the breaks here 1.079, would i am thinking i may need to rack it to my carboys but i could be mistaken here. i stirred it this morning and practically no foam formed on the top what was there was there and gone very quickly. i still hear it fizzing slightly but its for sure slowing down. actually from about .010 per day down to .003 or less per day.

thoughts?

 

[southlake333]

Well, lets see. You're using Lalvin EC-1118 which has an alcohol tolerance of 18% per Lalvin's website.

http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp

You started at 1.140 which would be 18.5-19% if fermented dry and that falls within the realm of what that yeast could handle. Since fermentation is occuring (slow and steady), you didn't kill off the yeast right off the bat due to all the sugar. So my suggestion is....STOP PLAYING WITH IT...lol! Leave it in the bucket and let it go for 3 or 4 more days before testing it again.

Since I have never started with such a high SG and subsequently seen a slow,steady fermentation, I can't provide any insight on when to rack to the secondary other than an educated guess. My educated guess would be when it gets below 1.040. That would be a full .1 SG worth of sugar fermented out but still less than the yeast's capability. The idea of racking to the secondary is to prevent oxidation from extra oxygen in the headspace that occurs when your yeast isn't producing enough CO2 to produce a protective blanket. But, during primary fermentation the yeast need the oxygen to reproduce so racking too early could inhibit the yeast and stop fermentation.

 

[Dend78]

The idea of racking to the secondary is to prevent oxidation from extra oxygen in the headspace that occurs when your yeast isn't producing enough CO2 to produce a protective blanket. But, during primary fermentation the yeast need the oxygen to reproduce so racking too early could inhibit the yeast and stop fermentation.

right this is what im nervous about, also don't forget it jumped up to 1.155 (which is believe to be the sugar wasn't fully dissolved when i first set my SG) so i could be getting close and who knows it could have been as high in my guess as 1.160 but by the time i got to it the yeast was already dragging it down. it tastes really good now and i would really be upset if i left it in there for a bit to long and it oxidized on me. if you insist though i will let it sit till say sunday (cmon will power )

 

[southlake333]

Even if it started at 1.155, that yeast should get it down to 1.020ish. What temp are you fermenting at?

 

[Dend78]

its holding around 70-75* F

usually about 72*

 

[Dend78]

9/2/12

well the latest, 1.160

 

[snowgirl812001]

Everything seems to be going fine with mine, I currently have it clearing. I have tasted it and tasted pretty dry but good. I added some brown sugar and cinnamon to the sample and man..... did that make a difference! I can't wait to drink it How long should I let it clear for?