Pear wine--SG

[DonSr]

Hi. I'm relatively new here. I started a 5 gallon batch of pear wine about 17 days ago. After the SG was about 1.040 (4 or 5 days?) I siphoned the liquid to the secondary carboy. I used a nylon bag to hold the frozen/defrosted pear pieces. Now the SG is about .995 and the taste is very bitter. The pH is about 3, measured with a test strip. Should I now siphon off the liquid from the sediment? And, should the liquid be bitter at this point? I'm hoping for a pear wine on the dry side.

Thanks,

Don

 

[dralarms]

Well if it's at .995 then it's dry, no sugar left, I'd rack it off, let it clear and then after it ages some add sugar to taste.

 

[buzzerj]

I think some of the bitterness or tartness you might taste is from acid additions if you made any. A pH of 3 is low (acidic), i'd prefer you to be more toward a pH of 3.8. Your yeast may be struggling in the acid environment. But with a gravity of 0.995 you are pretty dry. You must have used a strong yeast. What was your O.G.? If you do want to buffer, you can add calcium carbonate (not sodium carbonate) 1/2 teaspoon at a time with stirring to raise the pH to at least 3.8. Test the pH until you get above 3.8. I don't add any acid blend until fermentation is completely finished and then only add acid to taste. Make it easy for your yeast to ferment the must and you'll have good fermentation. Adding acid prior to fermentation in my mind reduces the potential for good fermentation so just add any acid blend after fermentation is completed. I think if you buffer a bit and age the wine, the bitterness/tartness mellows. You're only 17 days into it, give the wine time and it will come into the zone you're looking for. My pear wine is 8 months old and is a bit tart also but I've sulfated and stabilized the wine with sorbate and will be backsweetening to 1.005 prior to bottling.

 

[Hokapsig]

I threw 2 cinnamon sticks into my 6 gallon batch and will backsweeten to around 1.005, though I'll probably go to 1.001 and slow step it up from there.

 

[Turock]

A PH of 3.8 is too high for pear. We set our PH to 3.4 pre-ferment. It's very important to get the must adjusted up front before beginning the ferment. You can add potassium carb in the secondary to raise the PH--add small amounts at a time and stir very well and retest. Add about 1/4 tsp at a time. Be aware it will take 3 or 4 months for the carb to totally metabolize and then drop out. Pear can be kind of harsh because of the malic acid which is why we always use 71B culture on pear in order to metabolize some of the malic. It gives a very smooth result.

 

[fabrictodyefor]

I've heard this word floating around, "patience"! Pear is light on flavor and I think it the beginning it is harsh with alcohol. What was your starting sg? I started a pear 12/25/13 and at first I thought the same...so harsh! I've racked to a clean car boy twice since then and, of course I had to taste. But each time it was a little better and the fruit was starting to come forward. IMHO I wouldn't add anything for a while...rack it off if you have a lot of lees and let it relax a while! Each time I racked I did have a lot of lees.

 

[dralarms]

I've got a pear, from fresh fruit that was undrinkable until it was almost 18 months in the bottle.

 

[Poni]

I would obey the white wine guidelines for a white fruit wine such as pear. At a ph of 3.8 it would be open for oxidation. I like around 3.2-3.45. Also just taste it first, and look at the numbers second. Also, if you adjust prior to fermentation, the additions integrate into the wine a lot better. If ya dont want to over add, just test the acid and add half of what is prescribed. Good luck, i love pear wine!

 

[Turock]

If you don't use a malic metabolizing culture, then the result will be harsh that mellows as it ages. A two year old pear will be much smoother. If you don't want to have to age this wine for it to come around, use 71B culture.

You should ditch your test strips and buy yourself a good PH meter--very necessary if you make fruit wine.

 

[blackspanish777]

The peach I just finished fermenting tasted very dry as well. I am letting it bulk age for a few months then will back sweeten and bottle. Best advice I can give u is to be patient.


Making wine in South Texas since March 2014

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