Ports

[rgonzales1981]

Another wine I worked on with the left over concord this year was a chocolate wine, used one gallon of backsweetened concord with potassium sorbate already on board and added 20gm of lindt milk choc every 1-2 months in 3 additions until the hint of choc on the beginning of the taste was noted then filtered and bottled, made a nice dessert wine. May combine the choc with the port after reading some of these post!

 

[Stevew1]

It seems we are all trying out a version of this. I use a small 1 liter barrel to age my port. I have used different homemade wines, either red berry or peach brandy, some moonshine, homemade, it was given to me, and let it sit for 2-4 months. The small barrel size allows me to make 3-4 batches a year.

 

[jburtner]

I finally started my first small batch port this past weekend by blending some Cab Sav, Merlot, Syrah, and Malbec - all from grapes and bulk aging for 18mos-2yr range, bumping the SG to the 1.010 range, topping up with some stiff grappa brandy to about 20% ABV and have moved it into a small 10l oak barrel which previously had bourbon in it for further aging.... Bottled five 375's for testing and top-up. Think I'll test one again tonight

Wondering what folks might be doing to get a little dark chocolate in there?

Cheers,
johann

 

[Mario Dinis]

I also made a port with a blend of Syrah, Cab Sav and Merlot and used Sao Domingos portuguese brandy.

 

[AdegaAguiar]

Last year i made a port with my Petit Sirah. Added brandy when the wine reached an alcohol level of 8%. Added brandy soaked oak chips and a spiral toasted oak stick and let it set. Came out pretty good for my first try. Going to make a 5 gallon batch this year. What brandy have you all used to make Port?

 

[Mario Dinis]

Last year i made a port with my Petit Sirah. Added brandy when the wine reached an alcohol level of 8%. Added brandy soaked oak chips and a spiral toasted oak stick and let it set. Came out pretty good for my first try. Going to make a 5 gallon batch this year. What brandy have you all used to make Port?

I used São Domingos, 3 year old brandy from Portugal. If one's making a big batch like you, it can be pretty expensive at about 20 bucks per bottle. I only made a gallon and used two bottles.

 

[SLM]

I hope this thread still gets read. Sounds like several members have port skills.

Last year I made my first blackberry port. Followed a recipe that called for 14% ABV wine fortified to 20% with brandy. Turned out excellent. 8 gallons of wine required a lot of brandy.

This year I made 14 gallons. I step-fed sugar to reach 19% ABV. I am running several trials to see what I like best. At 3 months I back-sweetened the trials. Results so far:

19%ABV, no fortification - decent flavor
Fortified with brandy to 22% - winner so far, extra layer of flavors, smooth, maybe better than last year's model
Same as above to 21% - not as rich
Fortified to 21%, 22% with expensive cognac - this was a highly rated cognac but had a powerful bite. Garbage in, garbage out, so far

So my question is, for those with experience: Why start with a low ABV wine and add expensive spirit when you can almost reach target ABV with sugar? Of course, as I am finding, brandy enhances the flavor in my opinion. But others prefer a neutral grain spirit so as not to alter the flavor of the fruit. So unless you are using the old world method, why not maximize your ABV before fortifying?

 

[user 32114]

I hope this thread still gets read. Sounds like several members have port skills.

Last year I made my first blackberry port. Followed a recipe that called for 14% ABV wine fortified to 20% with brandy. Turned out excellent. 8 gallons of wine required a lot of brandy.

This year I made 14 gallons. I step-fed sugar to reach 19% ABV. I am running several trials to see what I like best. At 3 months I back-sweetened the trials. Results so far:

19%ABV, no fortification - decent flavor
Fortified with brandy to 22% - winner so far, extra layer of flavors, smooth, maybe better than last year's model
Same as above to 21% - not as rich
Fortified to 21%, 22% with expensive cognac - this was a highly rated cognac but had a powerful bite. Garbage in, garbage out, so far

So my question is, for those with experience: Why start with a low ABV wine and add expensive spirit when you can almost reach target ABV with sugar? Of course, as I am finding, brandy enhances the flavor in my opinion. But others prefer a neutral grain spirit so as not to alter the flavor of the fruit. So unless you are using the old world method, why not maximize your ABV before fortifying?

ok i ain't quite sure what i make is called a port, i take 6 gallons of water, i use EC-1118, YEAST nutrients and yeast energizers and step feed my sugar until i kill my yeast, done right you can get 20 to 21 ABV, now once the ferment is over i add lemon juice till i am 1 quart juice to one gallon water, after clearing i take a 6.5 carboy pour a fifth of pure grain alcohol into the 6.5 carboy, then rack my skeeter pee port in to the 6.5 carboy then bottle, it taste like lemonade and kicks like a mule, i bulk age for a year, it gets real smooth, i have to warn people not to drink and drive, nor use power tools climb ladders ECT, ECT,
Dawg

 

[joeswine]

Your port was very smooth, nice job.
Dawg

 

[SLM]

ok i ain't quite sure what i make is called a port, i take 6 gallons of water, i use EC-1118, YEAST nutrients and yeast energizers and step feed my sugar until i kill my yeast, done right you can get 20 to 21 ABV, now once the ferment is over i add lemon juice till i am 1 quart juice to one gallon water, after clearing i take a 6.5 carboy pour a fifth of pure grain alcohol into the 6.5 carboy, then rack my skeeter pee port in to the 6.5 carboy then bottle, it taste like lemonade and kicks like a mule, i bulk age for a year, it gets real smooth, i have to warn people not to drink and drive, nor use power tools climb ladders ECT, ECT,
Dawg

Sounds like you're ending up about 18.5%. That qualifies in my books. You didn't mention back-sweetening. If you're fermenting dry don't you need to sweeten it?

 

[user 32114]

Sounds like you're ending up about 18.5%. That qualifies in my books. You didn't mention back-sweetening. If you're fermenting dry don't you need to sweeten it?

it was a oversight on my part, i back sweeten to a FSG of 1.040, and yet , it is a smooth tart, with no alcohol burn, i use it on sleepless nights. i know of others who worked with the amount of lemon and their sweet spot is in between they original and mine ,,, i look at it like this, the original recipe is on this site. mine i pass out just to show the wide variances that one could find their sweet spot, i f your single you, just suit your self, other wise you please your better half,
Dawg

 

[SLM]

I agree with your philosophy. And I appreciate when others share methods they have found successful. I'm thinking of fortifying some with aguardiente

 

[hawkwing]

I hope this thread still gets read. Sounds like several members have port skills.

Last year I made my first blackberry port. Followed a recipe that called for 14% ABV wine fortified to 20% with brandy. Turned out excellent. 8 gallons of wine required a lot of brandy.

This year I made 14 gallons. I step-fed sugar to reach 19% ABV. I am running several trials to see what I like best. At 3 months I back-sweetened the trials. Results so far:

19%ABV, no fortification - decent flavor
Fortified with brandy to 22% - winner so far, extra layer of flavors, smooth, maybe better than last year's model
Same as above to 21% - not as rich
Fortified to 21%, 22% with expensive cognac - this was a highly rated cognac but had a powerful bite. Garbage in, garbage out, so far

So my question is, for those with experience: Why start with a low ABV wine and add expensive spirit when you can almost reach target ABV with sugar? Of course, as I am finding, brandy enhances the flavor in my opinion. But others prefer a neutral grain spirit so as not to alter the flavor of the fruit. So unless you are using the old world method, why not maximize your ABV before fortifying?

I’ve read that when you try and achieve higher alcohol levels using the yeast the yeast will start to get stressed and produce more byproducts that are not desirable. Possibly the kind that lead to off tastes and hangovers.