Raspberry wine

[Mickitaz]

Hi there,

I just attempted to make my first batch of wine. I used a raspberry juice I got from my local brew supply company.

I took 2 10 pound bags of sugar and placed them in a pot of water on the stove. I heated it up enough for the sugar to dissolve.

I added this to the raspberry juice to my brew bucket. I was not getting any readings for gravity on my hydrometer. I added enough water to the mixture to bring it to the 5 gallon mark and let it sit overnight.

I was getting a temperature reading of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, so I attempted to take another hydrometer reading. It still did not register. I could not find any information on why I wouldn't get a reading. So I just added the yeast and closed the bucket. I put the bubbler on.

I did not add anything else and let it sit. Three days later, I'm still at 72 degrees and I wasn't seeing any bubbles. So I opened the lid. There was stuff at the top of the mixture, but no foam like I get with other spirit brewing or bread making.

Concerned I did something wrong, I skimmed the yeast of the top. I took another packet of yeast and proofed it in a cup. I got some nice foaming action, so I added it back to the bucket and closed it up.

Three more days, and I still don't see any bubbles. Further research suggested that I didn't add a yeast nutrient. I understand this to be campden tablets, so I go add these in.

I still don't have any bubbles. I don't know what my ph levels are. Did I just mess up this batch? Or is it still ok? Thanks!

 

[cpfan]

Campden is NOT yeast nutrient. It actually will stun the yeast, thus having the opposite affect.

Why are you not getting hydrometer readings? How is the hydrometer floating in the must/wine? You may wish to review this thread.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16574

Steve

 

[Mickitaz]

Thank you.
When I put the hydrometer in the reading tube, the juice only comes up to the bottom of the neck where the numbers are.

So since I put the campden tablets in, I take it I need to start another batch. Correct?

 

[grapeman]

So you are basically saying you have 4 pounds of sugar per gallon (20 pounds for 5 gallons). This is in excess of 40 brix. It is no wonder it has done nothing. Double your juice and divide this into two batches. Your hydrometer didn't read, because it was just too high. Once you split it should get down to a readable range.

 

[dralarms]

Talk about sweet. Lol. Yes do as grape man said, double the juice and then take a reading.

 

[Mickitaz]

Excellent. Thank you!

 

[brottman]

Don't simply simply split the batch and add water, though. If you do this, buy more raspberry juice and split between your now 2 different batches. If you just split and add water you will have a very thin wine in the end.

 

[Mickitaz]

Thank you.

I wound up making a whole new batch. But I only used 10 pounds of sugar this time. I finally got a reading on my hydrometer. Yeah!

One last question, how long after I add the yeast should I see action in my bubbles?

 

[wineforfun]

Are you following any sort of recipe or guidelines or just throwing things in a bucket and hoping?
What was your original SG?
What type of yeast did you use?

If things are done correctly, you should see some sort of yeast activity within the first 24-36 hrs. from pitching.

 

[Mickitaz]

Are you following any sort of recipe or guidelines or just throwing things in a bucket and hoping?
What was your original SG?
What type of yeast did you use?

If things are done correctly, you should see some sort of yeast activity within the first 24-36 hrs. from pitching.

I didn't really have a recipe. My starting sg was 1.020. I used Vinter' s harvest premium wine yeast c17.


Thanks!

 

[wineforfun]

I didn't really have a recipe. My starting sg was 1.020. I used Vinter' s harvest premium wine yeast c17.


Thanks!

I would, in the future, have some sort of recipe or guidelines to get you on the right track, ie: nutrient, energizer, recommended SG, etc., until you become more familiar with the process.

With that said, I am hoping you meant 1.120 as 1.020 will only produce 4-5% ABV at best. Not familiar with that yeast but you need to know what temp. it requires and what the alcohol tolerance is. That will aid in knowing if it will work with your situation.

 

[Mickitaz]

My apologies. The reading was 1.120. Sorry, I'm new at this. Thank you!

 

[wineforfun]

My apologies. The reading was 1.120. Sorry, I'm new at this. Thank you!

No worries, I kind of figured that is what it was.

 

[pete1325]

Hi, your starting SG should be between 1.090 and 1.10......1.020 is kind of low and will yield a 2-3% ABV. What volume of juice are you using, i.e. how many lbs./oz.'s for a five gallon batch?