Rhubarb Dessert Wine Step Feeding Question

[Khristyjeff]

I'm in the process of making this Rhubarb into dessert wine and it's also my first try at step feeding with sugar. Based on suggestions from this forum, when the SG got down to 1.010, I added enough sugar to raise to 1.020. I've done this twice. The last time fermentation slowed way down and took about 2-1/2 weeks to get back to 1.010. My goal is to max out the EC-1118 at 18% ABV if possible. If my calculations are correct I would need to add the sugar in the same manner at least a couple more times to reach 18%.

My question is, should I add a nutrient and/or more yeast the next time I add the sugar or just continue as I have knowing it will be a very slow fermentation process? Thanks for any advice you can offer. I always learn a lot here. @winemaker81 @Rice_Guy

 

[winemaker81]

At this point, let the SG drop to 1.000 before adding sugar, and you may want to bump to just 1.005. The closer the ABV gets to the strain's ABV tolerance, the slower the ferment will go. This makes sense, as the yeast is poisoning its own environment.

A small amount of nutrient, say 1/4 or 1/5 dose for the volume may help. Do this only once.

Making an overnight starter may also help, as you're introducing a large, fresh colony. But it's also a poisoned environment, so I'd only try this once. If it doesn't help, well, it's not going to help.

Understand that you may not hit 18%. Every batch of yeast is different, so you may not get as much as you hope. If it's below 18% when it quits, consider adding EverClear to bump it. If nothing else, this will help guarantee that you won't get a renewed fermentation in the bottle.

IIRC, @hounddawg has step fed above 18%. He may be able to offer better guidance.

 

[Rice_Guy]

? what pH ?

Wine is a multiple variable preservative system. This means that EC1118 will perform better at pH 3.5 than at 3.2. If you are at pH 3.0 it will get stuck at a lower alcohol and if 2.8 a still lower alcohol.
Industry finds where these limits are by trial, I haven’t seen any modeling that will predict the actual maximum alcohol.

 

[BigDaveK]

I step feed all my dessert wines and ports though my procedure is a bit different from what you did. I start higher, 1.095 at least, with 71B. When it gets below 1.030 I add EC1118, half dose nutrient, sugar to 1.050. When it hits 1.020ish I add sugar to 1.040ish. I add as often as I can. Every ferment is different - I've hit 20% a couple times and I crapped out at 17% once.

Keep in mind that with the higher alcohol even if you have residual sugar of 1.020 it won't taste real sweet. And the sugar will be mostly fructose, which I find better tasting than sucrose.

Good luck!

 

[Khristyjeff]

? what pH ?

Wine is a multiple variable preservative system. This means that EC1118 will perform better at pH 3.5 than at 3.2. If you are at pH 3.0 it will get stuck at a lower alcohol and if 2.8 a still lower alcohol.
Industry finds where these limits are by trial, I haven’t seen any modeling that will predict the actual maximum alcohol.

Good info. My pH was at 3.25.

 

[user 32114]

At this point, let the SG drop to 1.000 before adding sugar, and you may want to bump to just 1.005. The closer the ABV gets to the strain's ABV tolerance, the slower the ferment will go. This makes sense, as the yeast is poisoning its own environment.

A small amount of nutrient, say 1/4 or 1/5 dose for the volume may help. Do this only once.

Making an overnight starter may also help, as you're introducing a large, fresh colony. But it's also a poisoned environment, so I'd only try this once. If it doesn't help, well, it's not going to help.

Understand that you may not hit 18%. Every batch of yeast is different, so you may not get as much as you hope. If it's below 18% when it quits, consider adding EverClear to bump it. If nothing else, this will help guarantee that you won't get a renewed fermentation in the bottle.

IIRC, @hounddawg has step fed above 18%. He may be able to offer better guidance.

@winemaker81 , has just given you the way to go. once your ABV gets up near peak , then you just feed it slowly, as @winemaker81 stated
your killing your yeast, so that's just the way it goes, at times i get 20%, but it takes a lot of small slow step feeding, on my skeeter pee i run my up maxed out, then I mix a half gallon of everclear to 6 gallon of my skeeter pee, @winemaker81 & @Rice_Guy, are both very good just to name a couple. when i start a wine i triple the fruit/berry and using EC-1118 my SSG is 1.040, and yep your PH needs to be around 3
Dawg

 

[Khristyjeff]

At this point, let the SG drop to 1.000 before adding sugar, and you may want to bump to just 1.005. The closer the ABV gets to the strain's ABV tolerance, the slower the ferment will go. This makes sense, as the yeast is poisoning its own environment.

A small amount of nutrient, say 1/4 or 1/5 dose for the volume may help. Do this only once.

Making an overnight starter may also help, as you're introducing a large, fresh colony. But it's also a poisoned environment, so I'd only try this once. If it doesn't help, well, it's not going to help.

Understand that you may not hit 18%. Every batch of yeast is different, so you may not get as much as you hope. If it's below 18% when it quits, consider adding EverClear to bump it. If nothing else, this will help guarantee that you won't get a renewed fermentation in the bottle.

IIRC, @hounddawg has step fed above 18%. He may be able to offer better guidance.

Thank you. I added 1 tsp nutrient per gallon at the outset then Ferm-Aid K according to label at 1/3 sugar depletion. Still ok to add reduced levels of nutrient now to see if it gives a boost?

 

[winemaker81]

Still ok to add reduced levels of nutrient now to see if it gives a boost?

It may not help, but a bit won't hurt.

 

[winemanden]

It's just your luck. I do it in small amounts, more often. If you add too much sugar when nearing the limit, you could end up with a wine that is way too sweet!

 

[user 32114]

It's just your luck. I do it in small amounts, more often. If you add too much sugar when nearing the limit, you could end up with a wine that is way too sweet!

easy there, lol ,, beings i make high ABV's and run at least triple the fruit/berry, my FSG is 1.040
then the alcohol is hidden and it taste pretty much like the fruit/berry from the tree/bush/bramble/cane from which it came ,
but alas what can you say about a pour dum contrie deibedic .
Dawg

 

[winemanden]

easy there, lol ,, beings i make high ABV's and run at least triple the fruit/berry, my FSG is 1.040
then the alcohol is hidden and it taste pretty much like the fruit/berry from the tree/bush/bramble/cane from which it came ,
but alas what can you say about a pour dum contrie deibedic .
Dawg

Dawg, you are a SWEET guy