Rookie Mango Pulp wine help

[Dordelli]

For my first ever wine, I went with a Mango Pulp wine recipe found in a home beer brewing forum. I am about 6 weeks in, primary is done, in the secondary now and is clearing nicely. My problem is (and I realize this should improve with time) that the wine is really hot, kinda like a vodka with a hint of mango. I don’t have the #’s in front of me but I started at SG of 1.1’ish and fermented down to .98 something, for sure below .990, it was at the last tick where my hydrometer stopped. I love mango and really want it less hot and more mango-ee but not super sweet.

My initial batch was 3 gals, so am thinking to do another batch (maybe 2 gals) with double the fruit and half the sugar as a blending wine to bring down the abv and up the flavor, thoughts?

Link to recipe I followed, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/mango-pulp-wine.216092

 

[mainshipfred]

I think you may find any fruit wine will benefit from a little back sweetening to bring out the fruitiness. Plus the high alcohol content doesn't help either. I don't make many fruit wines but found the SG of 1.080 is a good target. I might recommend doing a few bench trails to see if it helps but your idea of a second batch could work as well.

 

[Dordelli]

I think you may find any fruit wine will benefit from a little back sweetening to bring out the fruitiness. Plus the high alcohol content doesn't help either. I don't make many fruit wines but found the SG of 1.080 is a good target. I might recommend doing a few bench trails to see if it helps but your idea of a second batch could work as well.

I have tried a small glass, adding a 1/2 tsp of sugar and it does help a little, but the alcohol is still in your face. I have also considered just watering down slightly and adding a little more mango flavoring and putting on tap as a mango, carb’d, wine cooler for summer by the pool.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Try adding store bought mango juice. You will probably have to consider that to be sweetening, so you’ll need to add Kmeta and sorbate in order for the yeast to be halted.

You can either add juice to taste or use the Pearson Square (easy if it’s in spreadsheet form) to downsize your ABV.

 

[Raptor99]

I don't make many fruit wines but found the SG of 1.080 is a good target.

I make mainly fruit wines, and I agree. Most fruit wines taste best with an ABV of around 11-12%.

@Dordelli If you add mango juice, that will ferment as well unless you stabilize first. Another option is to add some mango juice at the time of serving as you suggest.

 

[Dordelli]

Thanks for the input, I ended up making a second 2 gallon batch with an SG of 1.054 using 6lbs of frozen mango and one 28oz can of mango puree, will see how that goes!

 

[hounddawg]

yup, the second to blend with can lower your overall ABV,
I make country wines, and to get your flavor back you need to back sweeten.
a starting SSG of 1.1 Is hot to say the least, I always double to triple my fruit/berry, beings i like a high ABV, but no alcohol taste which means tons of fruits/berries , then back sweeten to taste, a high ABV doesn't mean you half to have a hot taste, go very heavy on fruits/berries, I only keep EC-1118,
Best of crafting to you.
Dawg

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

I’ve only made from fresh or frozen mangos not pulp. Usually those pulps are very sweet, loaded with sugar. A little more water or even some white grape juice when starting your batch might be a benefit. I start by adding just enough sugar to get it up to 1.07 to 1.09

Only rarely have I gotten the rocket fuel taste, and I just let it age out and backsweeten after it mellows