Skittle Wine

[keena]

Its all your preference, some cover some don't. I cover all my wines. You will have similar results with both so don't worry yourself buddy.

 

[hvac36]

Mine turned out ok but I'll tell you, I didn't even add all the sugar that was called for and I still ended up making rocket fuel. Anyone thinking about making this stuff, I would add half the sugar and take a reading before adding the other half.

Always do a reading before adding any sugars. Have a Jolly rancher going and added -0- sugar as the reading was 1.090..

 

[VitruvianMan]

I noticed people talking about skittles for this wine, I thought about trying a tropical skittles wine and then trying the valentines day starburst one as that sounds good too, I glanced through the posts but wasnt sure if tropical skittles have been done yet and what the outcome was and also a recipe for the starburst one would be greatly appreciated! I also noticed that someone said start with half the sugar take a reading then add accordingly, is this a must? did anyone else have issues as well? Thanks guys for all your help and information!

 

[hvac36]

I noticed people talking about skittles for this wine, I thought about trying a tropical skittles wine and then trying the valentines day starburst one as that sounds good too, I glanced through the posts but wasnt sure if tropical skittles have been done yet and what the outcome was and also a recipe for the starburst one would be greatly appreciated! I also noticed that someone said start with half the sugar take a reading then add accordingly, is this a must? did anyone else have issues as well? Thanks guys for all your help and information!

Have done both, they turned out great. Starburst use the same recipe as skittles I have the Valentines starburst going now as well. I have Wildberry Jolly Ranchers going also.. Smell amazing..

 

[VitruvianMan]

Ok cool, thanks Jim

 

[hvac36]

Your welcome...

 

[Milkman06]

Have a quick question. My wine has been fermenting for about 8 days. I just racked from my plastic primary to a glass gallon carboy. When it was finished the top of the liquid in the carboy comes to the bottom of the handle. I will try to attach a pic. Will this be ok or can I or do I need to top off with something. I was going to try to get a little out of the primary, but didn't want to get any settlement or the white mess at the top.

 

[hvac36]

If your still fermenting you should be good. Once complete and you add clearing agent and back sweeten that will fill the void.

 

[keena]

I made Valentines starburst wine last year and just bottled it like a month ago, its in my to 3 wines made! Very good

 

[VitruvianMan]

I go back and forth on if I want to make this, I keep saying I do then I see people talking about white slime and sludge and other things so IM not sure if I want to mess with this as I am still new in the world of wines lol. I have made a couple batches of other wine but this is a little different and I would be starting with a 1 gallon batch so any tips from anyone other than the ones stated on this thread would be greatly appreciated!

 

[VitruvianMan]

Have a quick question. My wine has been fermenting for about 8 days. I just racked from my plastic primary to a glass gallon carboy. When it was finished the top of the liquid in the carboy comes to the bottom of the handle. I will try to attach a pic. Will this be ok or can I or do I need to top off with something. I was going to try to get a little out of the primary, but didn't want to get any settlement or the white mess at the top.

Did you follow the one gallon recipe on this thread?

 

[VitruvianMan]

Ok I have 2 gallons going o9f skittle wine going, I raked it off last night and I'm now getting ready to do at least 5 gallons more.

The color is a muddy brown but does it ever smell and taste good.

I used danda's recipe but doubled it for the 2 gallons. I added the recipe and converted it to ounces and pounds.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=82751&postcount=15

All Ingredients are per gallon
3/4 pounds of skittles
2 1/4 pounds of sugar
8.4 oz grape concentrate
1 tsp pectolase
Tannin
Nutrient
1 tsp acid blend or citric acid
Yeast

Pour the Skittles in a jug or bowl, pour over 2 pints of boiling water. Make sure that it boiling as you need to kill off all the preservatives.
Keep stirring, it will go into a gooey stodge but it will dissolve
add the sugar.
When cool to room temperature add the rest of ingredients
Put into a clean demi john.
Top up to shoulders of demi john with cold water. Fit an airlock and leave to ferment. This may take a few days or a couple of weeks depending on the temperature.
During this time you will get a orangey colour scum, this is ok.
When the bubbles stop coming through the airlock, or slow down to about one every 2 minutes.
Siphon off into a clean demi john. You may need to strain the wine to get rid of some bits left over.
Add 1 campden tablet and potassium sorbate.
Leave to clear.
When clear, siphon into a clean demi john or bottle.
Leave it a couple of weeks then add a campden before bottling.

OK so it says 8.4 oz of grape concentrate? Would you use regular grape or white grape? Did you use the frozen grape concentrate and mix to make 48 oz or whatever it calls for on back of roll?

 

[keena]

I used 1 can of white grape and didn't mix it with any water.

Also, a few days before I boiled my candy to melt it, then froze it, this helps you to remove ALOT of the wax. It freezes up on top of it. I was able to catch mine after the wax froze but before the Candy froze so I pulled almost all the wax off in one sheet.

 

[Milkman06]

Yes I followed the recipe. How will I know when its done fermenting? The day I racked while it was still in the primary, a bubble was coming thru airlock about every 55 sec. Now I haven't seen one. I've watched over a min. I think I'm going to give it another week and a half just to be sure.

 

[keena]

Time is your best friend, mine sat for about 6 months now and I had a bottle last night, pretty tasty. When you clear be sure to treat with amylase enzyme first, that will pull the starches out of the wine that is left from the skittles. Otherwise clearing is difficult.

 

[Milkman06]

Tomorrow is day 21. I am planning racking into a clean carboy and adding a campden tab and k sorbate. I tried the wine yesterday and it had a good taste but not sweet enough for me and definitely forth fiancée. I ordered a auto siphon and a hydrometer that will be in tomorrow also. What should the SG be when it is done fermenting? Then what is a good SG to back sweeten to? This is my first time making wine. I will also be adding sparkolloid after 24 hours of stabilizing. So should I back sweeten exactly?

 

[keena]

Sg should be at 1. I back sweetened to 1.015. But it's really your call. For sweet wines the average I seem to see is about 1.004-1.012. My fiance likes it really sweet tho. I have a different wine that's at 1.020 that she likes, too sweet for me tho.

 

[fivebk]

I would not back-sweeten it untill after you have added the sparkolloid and given it time to clear your wine. Then sweeten slowly tasting as you go untill it's where you think it should be. Don't try and shoot for a certain SG because everyones taste is different. When you get it right where you want it, take an SG reading and record it in your notes. I sweeten a small amount, take a reading and adjust the rest of the batch to match that reading.

BOB

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

For those that have made the starburst wine did you also freeze after the boil to eliminate a wax layer? I've done the skittles and it worked well but I'm getting ready to try a v-day starburst gallon batch

 

[hvac36]

For those that have made the starburst wine did you also freeze after the boil to eliminate a wax layer? I've done the skittles and it worked well but I'm getting ready to try a v-day starburst gallon batch

Yes freezer or frig.
Here is Starburst All Red's fresh from the Primary..