Skittle Wine

[Elmer]

I dont have notes with me, because I am at work, but
My Starting SG on 5/5 was 1.080
SG on 5/11 was 1.010

I found that boiling the water, dumping on the skittles then leaving in the fridge over night worked wonders. I was able to scrap the wax off. However there was still wax and weird sediment that floated to the top.
I have a feeling this is going to be a pain to completely clear.
I also a little short on the filling completly, so this will allow me room when I make a sweetening solution (water/melted skittles/white grape conc).
I just have to figure out the ratios and math on the sweetening. Dang you math, my old nemisis!

 

[YourCaptain]

I couldn't wait.

I substituted the grape concentrate with 1 litre 100% (preservative free) grape juice.

Went a bit wild with the sugar... It going to be strong... not the worst thing in the world.

 

[photoactivist]

I substituted the grape concentrate with 1 litre 100% (preservative free) grape juice.

Went a bit wild with the sugar... It going to be strong... not the worst thing in the world.

What ended up being your initial SG? Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond to your question before you started; but I don't think your solution will be a problem. Just gotta watch the brix levels...
Though I am quite interested to hear what you ended up with after your warning!

 

[YourCaptain]

My initial SG was a mere - wait for it - 1.140.

That being said, I was drinking wine and having plenty good conversion while reading the recipe and doing the conversion to metric units... I made a boo boo

I have a potential abv of 18%

I think it could be a skittle shooter when all is said and done hehehehe...

 

[Elmer]

I am considering this venture and batch a failure. I know it is still early and maybe there is a chance to turn around, however I am not so sure. and I dont know that it will taste like I had initially imagined!

SG has settled or stalled at 1.010, been there easily for a week and a half. I played with the temp a bit to see if this would work, but it has remained stuck. SO I have settled for 1.010 and racked off the lees, added k-meta, pot sorbate & some sparkalloid.
I added a sweetening mixture ( less than 1 liter of water w/ 2 oz of melted skittles and 2 oz of white grape-raspberry concentrate).
I must say that @ 1.010 the taste was tart, but that could be the sediment.
The wine after racked, is still a thick mixture and filled with sediment and lots of floaty things.

I am going to leave it in the jug for a few weeks, in hopes that it clears and let the sparkalloid do its job. I am hoping to have something that is somewhat attractive to drink and does not scare people off.
If not, I will never attempt this kind of wine again. Maybe it was just more than a NOOB like me should have tried!

 

[saramc]

Elmer....for a wine started on 5/5 you are still early in the scheme of things. I think everyone has had their batch look exactly like yours. It should be fine, be patient.

Did you rack before adding the Sparkalloid? If you keep this and you want to boost the ACV you can fill a glass jar with some Skittles, cover with pure grain/vodka and they should dissolve overnight. Google 'skittles shots, skittles vodka' for specifics. This mixture adds nice candy flavor too.

 

[Elmer]

Elmer....for a wine started on 5/5 you are still early in the scheme of things. I think everyone has had their batch look exactly like yours. It should be fine, be patient.

Did you rack before adding the Sparkalloid? If you keep this and you want to boost the ACV you can fill a glass jar with some Skittles, cover with pure grain/vodka and they should dissolve overnight. Google 'skittles shots, skittles vodka' for specifics. This mixture adds nice candy flavor too.

yes I racked, But when racking I think I sucked some of the goop up.

I made a sweeting agent to top up with. 1 pint boiling water poured over 2 oz of skittles (which I put in the fridge to get rid of the wax). I also added 2 oz of white grape-raspberry concentrate.

I am going to be patient, but this batch has been more labor intensive than any other.
I also fear this will be tougher to clear than any other!

 

[Elmer]

The sparkalloid is working. There is a ton of visiable sediment on the bottom of the jug.

However I just dont see this wine clearing. It may just remain a thick, muddy wine!

Anyone else have this wine remain thick and brownish?

 

[DumpsterJedi]

Not to re-ask a question but I've seen on here folk's use Sparkelloid or Superkleer for fining agents on this wine, what about Bentonite? Is that a no no?

 

[Elmer]

Not to re-ask a question but I've seen on here folk's use Sparkelloid or Superkleer for fining agents on this wine, what about Bentonite? Is that a no no?

I only use Bentonite when it comes with a kit.
Otherwise I use Sparkalloid when I am:
A) in a hurry
B) impatience
3) it is extra muky and wont clear to my satisfaction.

Otherwise I use time and patience

 

[photoactivist]

The sparkalloid is working. There is a ton of visiable sediment on the bottom of the jug.

However I just dont see this wine clearing. It may just remain a thick, muddy wine!

Anyone else have this wine remain thick and brownish?

Did you use the amylase enzyme in conjunction with super kleer? This is central to the clarification.

 

[Elmer]

Did you use the amylase enzyme in conjunction with super kleer? This is central to the clarification.

No I did not.
I must have simply omitted picking up some amylase enzyme.
is it too late to add?

Or should i just let time do its work?

 

[photoactivist]

No I did not.
I must have simply omitted picking up some amylase enzyme.
is it too late to add?

Or should i just let time do its work?

Seems everyone who did not use the amylase never truly got clarity. The belief was that the skittles have some kind of starch that will not fall with lees.
If you haven't yet racked it since you used the sparkeloid or super-kleer, I say go ahead and add the amylase enzyme. Then stir the entire thing super well so the starch gets attached to the chitosan.

I actually have an update of my batch coming soon regarding my backsweetened bottles that continued to clarify after corking. So I think you will see a difference in adding amylase even at this point.

Even if you have racked since sparkl/kleer... Add the amylase. What's the worst that can happen? Your wine is already murky...

 

[dessertmaker]

The enzyme will do what it does whether the fining agents is present in the wine or not. But if it were my wine, I'd add the enzyme and sparkolloid it again at the same time anyway. It's not gonna hurt it.

 

[jamesngalveston]

you could also try the century old method of
egg white

 

[dessertmaker]

Egg white is for positive charged particles, sparkeloid is for negative charged particles. What works with one may not necessarily work with the other. I usually use bentonite (positive) during primary and sparkeloid(negative) during secondary on hard to clear wines. I'd be apprehensive at using both sparkeloid and egg white in a small batch though. Those little 1 gallons can develop off flavors quick!

 

[greyday]

Not to re-ask a question but I've seen on here folk's use Sparkelloid or Superkleer for fining agents on this wine, what about Bentonite? Is that a no no?

I used bentonite. It worked pretty well, but I need to transfer it to know for sure how well. But either way, yes, you can indeed use bentonite.

 

[Elmer]

The enzyme will do what it does whether the fining agents is present in the wine or not. But if it were my wine, I'd add the enzyme and sparkolloid it again at the same time anyway. It's not gonna hurt it.

I racked then added another batch of sparkalloid and some enzyme. Hopefully the sparkalloid will get rid of all the floaters.
I think I will give it a week or 2 and then bottle it.
I did give it a taste and it was not bad. Not great, but not the worst thing I have ever made. Hopefully time will help.
My 1st regret is using white grape raspberry concentrate as a part of the backsweetening mixture. The taste is raspberry followed by a skittle taste.

 

[Elmer]

I went and checked the next day and this bugger was darn near clear.
What a difference the amylase enzyme made.
now knowing this, making another batch may be worth it!
Now if I could just solve the problem of all those white floaters that rise to the top!

 

[photoactivist]

I went and checked the next day and this bugger was darn near clear.
What a difference the amylase enzyme made.
now knowing this, making another batch may be worth it!

Tres bien, Elmer! Glad to hear your zeal has reinvigorated itself after your discovery. Come on, three hundred some-odd posts can't be wrong.