sweetening

[Stevew1]

I have a 6 gal carboy of gewertztraminer that I started from juice in September. I am looking to make half of it a semi sweet variety. What is the best sweetener to use, sugar, honey?? And how much should I add. I'm looking for a white zin sweetness or less.

 

[REDBOATNY]

Make a syrup 2cups sugar to 1cup water. heat on stove to disolve, let cool.
I usally do 4 cups sugar to 2 cups water for a five gallon batch and add to taste. 1.5 to 3 brix is my range.

 

[Julie]

If you use honey, that will changed the flavor of the wine.

Also, you can take some of the wine and warm that up and add sugar to that to sweeten your wine. Rule of thumb, 1 cup of sugar will sweetened one gallon .018.

 

[ffemt128]

I would agree with Julie, I always heat up some wine to disolve the sugar in opposed to water.

 

[btom2004]

Yes do heat the wine and add sugar.

 

[Stevew1]

Thank you for input. How long should should it rest before I taste it?

 

[novalou]

Thank you for input. How long should should it rest before I taste it?

I taste mine immediately after I add and stir. Once you get close to the sweetness you want, let it sit a couple of days and taste again before adding the final bit of sweetness.

 

[Julie]

I do as novalou does but I also take a hydrometer readings as I go along.

 

[ejr]

I always let mine lack a little of the sweetness i want,I like it a tad tart after i drink it for a while.

 

[REDBOATNY]

Water or wine for the syrup. You will not notice a cup of water in 5 gallons. With water, when you don't use it all, you wont be throwing your wine away. Also, the alcohol may be lost when heating the wine.

 

[Julie]

Water or wine for the syrup. You will not notice a cup of water in 5 gallons. With water, when you don't use it all, you wont be throwing your wine away. Also, the alcohol may be lost when heating the wine.

As stated about a cup of water not being noticed in a 5 gallon batch, same holds true with warming up a cup of wine. This is probably more of a personal preference. I just feel more comfortable without adding an additonal cup of water to my wine. Again, this is my personal comfort level.

 

[reefman]

I've noticed that the wine becomes sweeter with age, and have learned to back off a little on the final addition of invert sugar.

 

[Stevew1]

This has been very helpful. I will let you know how it turns out on Saturday.

 

[DaveL]

Just a guess but wouldn't you usually need to use wine just to make room for the syrup anyways??

 

[Julie]

Just a guess but wouldn't you usually need to use wine just to make room for the syrup anyways??

Yes you would

 

[btom2004]

Water or wine for the syrup. You will not notice a cup of water in 5 gallons. With water, when you don't use it all, you wont be throwing your wine away. Also, the alcohol may be lost when heating the wine.

We don't waste or throw away wine around here. We consume it. Heck the only time I get to taste any is at these stages of wine making. Then it's on to bottling and aging.

 

[Stevew1]

I drink all the red wine I make, I am making this for family members who like a sweeter white wine.

 

[REDBOATNY]

Just a guess but wouldn't you usually need to use wine just to make room for the syrup anyways??

Just to clarify, I mix up a 1/2 gallon of syrup using water and keep it in the fridge. I usually do several wines on the same day, and sweeten in a 23lt. bucket so i can mix well and test sweetness ,acid, ph, etc. and record.
This way I have a neutral sweetner to use in all and enough adjusted wine for a "bench sample" Believe me, none goes down the drain.

 

[jdmyers]

Everyone has a little different approach but remember its your wine taste it Taste it again. Then make sure it taste good to you

 

[Arne]

Don't forget to stabalize it before you sweeten or it is liable to take off fermenting again. Arne.