Major foul up

[oogaboogachief]

I started my cherry about three weeks back. Racked into secondary two weeks ago. Now for the foul I notices in my notes I only used ten cup of sugar when it should have been more like ten pounds. So yesterday I drew out enough liqwuid to make room for 5 lb sack of sugar. I added it with a little foaming over and airlocked after the foaming slowed. I pitched a red star yeast to begin with and it doesn't seem to be going now. Can I pitch another yeast of a different brand like 1122. Thanks for any opinions or advise. Mike

 

[oldbloke]

How much wine are you making?

 

[oogaboogachief]

Six gallons. I did not have the hydrometer when I put it together. Mike

 

[bobsbeer]

As you now have a hydrometer what is your SG? 10lb of sugar is a lot of sugar for 6 gallons. Are you sure that is correct? If so you are making rocket fuel. I would have guessed that with your cherries and 5lb sugar you would have been in the region of 1.080-1.090, which would have given you a wine at 12%ish. Your further addition of 5lb sugar will have sent the yeast into a spin and crash. You would need a high alcohol yeast to get it going. You best bet is to divide the must into another fermenter and top up with water to make 12 gallons. Also add some more cherries if you can to maintain the body.

 

[oldbloke]

No, I don't think 10lb is too much for 6 gallons - 2.5lb per gallon gives a dry wne of about 14%. Add in the cherries and the sugar's about right, I reckon.

Has the yeast managed to get going again? With the colony thinned out by the racking and the shock of all that sugar suddenly appearing, it may struggle or even give up.
If it doesn't get going within a couple of days, I'd pitch some more. It's only a quid or so and better than binning the lot.

 

[oogaboogachief]

Thanks for the ideas. The yeast is still not doing much just a few small bubbles. I figure ten lbs would be a lot closer than ten cups. Most recipies that use fruit read 2 1/2 lbs or 4 1/2 cups sugar a gallon. Ten cups would have only been enough for a little over two gallons.I am out of the Redstar corte blanco yeast which is what I used to start. Can I use Lalvin 1122? Mike

 

[oldbloke]

Any yeast should work, they just give slightly different flavours, grow at different rates in different nutrient environments, and give up at different alcohol levels.
Lalvin 1122 should be fine, from what I just read on their data sheet

 

[bobsbeer]

Where are you getting your recipe from? Cup measures would suggest from across the pond.

 

[oogaboogachief]

Got it out of an old wine book but I read the same on most brew sites. Probably need more like 15 lbs for the six gallon jug. Checked sg with hydrometer and it says 1020 Got a yeast starter going and thinking about adding about 2 lbs more sugar. Mike

 

[bobsbeer]

Checked sg with hydrometer and it says 1020

Was that before or after you added the extra sugar?

 

[oogaboogachief]

After I added the sugar it read 1020

 

[bobsbeer]

You seem to be still on the low side. How many lbs/kg of cherries did you add? By my reckoning you have now added about 4.54kg (10lb) in 27lt which would give you 168g per lt. That would equate to a SG of about 1.065 or 8.6%ABV. To this you need to add the sugar content of your cherries. USDA quote Sweet cherries as having a sugar content of 12.82g per 100g of cherry. Although I have seen 14% or 14g per 100g quoted. Anyway by adding the cherry sugar to your total you should be able to calculate your original SG and from that figure out the ABV.

I agree I was a bit hasty in saying you had too much sugar. I work in kg and lts so wrongly jumped to thinking you had put in 10kg!

 

[oogaboogachief]

Thanks Bob I went ahead and added 4 1/2 cups more last night I now have a total of 28 cups for six gallons. If I figured correctly this should be just a little over two lbs per gallon. I didn't take another sg after adding the sugar last night. Mike

 

[bobsbeer]

You should be fine now. I presume your yeast got going again?

 

[oogaboogachief]

I added some nutrient and energizer plus a little warm water bath and it looks like it may start on it's own if not I have a nice apple juice bottle full of 1122 for back up. I went ahead and pulled a sample and it read 1040. I am pretty sure the yeast has already eaten the ten cups plus some of the cherry sugars. so I will just wait and see how much kick it has when it ages out. Debbie has been chilling the excess I drew off to make room for the extra sugar and it already has alcohol in it for sure. Hope I have stumbled around long enough to get something drinkable from this. Since I go by oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer I thought about naming my stuff Stumbling Deer. Mike

 

[oogaboogachief]

I got impatient and added half the starter about seven or so then the other half at ten. At eleven o clock it is bubbling right steady now. I thought I had ruined hrs of picking and hoping for some smooth headaches <gg>. Mike

 

[bobsbeer]

Looks like it's now time to sit back and relax. :thumb:

 

[oogaboogachief]

Mine taste like high alcohol cough syrup. Is this the normal taste?? Not to happy with it so far. I followed the how to guide. It is two months old. Mike

 

[oldbloke]

I may be entirely wrong but I think the cough syrup effect is down to slightly too much sugar. The wine suddenly goes from having body to being syruppy. Is it also just slightly sweet (or at least, not entirely dry?)
And also a lack of tannin. Perhaps.