making Elderflower wine -not sure what to do next

[Pod 7]

Im in the process of trying my first attempt at wine making.

So far Ive done the first stages of two 1 gallon batches of elderflower wine, so far so good, but not sure what to do next.

Ive got as far as doing the first racking -I did primary fermentation in a FV, then put in a demijohn.

I did measure the SG, It was 1.095 at start and is now measures somewhere between 0.990 and 0.995
there are no bubbles through the airlock.

I tried it at each stage -now it tastes very dry and not great -although I understand that is to be expected and I need to wait.

So how long do I leave in the demijohn?
do I do another racking in a few weeks?
I think I want to back sweeten -do I do that after using finings to clear?

Apols for all the Qs!

 

[BenBroadley88]

Hey Pod 7!

If your gravity readings have been stable for a couple of days then its usually fine to move onto the subsequent stages, it sounds like you are near, but if you can be patient, then thats not really going to have any negative impact to give it extra time.

I'm more of a beer brewer than wine, so take this advice as you want, but I would rack off the sediment once your happy that fermentation is complete. Re-rack it, and then add your finings. After a few days, once the finings have had time to do their thing, rack again and add your stabilisers - allow a further 24-48 hours.

Back sweeten when you are ready to bottle. Either add the sweetener to the whole batch in bulk (and give a little stir), or add a proportionate amount to each bottle. Adding to the whole batch is likely to be more accurate and produce more consistent results across all bottles.

 

[GerritT]

14%? What yeast did you use?
How are you planning to backsweeten?

 

[kelper]

If you put a teaspoon of sugar in some of the bottles it will turn to elderflower champagne! But they must be proper beer bottles able to take some pressure or fizzy pop bottles.

 

[Pod 7]

14%? What yeast did you use?
How are you planning to backsweeten?

I used LALVIN 71B-1122 yeast

yes I want to back sweeten.

Im not sure in what order to do things -I realise I may need to use campden tablets and potassium sorbate to stop fermentation before backsweetening.

my confusion is Ive heard some suggestions its best to leave the wine in bulk for a while to let it mature as its flavour will improve and may need not too much sweetening.

 

[Pod 7]

Hey Pod 7!

If your gravity readings have been stable for a couple of days then its usually fine to move onto the subsequent stages, it sounds like you are near, but if you can be patient, then thats not really going to have any negative impact to give it extra time.

I'm more of a beer brewer than wine, so take this advice as you want, but I would rack off the sediment once your happy that fermentation is complete. Re-rack it, and then add your finings. After a few days, once the finings have had time to do their thing, rack again and add your stabilisers - allow a further 24-48 hours.

Back sweeten when you are ready to bottle. Either add the sweetener to the whole batch in bulk (and give a little stir), or add a proportionate amount to each bottle. Adding to the whole batch is likely to be more accurate and produce more consistent results across all bottles.

many thanks for the advice.

Ive racked off so there is no sediment on the bottom, although the wine is quite cloudy.
should I let it clear on its own for a while, or add the finings now?

I was hoping to open the wine Christmas time, so am not in a rush.

when backsweetening do I add the sugar dry or do put the sugar in hot water and make a syrup and add that?

from what you are saying, I should re-rack, add finings then when clear add stabilisers -and then finally backsweeten before bottling

 

[kelper]

I wouldn't class 0.995 as dry. My wines get even lower sometimes and they are off-dry or medium. I'd suggest not sweetening all of your bottles now and see how they develop over a month or two. Maybe you taste a little harshness which will mellow. Did you remove all the stalks?

 

[Pod 7]

I wouldn't class 0.995 as dry. My wines get even lower sometimes and they are off-dry or medium. I'd suggest not sweetening all of your bottles now and see how they develop over a month or two. Maybe you taste a little harshness which will mellow. Did you remove all the stalks?

I carefully cut the flowers off as close to the flower head as poss -the only stalks were the thin bits attached to the flower.

I presume its fine to leave the wine in the demijohns - if so I will leave them for a month or so and taste test again.

do I leave the air lock in or just fit a normal bung now -there isnt any bubbling at all

 

[kelper]

You can put a solid bung in. You can test in a few days if there's any pressure, or leave the airlock in - what's the harm? Unless the temperature swings a lot and causes the demijon to breathe in and out.

 

[Tony Palmer]

Elderflower wine should clear itself. Give it time. Your options are to back sweeten with a non calorific sweetener, I use those those small Splenda (Sucralose tablets) typically 3 pills per bottle so no Sorbate needed. Given the high starting gravity getting a secondary fermentation is unlikely. However I make an Elderflower wine of about 7% abv then sweeten with home made elderflower cordial (to give 11g/750 ml bottle, add a new yeast EC1118 Lalvin is best) then bottle in champagne botttles again using Sucralose depending on how Brut or semi brut you want,

 

[Tanglefoot]

many thanks for the advice.

Ive racked off so there is no sediment on the bottom, although the wine is quite cloudy.
should I let it clear on its own for a while, or add the finings now?

If you didn't add pectolase to the must you can add a teaspoon per gallon now and it will drop a significant amount of sediment and help clear the haze.
I did'nt use any finings at all on this batch

 

[Pod 7]

If you didn't add pectolase to the must you can add a teaspoon per gallon now and it will drop a significant amount of sediment and help clear the haze.
I did'nt use any finings at all on this batch

View attachment 27941

many thanks for the tip -the recipe I used didnt say pectolase so I didnt add any -but as I have some, Ill give it a go now and see what happens.

My wine is the same colour as yours....but cloudy