Raisin a question or two

[Binkei Huckaback]

Berry's wine books are wildly inaccurate at far as sugar goes.
I have made a couple of nice wines from his books though. Generally by adjusting the sugar content.

Somewhere on the internet some kine soul has posted all of Berry's recipes updated with more appropriate levels od sugar.

Apparently his book on beer is absolutely awful generally.

 

[Wynott]

Somewhere on the internet some kine soul has posted all of Berry's recipes updated with more appropriate levels od sugar.

...if you have any idea where to start looking for this would really appreciate it.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I know it's available as a downloan on another forum, but don't know if I'm allowed to link to it here. Can a moderator tell me if that's ok?

 

[Wynott]

Start off with OG 1.070 and feed with 4oz syrup when gravity falls to 1.005 and repeat until fermentation stops

Hi John, does this mean taking the SG twice each time i.e. before and after adding the sugar, so you know where you are with the maths? (Sorry if I'm being a bit dense)

 

[johncrobinson]

You have raised a very good point Wynott.
Its very easy to lose track and keep an eye just how much sugar has been added.

The way I simplify the problem is this:>
Lets say we are making 1gal of wine,I start off short, at a "standard" (that is best for the yeast) gravity, Normally 1070. Then add invert syrup feed to slowly top up the demijohn to a KNOWN TOTAL volume (1gal) all the while keeping track of the TOTAL weight of sugar used.

Its easy to calibrate the demijohn, with a marker and tape.I use a cheap set of digital scales for weighing the sugar.
They will weigh down to 0.1grams so are also usefull for the nutrient/chemicals.

Since I now know the Total weight of sugar in the volume
It then becomes/reverts to a "simple" gravity problem.
This method allso accounts for any sugar in the fruit.
After doing it a few times you can simply go by eye.

Hope this helps.

 

[nige]

I'm in the process of parsnip raisin and banana wine, As John C will acknowledge, I've tried a couple of glasses and it's amazing now but its still going after the last feed so I think it will ferment dry, I'm not sure of the final abv of this but I doubt you will get much higher. I used gervin g4 yeast.
John will get some of this for expert guidance so he can give me welcome critique when it finally finishes. My partner manages a fruit shop so my choices are plenty it's djs I'm short of so can't wait to bottle this and start another challenge.

 

[johncrobinson]

Its STILL going nige, !!!!!

I checked the spec on g4 It has a very high alcohol tolerance.
I think you will have produced rocket fuel.

PS thanks for the kind words.

 

[nige]

Yes it still going, I tasted a couple of weeks back and it was very nice sweetish wine so pretty confident it will end up dryish so Yes it's going to be pretty much as high as you can get however the flavour masks the alcohol. That will be until the bottle is empty and you can't get out of your chair!!!.

 

[johncrobinson]

As I have said on other threads when doing high alcohol,Its a case of the more fruit the better.

Very light things like flower,tea and table wines are best made to a lower abv.

 

[Richie_asg1]

Are you saying that a delicate wine should be low end ABV but a more robust wine can take the Higher ABV's without it just being a harsh alcohol? Sounds sensible.

 

[johncrobinson]

Sort of
Just as cask strength whisky will numb the palate without a drop of water.
Also there will be more fermentation by products.

An overestrength delicate wine can paradoxically taste watery.

 

[johncrobinson]

In the past i have tried pushing alcohol levels to the max for experimental purposes most of my country wines i have made in recent years have been around the 15-16% abv mark.
This gives a nice dessert wine that is noticeably alcoholic but still ferments dry in a couple of weeks At this abv the wine also keeps and ages well without excessive use of sulphite.
If i think the wine needs to go higher i tend to top up with cheap brandy.

 

[Wynott]

You have raised a very good point Wynott.
Its very easy to lose track and keep an eye just how much sugar has been added.

The way I simplify the problem is this:>
Thanks, John. I think I may have been overcomplicating things, but I am beginning to find my feet a bit now. Well I was, until I tasted the 'grapefruit WOW' I think that's headed towards the drain. On a brighter note, though, my Dandelion is good, and my Peach (yes, CJJB) is even better. I am going to start popping tea bags into some fermented wines, after tasting them first. Oh, and I can hardly wait for the Pomegranate, since tasting that one!

 

[johncrobinson]

Well you ask some very valid questions Wynot.
So i dont mind answering at all.

I used to make wine from carton juice years before the internet,I found these wines very drinkable much sooner than traditional country wine.To be honest at the time I thought it was my own bright idea.
Since no books at the time mentioned it.

Tea bags are an interesting one,They are normally added for tannin,But of course tea is not just tannin.
Its a whole cocktail of flavours which will interact in the wine in countless ways.So you can have loads of fun there.

 

[Wynott]

Hi @johncrobinson. I'm enjoying finding out lots of things as I go along. I have put just one teabag into a DJ of Rosehip, it's already added colour, I'll taste it later. I think the Rosehip in question may be a slightly sneaky little number, we shall see. I am gradually improving my record keeping, and pleased to say I have squidged 3lb sugar into the aperitif, and into a parsnip, they have both fermented well, still going, and around the 1000 mark with the added syrup. My banana seemed to have stopped and was a little sweet, and I wondered what would happen when I added the recommended 4oz chopped raisins, but they all gathered themselves on the surface, and it's slowly started again. The most unusual wine so far has been the Tea & Caraway, which I expect to bottle in about a month or so. I've decided to store all the reds (blackberry, elderberry, sloe etc) for at least a year in brown DJs before looking at them with any sort of sensible eye. I'm going to try a Prune next, and goodness, it won't be long before Dandelion season again!

 

[Wynott]

Errr....should I be racking my banana wine which is clear, has sediment, but is still fermenting. And if so, how, with 1/4lb of chopped raisins at the top. Anyone know What Happens Next? (lovely colour btw)