SG White wine ABV Too Low

[jlangley]

Hi all just after a bit of advice with an SG kit i have. 3kg sugar used as per kit instructions for 23 litres.

Been fermenting for 10 days now. SG was 1.065 and its now at 0.992, hasnt quite finished as still a few bubbles on surface of wine so am leaving it a few more days i think.

So ABV is coming out at just under 10% at the moment however i like my wine stronger at 14%.

Anyway i can kick start the wine to ferment upto 14%?

Thanks

 

[NotSure]

From the wine kits I've done it sounds like the yeast have finished with the sugar. With a gavity of 0.992, the bubbling is likely de-gassing. The only way to be sure the gravity is stable is to take another gravity measurment a few days after.
Using the gravities you listed, you should be at 9.6% ABV now, which seems appropriate for many wine kits. You're not going to get your final gravity lower by any significant amount, so you'll need to add sugar and back calculate the OG to get up to 14%. You may have to add more yeast.
If it were me, I'd be happy with the dry 9.6% ABV.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

So ABV is coming out at just under 10% at the moment however i like my wine stronger at 14%.

This is something we see posted occasionally and i have never understood it, how do you know the difference between a 10% and 14% wine i can honestly say i have never noticed the difference its about taste not %ABV surely.

 

[jlangley]

Sure strength is a major factor. Lets compare if i were shopping - id look for quality wines.and the majority being smooth oak and 13% 14%...in these tight times im looking for similar wines that i can brew the same but cheap! Its a matter of personal preference

 

[jof]

It's to comply with the new duty rates

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Sure strength is a major factor. Lets compare if i were shopping - id look for quality wines.and the majority being smooth oak and 13% 14%...in these tight times im looking for similar wines that i can brew the same but cheap! Its a matter of personal preference

Does the %ABV make any difference to the taste it's not something I have noticed.

(not trolling genuinely interested)

 

[jlangley]

For me it does yeah. Like i say, looking for tips how to make it stronger as its just personal preference

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Maybe drink this as it is and add more sugar to the next one.

 

[MashBag]

If you have not stopped the yeast in any way you could just add more sugar now.

In winemaking is is know as feeding. But be aware you might take the wine out of balance.

 

[evil.soup]

Out of curiosity, what SG kit have you selected? I only ask as I have been doing a bit of research around the SG kits and the platinum pinot grigio kit is said to come out at 10.5%.
As a rule, 13 to 14% is usually red wine strength, commercial whites tend not to get above 12%, especially in regard to the kits from my research.
I also like a strong wine by the way so I would be looking for a 12% white, but I would probably go down the route of brewing short, so maybe 20ltrs over the recommended 23ltrs to up the ABV without compromising the flavour by adding more sugar. Of course, that doesn't help your situation. As mentioned up the page, if what you have tastes good, just enjoy it and experiment with the next batch.
At least, in my mind, that's the approach I will probably take, happy to be corrected on weather or not this is the best approach though.

 

[MashBag]

That is a cracking good approach.
It is too easy to make more alcohol, but neglect the other elements of the wine, which actually make it a nice balanced drink.