I have the below recipe for sweet sherry type wine. I don't understand however the part about filling the glass fermentation jar up to the neck with water. The amount of water added to do this would vary depending on the jar used. I have a 500cl jar. Do I need to keep any record of the amount of water added and avoid removing this from the jar when bottling?
Many thanks,
Josh
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SWEET SHERRY
As explained above, the flavor of sweet sherry originates from the oxidation in the later stages of storage under a porous cotton-wool plug. A sherry flor cannot form, so there is no point using a flor yeast; a normal sherry or port yeast will be satisfactory. The recipe below is for Cream Sherry and was devised by the late Mr Charles Hewett. It is reproduced by courtesy of Mrs Grace Parsons.
Sugar - 1.6 kg
Crystal malt - 450g
Chopped raisins - 450g
Citric acid - Half teaspoon
Grape tannin - Half teaspoon
Pectolase
Water to 4.5 litres
Port or Sherry yeast and nutrient
Coarsely chop the raisins. Using a bucket with a lid mix the crystal malt, 2 lb (900 g) of sugar and raisins. Pour on 2.5 pints (1.5 litres) of boiling water to dissolve the sugar and leave for half an hour. Then add 5 pints (2.8 litres) of cold water, add the other ingredients and leave for 24 hours, keeping well covered. Prepare the yeast according to instructions on the packet and add to the must. When the fermentation has begun keep in a warm place at a temperature of between 20 - 25 C (68 - 78 F) and stir daily. On the seventh day dissolve the remaining sugar in 1 pint (600 ml) of boiling water, when cool add to the must and leave for 2 days. Strain through a nylon sieve into a glass fermentation jar. Fill the jar to the bottom of the neck with cold water and continue fermentation under an air-lock for about 4 weeks. Rack off into a clean jar, replace the air-lock with a bung of cotton wool and leave until clear. Rack off and bottle.
Notes
Specific gravity should be 1020 or lower.
Sweeten with sugar syrup 1020-1035.
Fortify each bottle with a sherry glass of cheap brandy.
To make a medium-sweet sherry use 4 ounces less sugar at second stage and take down to 1005-1010 S.G.
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Many thanks,
Josh
********
SWEET SHERRY
As explained above, the flavor of sweet sherry originates from the oxidation in the later stages of storage under a porous cotton-wool plug. A sherry flor cannot form, so there is no point using a flor yeast; a normal sherry or port yeast will be satisfactory. The recipe below is for Cream Sherry and was devised by the late Mr Charles Hewett. It is reproduced by courtesy of Mrs Grace Parsons.
Sugar - 1.6 kg
Crystal malt - 450g
Chopped raisins - 450g
Citric acid - Half teaspoon
Grape tannin - Half teaspoon
Pectolase
Water to 4.5 litres
Port or Sherry yeast and nutrient
Coarsely chop the raisins. Using a bucket with a lid mix the crystal malt, 2 lb (900 g) of sugar and raisins. Pour on 2.5 pints (1.5 litres) of boiling water to dissolve the sugar and leave for half an hour. Then add 5 pints (2.8 litres) of cold water, add the other ingredients and leave for 24 hours, keeping well covered. Prepare the yeast according to instructions on the packet and add to the must. When the fermentation has begun keep in a warm place at a temperature of between 20 - 25 C (68 - 78 F) and stir daily. On the seventh day dissolve the remaining sugar in 1 pint (600 ml) of boiling water, when cool add to the must and leave for 2 days. Strain through a nylon sieve into a glass fermentation jar. Fill the jar to the bottom of the neck with cold water and continue fermentation under an air-lock for about 4 weeks. Rack off into a clean jar, replace the air-lock with a bung of cotton wool and leave until clear. Rack off and bottle.
Notes
Specific gravity should be 1020 or lower.
Sweeten with sugar syrup 1020-1035.
Fortify each bottle with a sherry glass of cheap brandy.
To make a medium-sweet sherry use 4 ounces less sugar at second stage and take down to 1005-1010 S.G.
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