Fruit T bag wine

[chris]

Sorry, newbie question:

What does "Sugar to sg 1.080 or 1.090" mean? Do I float the hydrometer and just keep adding sugar (stirring?) until its the right measurement?

Thanks.

[chris]

Would the DJ be better wrapped to keep the colour?

[Two_Sheds]

What does "Sugar to sg 1.080 or 1.090" mean? Do I float the hydrometer and just keep adding sugar (stirring?) until its the right measurement?

Wine has to be over 10% alcohol or it won't keep. 1.090 gives (if I remember right) a finished wine of about 12%.
To go stronger, you'd need a dessert wine/port style yeast and more sugar added at intervals.
Don't add sugar to the mixture: dissolve it first in boiling water so it's a syrup

Would the DJ be better wrapped to keep the colour?

If you like. If you've not got the DJ in bright sunlight it doesn't make much difference, imo.
You can get brown DJs, but I don't like them because it's hard to see the liquid and the sediment with them.

[chris]

I have 3 brown DJ's, but am going to give them away (can't see if they are clean).

I did just add sugar, and it sat on the bottom The rest of the bag I dissolved in 1/2 a pint of water and added it in... I did have a query though, can't remember what someone (from the vine I think?) told me last night.

If I've dissolved this sugar in boiling water, then adding this to the must will increase the temperature a bit I guess? My hydrometer is calibrated at 20°C, I tested it last night and it was a bit high at 1.100SG. Thought bugger it, and just stuck the bung on.

Afterwards, I thought I'd check the temp - and it was around 30°C.. d'oh!

It's bubbling away nicely now though. If it fails, I'll give it another go

[Two_Sheds]

it was a bit high at 1.100SG.

No, that's fine. It'll give you a finished wine of about 13-14% if your yeast can handle it

It's bubbling away nicely now though. If it fails, I'll give it another go

That's the spirit. Pun intended.

[Hilary B]

The first sign of too much sugar is a total refusal to ferment.

[chris]

Great, that's good to hear! I'm just about to create another thread to keep it separate from this one - it's going crazy at the mo!

[Two_Sheds]

He's hooked

[chris]

I've not tasted it yet

[VirginVegGrower]

OK tea bags and grape juice purchased...I'm off on this one too. Following TS's Fruity combo.

[chris]

Should I just leave kit to ferment itself out, then rack->bottle?

The bubbles through the airlock have slowed right down now- around every 10 seconds or so I get a few bubbles rush through, I can still see the bubbles in the DJ up the sides- quite active still..

[VirginVegGrower]

It's still fermenting and I wouldn't try to bottle it yet Chris. I am behind you on this one so don't know how long it takes, but I have country wines in DJs for weeks/months with several rackings into next DJs...hope another T bagger comes along soon so that I know too.
Have you got a siphon, sterilising fluid, etc? Is it back into a brewing bin or did you leave it in your DJ?

[chris]

I've all the kit I need, it's still in the DJ, quite a bit of lees have built up in the bottom so thought I'd ask about racking !

[VirginVegGrower]

How long did the original recipe say to leave it for? It's only been a few days hasn't it?

[Two_Sheds]

quite a bit of lees have built up in the bottom so thought I'd ask about racking !

I rack once a month, it keeps me organised