What will it taste like?

[sheena]

Here is my recipe, anyone got an idea of what it will taste like (dry/sweet/paintstripper)?

3x Mixed frozen bag of fruits
Containing: Raspeberries, Strawberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Blackberries, some kinda cherries. (Got it from Tesco, thought i'd experiment).
2 punnets of Blueberries
2kg sugar (I got a bit confused, oops)
1tsp Yeast

Made 10 litres of must, and had left it a week from initial day of fermenting, and transferred it into demi's today. Seems to be bubbling a little, but not as much as I had expected. (Never made any wine before, so who knows)

My plan now is to leave it for 4 weeks in the demi's and then possibly rack it, as there were still quite a bit of sediment in the bottom of the demi.

Any ideas?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hmm, this will deffo be a wait and see one to be honest. You haven't used a hydrometer, checked acidity, used yeast nutrient, or anything to help get the juice from the fruit. For a first try, you would have been cheaper to buy fruit juice (with no preservative) and add yeast and sugar (if required).

You might be lucky and get the most gorgeous wine though - who knows best of luck with it.

[Hilary B]

Agree could be anything. Might need extra sugar (2kg in 10 litres isn't much). Mixed fruit wines often turn out delicious, but it is a bit of a gamble!

[sheena]

I did use the hydrometer before puting it in the demi and it came up at 1.060 or there abouts.

I don't even know how to work out the hydrometer, so this is gonna be a good practice.

*Edit*

What I mean is, I know how to put it in and take a reading, but I don't know what the readings themselves mean.

[shirlthegirl43]

It really might be worth you investing in a kit wine to get the feel of the basic winemaking process you know. That fruit wasn't cheap!

[shirlthegirl43]

You should be looking for a starting SG (specific gravity) of around 1.08/1.09 and finish at around 0.995 for a nicely alcoholic wine. That would make it around 12% or so.

[sheena]

Sounds good to me, I don't wanna get my head blown off by this stuff, but I don't fancy drinking it and not getting the slightest bit tipsy.

Thanks Shirl, i'l keep you posted.

[hypnophil]

Hi Shirley,
What determines the starting SG? is it the sugar?
and what happens if it doesnt go to 0.995 even after weeks, can you restart fermentation with a bit more yeast?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi Shirley,
What determines the starting SG? is it the sugar?
and what happens if it doesnt go to 0.995 even after weeks, can you restart fermentation with a bit more yeast?

The sugar content is indeed what influences the specific gravity. If ferment stops then I suggest tasting the wine and going from there. If it tastes nice as a slightly sweet wine then consider it done and finish off from there. If it is too sweet, try a stronger yeast or a special re-start (sachets available from your homebrew store) yeast. If it won't start to ferment again finish it off and use to blend with other, drier wines. The overall taste and body etc of a wine are influenced by adding acid, tannin, grape concentrate etc and you really ought to invest in a good book for that. CJJ Berry's First Steps in Winemaking is a good starter book but some of his recipes call for a lot more sugar than I would use - I add half what he says and check the SG then adjust till around 1.08/1.09

[Hilary B]

any SG below 1 is a really dry wine.

[hypnophil]

Thanks for that,
I have got a book now but its by marguerite patten not cjj berry.
I think i will bottle it and see how it goes, maybe mix it as you say.
I dont really like wine too sweet, the fruit tea wine i really liked but it is slightly too sweet, so maybe use less sugar next time. Will a wine be alcoholic and drinkable at 1.03?

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for that,
I have got a book now but its by marguerite patten not cjj berry.
I think i will bottle it and see how it goes, maybe mix it as you say.
I dont really like wine too sweet, the fruit tea wine i really liked but it is slightly too sweet, so maybe use less sugar next time. Will a wine be alcoholic and drinkable at 1.03?

I am surprised the fruit tea wine came out sweet - did you start it a lot sweeter than 1.09? Anyhoo - I would expect wine at 1.03 to be pretty sweet. Taste it and see what you think yourself - sometimes the sweetness can be okay depending on the strength of the flavour. I make a tinned rhubarb that finishes at 1.01 and Madmax loves it

[ohbeary]

Sounds good to me, I don't wanna get my head blown off by this stuff, but I don't fancy drinking it and not getting the slightest bit tipsy.

Thanks Shirl, i'l keep you posted.

1060SG is only going to give you around the 7-8% mark and anything uder 10% wont keep without preservative (citric acid/sulphite).
general rule of thumb, 2lb in a gallon = dry, 2 1/2lb = medium and 3lb = sweet, with normal wine yeast, super yeast compound will ferment anything dry up to about 18% usualy, then when it has completely stopped and you have stabilised the wine (pot sorbate) you can sweeten with as has been said here somewhere "Splenda", I think it contains "Sucralose"? a non fermentable sugar.
From the start a little pectic enzyme will help with colour and flavour extraction and help prevent a pectin haze in the finished wine, any fruit that is good for jam will contain pectin! so cold process only!, nana's on t'other hand contain starch that the usual hot process will release so treat with Fungal Amylase/Amylose whatever! ( they d' keep changin th' darn names!!)
Happy fermenting...yuk yuk

[Hilary B]

My recently started batch of blackberry wine was fermenting in the bucket for 4 days before straining and transfer to demijohn. Tested with hydrometer at straining, and it read 1.08. Any comments on likely strength? It frothed up well in the demijohn! (not through the airlock as not over full, planning to add a bit of strong syrup soon).
I had a copy of CJJ, but it got lost years ago now...

[ohbeary]

oooh, 1080 should give you 10.6% according to CJJB + strong syrup how much, how strong, who knows, and after drinking will you care?