Increasing ABV

I recently did a WineExpert merlot which turned out quite nice with an abv of about 10/11 %. I am more used to 13/14 %. How can I up the abv in my next kit?

if its a 5 gallon batch add about 3 pounds of sugar prior to fermentation, make sure you turn it into syrup before adding it.

Thanks for the reply, Honda88. Would that be regular table sugar or corn sugar?

I use granulated sugar, you can use corn sugar if you want, a good yeast wont be too picky it just needs more food to make more alcohol...

Outstanding! Thanks again.

no problem, cheers

I am making a Reserve Du Chateau Chilean Cabernet Merlot, wine kit. I added one pound of granulated sugar (dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water) before pitching the yeast. My SG was 1.100 and three weeks later it is .990. I believe that is an ABV of approximately 14%. I still have to add the stabilizer and do the degassing. I'm looking forward to trying it.

Here is a good ABV calculator http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/

According to your numbers and this calculator, you should be at 14.44%

joconn said:

I recently did a WineExpert merlot which turned out quite nice with an abv of about 10/11 %. I am more used to 13/14 %. How can I up the abv in my next kit?

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Just be aware that when you purchase a kit, they are specifically engineered to be balanced as is.
And adding anything else to it can throw off balancing.
If you know how to handle these little bumps along the way than it is no big deal.

I would say if your 5 gallons of merlot is yet to be bottled, drop some everclear in there. That will bump the ABV up!

Hi Jrm,

I am a newbie wine maker who has only done small one gallon batches. I just bought the exact same wine kit: Reserve Du Chateau Chilean Cab Merlot
And there is a useful youtube video done by the Sicilian Prince who shows tips and tricks for that particular wine kit. For instance I will be attempting to make 5 gallons from it, not 6. Really because my tap water sucks!!!

Have you had this kit before? I hear it is good but someone told me this company might also be discontinuing this brand?

Jrm1443 said:

I am making a Reserve Du Chateau Chilean Cabernet Merlot, wine kit. I added one pound of granulated sugar (dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water) before pitching the yeast. My SG was 1.100 and three weeks later it is .990. I believe that is an ABV of approximately 14%. I still have to add the stabilizer and do the degassing. I'm looking forward to trying it.

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You are best keeping the staring SG to 1.092 in a kit wine. That will still keep balance and keep the hot "prison hootch" flavor away. Gets you around 13%.

calmingapple said:

Hi Jrm,

I am a newbie wine maker who has only done small one gallon batches. I just bought the exact same wine kit: Reserve Du Chateau Chilean Cab Merlot
And there is a useful youtube video done by the Sicilian Prince who shows tips and tricks for that particular wine kit. For instance I will be attempting to make 5 gallons from it, not 6. Really because my tap water sucks!!!

Have you had this kit before? I hear it is good but someone told me this company might also be discontinuing this brand?

Click to expand...

I had only bottled one other kit, Vino Italiano merlot. I am somewhat disappointed at how sweet it is. The abv came out to 13 so I thought it was good to bottle. However, 4 weeks after bottling it is still too sweet for my taste. I am waiting a couple extra weeks before clarifying and stabilizing the Reserve Du Chateau Chilean Cabernet Merlot so as to allow all fermentation to complete, even though my hydrometer says .990. For my next kit I am going to go with one of the top 100 in this months Wine Maker magazine. Hoping to get better results. Oh, I am also adding a tsp of tannin to the Reserve Du Chateau, hoping to get a dry fInnish. Best of luck to you. This forum is great for us newbies.