First time wine maker and have some questions

[Butcher]

I have a batch of blueberry wine that was 23.5 pounds of blueberries and 12 pounds of sugar for about a 6 gallon batch. The starting gravity was 1.136 and now 3 weeks later it is 1.034. Beersmith tells me it is 13.5% ABV. The berries are still in the primary fermentator and the taste is pretty good. It has a slight off flavor that I think is just something that will fade with age.

My question is, what do I do now? The recipe talks about getting the juice into a secondary fermentator and straining all the juice out of the berries but wouldn't that run a strong risk of oxidation? Is there any reason I shouldn't stop the fermentation soon if I am happy with the flavor? Am I better off letting it sit in a secondary with halted fermentation, or should I bottle it soon after stopping the fermentation?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Get it off the berrys and into a closed and airlocked carboys as soon as you can.

Leave it in there until it clears, rack if more than 1/4 inch of lees show up.

Bottle in 6 months to a year.

These are generic wine making directions. There are many more steps. Learn all you can.

 

[homegrownSoIL]

I have to agree with the doctor ^^

Get it off the fruit. I always heard it was bad to let it sit on the fruit for over 10 days - unless you are doing a "sur lies" fermentation. I understand that this is whole different animal, though, and I am not educated enough to speak to it.

 

[homegrownSoIL]

I have to agree with the doctor ^^

Get it off the fruit. I always heard it was bad to let it sit on the fruit for over 10 days - unless you are doing a "sur lies" fermentation. I understand that this is whole different animal, though, and I am not educated enough to speak to it.

 

[homegrownSoIL]

Didn't mean to post that twice. Server glitch. :/

 

[WVMJ]

What yeast are you using? What do you think will stop the fermentation? Your wine right now is so full of CO2 that racking it over into the secondary will not oxidize it at all. You are a little lite on blueberry fruit and this is going to be pretty sweet when its finished. WVMJ

 

[bernardsmith]

Sorry , but if Beersmith suggests that an SG of 1.136 is 13% ABV then either Beersmith is wrong or you have used the wrong figures. Simple arithmetic suggests that 1.136 * 131 = 17.716 or a potential alcohol level of more than 17.5%... What was your yeast and what is its tolerance for alcohol?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Sorry , but if Beersmith suggests that an SG of 1.136 is 13% ABV then either Beersmith is wrong or you have used the wrong figures. Simple arithmetic suggests that 1.136 * 131 = 17.716 or a potential alcohol level of more than 17.5%... What was your yeast and what is its tolerance for alcohol?

The OP had a starting SG of 1.136 and a current SG of 1.034.

1.136-1.034 = .102 * 131 = 13.36% ABV

 

[bernardsmith]

I see... but a gravity of 1.034 cannot be a final gravity. That will peel the enamel off your teeth.

 

[WVMJ]

Why not? It might not have been the goal here but some meads are even higher gravity and perfectly wonderful to drink. WVMJ

 

[Butcher]

I have been meaning to get the wine off the berries for a few days now and finally got it done tonight. I didn't make an effort to drain the berries and ended up with probably 4 gallons in the secondary. I drank a part of a glass and it is good, but like said above a slight off taste that I think will disappear with age.

I think I will let it sit in there at least a few day days to build up a layer of CO2 and let solids drop out and then add either Camden tablets of potassium sulfite (not to sure on the exact name, but whatever kills yeast) and then bottle a few days later. Any reason I shouldn't do this?

 

[mgonbrewlab]

I can think of several reasons, but primary among them you may find fermentation difficult to halt. What yeast did you use?
If you are intent on getting fermentation stopped vs letting it run its course and optionally stabalizing and back sweetening (recommended) you may find it helpful to rack your wine off the sediment, cold crash it, stabalize, and then maybe pasteurize as well too? (I am not sure about the Pasteurization part but you are going to have so much sugar left in your wine I would worry about bottling something that has so much fermenting left to do)

Of course this is all a moot point as your yeast may easily crap out at 14% abv or so.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Potassium Metabisulfite or Campden will not kill the yeast, as long as the yeast is healthy and there is sugar for it to eat and convert, fermentation will continue. If you cold stabilize in an attempt to stop fermentation, it will, but only until the temp is back at a favorable temp for the yeast, furthermore, you may end up stressing the yeast and the end result could be some real funky odors and taste.
At this point, I would add yeast nutrient to keep the yeast happy and hope that it ferments to dry, down in the neighborhood of .992-.990, you can always stabilize with meta and sorbate and back sweeten if necessary.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

You need to eliminate any head space. Top it off with a similar wine or water as a last resort. There should only be about 2" of space between your wine and the cork/airlock. Also, degassing is recommended. Read thru this thread http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f2/dangerdaves-dragon-blood-wine-41825/ and you will get a better idea on the different things you can be doing with your wine. The yeast nutrient incrementally added over time is a must do. Unlike beer, wine needs some routine interaction before bottling.

 

[Pataka]

I agree with those who have suggested you let the fermentation run its course, then stabilise/backsweeten if you want more sweetness. I guess I'm lucky in that I like drier wines, so have never backsweetened anything, but it also means I can't offer you any real advice on that. I do know the principles, but have never done it.

As has been suggested, the OG was very high, and you might be pushing the yeast to ferment through all those sugars. Which yeast did you use? Do you know how much alcohol it can handle?

One last thing, which it sounds like you understand already. Tasting a fruit wine at this very early stage in its life is really only useful for confirming you don't have an infection. The taste will be nothing like the final product. My last fruit wine was a 1 gallon batch of Feijoa wine, and at bottling it was harsh and bitter tasting. 6 months of aging in the bottle, and it's something I'd happily serve to friends and tell them I made it. It tastes amazing.