Adding sugar to elderflower champagne during fermentation??

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alex_95

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Hi guys,
Sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm new to this. I've got a batch of elderflower champagne on the go that I started on Saturday. I followed a recipe that required 800g of sugar for 5 litres water, after doing additional research I've found a recipe that calls for 1kg of sugar as this makes a stronger product. So I'm now wondering if it's possible to add the additional sugar or is it too late? If I do add it, would I need to make a syrup or could it just be added directly?

Many thanks!
 
You can still add it, just stir it gently first to degas it a bit so you don’t get a foam over. then gently stir in the sugar and it will dissolve. as long as there’s still yeast that haven’t reached the alcohol tolerance or will restart or just keep going. It will just take a bit longer to finish.
 
You can still add it. as long as there’s still yeast that haven’t reached the alcohol tolerance or will restart or just keep going. It will just take a bit longer to finish.
Fab thanks so much for replying! Do I need to add the sugar to boiled water first or can I just add the sugar by itself?
 
Hi alex_95. You don't need to add the sugar to boiling water BUT if there is any CO2 (gas) that has saturated the wine then when you add powders or crystals of sugar to the wine that gas will "nucleate" around the surfaces of the sugar you add and will have enough energy to push a column of liquid directly above the gas as it collects right out your fermenting vessel. If that vessel is a carboy with a narrow neck that neck will rifle the column of liquid and before you know what is going on you might find that your ceiling has been painted with wine. Me? I would dissolve the sugar in a little of the wine (or even some water) so that you are not adding anything with rough surfaces to a liquid full of carbon dioxide .
 
Hi alex_95. You don't need to add the sugar to boiling water BUT if there is any CO2 (gas) that has saturated the wine then when you add powders or crystals of sugar to the wine that gas will "nucleate" around the surfaces of the sugar you add and will have enough energy to push a column of liquid directly above the gas as it collects right out your fermenting vessel. If that vessel is a carboy with a narrow neck that neck will rifle the column of liquid and before you know what is going on you might find that your ceiling has been painted with wine. Me? I would dissolve the sugar in a little of the wine (or even some water) so that you are not adding anything with rough surfaces to a liquid full of carbon dioxide .
Hahahaha thanks very much for the advice/ warning, much much appreciated!
 
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