Besy way to sweeten wine

[Dicky]

I'm doing my first batch of fruit wine which I have fermented dry. However, having tasted it, I kind of wish I had kept it slightly sweeter.

What is the best way to sweeten the wine without kick starting the fermentation process again?

Cheers.

 

[Noe]

Sweeten with sugar then stabilize it and add another campden.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Use wine conditioner, it is sugar solution with the necessary stabilizing stuff already added.

 

[Dicky]

That's brilliant.

Is there any particular brands that preferred?

 

[DoctorCAD]

I got mine at a local brew/hobby shop. It is made by RJ Spagnols.

 

[WIP]

I have had wine conditioner ferment out. Best bet is to dose it with so2 and sorbate.

 

[lumpher]

i use potassium sorbate at the same time i add the sweeter. stabilizes as the yeast is trying to eat the new sugar, but i only have to go 1 step

 

[DoctorCAD]

I have had wine conditioner ferment out. Best bet is to dose it with so2 and sorbate.

But wine conditioner IS sugar with sorbate and campden, It should not have "fermented out".

 

[Yooper]

Either use wine conditioner (and let it sit a few days to ensure fermentation will not restart), or use sorbate and campden together, wait a few days, and then sweeten and then wait a few days.

The reason the wine conditioner (or the sorbate/campden) may not "work" is that it doesn't kill yeast, only inhibits yeast reproduction. If there are lots of yeast still in suspension in the wine, or there are a lot of lees, the yeast don't need to reproduce to restart fermentation. Stabilizing only works when the wine is clear, fermentation has stopped, and the wine is racked off of the lees.

I've had good results with using 1/2 teaspoon of sorbate and 1 campden tablet per gallon of wine, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water. I put the solution into a new carboy and rack the wine into it. I waited a couple of days, and then sweetened the wine. I waited a couple more days (to double check and make sure it wasn't going to start fermenting) and then bottled.

 

[Dicky]

I took your advice and added potassium sorbate along with a campden tablet and sweetened it that way. I also discovered a home brew show quite locally, which is nice.

Unfortunately though, the wine is still pretty awful. Drinkable but not the greatest. A lot of lessons learnt.

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[DoctorCAD]

It's still gotta sit for 9 months to a year before it will be ready. Don't worry about what it tastes like quite yet.