Ginger wine recipe - why add the sugar in stages?

[thirstycat]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum but have been making country wines on-and-off over the years, mostly with pretty good results. I've found a recipe for ginger wine in a book which suggests adding the sugar in stages, i.e.

Add 1lb of sugar
Leave it for a week
Add another 1lb of sugar
Leave for another week
Add the final 1lb of sugar
Leave it to ferment out

I've attached a photo of the recipe. I've seen recipes online with similar ingredients where all the sugar goes in at once.

So I have 2 questions...

1. What is the reason, if any, for adding sugar in stages?
2. Using this method, how would you calculate the ABV?

 

[pumpkinman2012]

You asked:

So I have 2 questions...

1. What is the reason, if any, for adding sugar in stages?

If I calculated correctly -Using 3 lbs of sugar in 3/4 gallon of water would put the starting gravity at somewhere in the 22% ABV range, this would kill off the yeast, not to mention that I don't think that the yeast would even start. By adding 1 lb at a time, the yeast can safely ferment the sugar, when it has completed, you add the next lb. I'd keep a lot of Yeast Nutrient on hand, Fermaid K.

2. Using this method, how would you calculate the ABV?

I used the calculators on Brewers friend.com to try to get an idea of the ABV%

I hope that this helps.

 

[thirstycat]

Thanks! I've seen recipes online that have very similar quantities (although not exactly the same...) where they add all the sugar at once. I assume these would just end up sweeter and less alcoholic. Here's a couple:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/may/09/how-to-make-ginger-wine

http://www.wine-making-guides.com/ginger_wine.html

Perhaps I'll make 2 batches and compare them

I confess I'm a bit confused by all the calculators - which did you use to calculate 22%? I've always measured the SG before and after fermentation and done this kind of calcuation: http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/

 

[bernardsmith]

My rule of thumb is that 1 lb of sugar dissolved to make 1 gallon will increase the gravity of the liquid by 40 points (1.040). If you multiply those 40 points by 131 you convert that sugar into ABV which is about 5.25%. Each time you add another lb of sugar you are adding another 40 points so another 5.25%. The addition of sugar is simply cumulative so the three lbs of sugar will have resulted in a potential ABV of almost 16% and many yeasts would die of alcohol poisoning before they could ferment the wine dry IF (a BIG if) they could in fact transport liquid through their cell walls given the density of the liquid at the start (40 points * 3 = 1.120) so the creator of the recipe, by suggesting that you feed the yeast sugar in steps, enables almost any yeast to be used and so start the process while allowing most yeasts to finish with some residual (unfermented) sugar in the wine and so resulting in a sweeter rather than a drier wine.

The reason for the removal of half the wine before you add a second or third batch of sugar is because given the amount of CO2 that will be suspended in the wine the added particles of sugar will act as points of nucleation causing a thick head of foam to rapidly build up and most likely behave like a volcano overflowing your bucket (or, if in a carboy, rocketing towards the ceiling after being rifled through the narrow mouth of the fermenter)

 

[theDREWery]

The reason for the removal of half the wine before you add a second or third batch of sugar is because given the amount of CO2 that will be suspended in the wine the added particles of sugar will act as points of nucleation causing a thick head of foam to rapidly build up and most likely behave like a volcano overflowing your bucket (or, if in a carboy, rocketing towards the ceiling after being rifled through the narrow mouth of the fermenter)

And then you panic, slam your hand on top of the carboy, attempting to contain the geyser of sticky foam. Now it sprays in a 360 degree sheet in all directions, coating cabinets, fridge, stove and onlookers. Everyone I know that step feeds has read this or heard about it, and did it anyways.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

LMAO!
I also use the tools at brewers friend, I used the Chaptalization calculator, click here for all of their tools.

 

[thirstycat]

LOL!! Thanks so much, this is all great information and I'm very glad I asked before potentially throwing caution to the wind and chucking everything in at once! I'll probably start the recipe this weekend, I'll let you know if I have any amusing explosions

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Keep us posted!

 

[thirstycat]

And we're off! All the ingredients except the sugar have gone into the bucket, and the yeast is fizzing away nicely. First load of sugar goes in next weekend.

 

[thirstycat]

Three weeks later, all the sugar has been added and it's fermenting happily. Thankfully I haven't had any crazy foam volcanos, just a nice steady bubbling. And it smells AMAZING!