Is fermentation completed?

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Smitty_Brew

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Hi, I'm hoping for a little guidance for my second attempt.
What it is: a frozen juice concentrate of cranberry and apple in equal proportions, batch size= 5 gallons.

I had read a recommended sugar loading of 3lbs per gallon, so 15lbs total to try for. However I didn't want to use any white sugar, opting for all juice. At 27g/serving and six servings per container it worked out to 40 cans of frozen juice concentrate....or roughly 3.4 gallons of just concentrate and a hefty grocer bill.
After dumping the concentrate and allowing it to come to temperature, I added water to the 5gal mark on the six gallon bucket. Starting S.G.=1.13somthing. then added nutrient and Oxygen via vortex drill attachment.

EC1118 hydrated @27*C then pitched, added airlock after day #3 to vigorous gas production. At day #10 bubble action had slowed to once per ~90seconds, so I took a sample and S.G.=1.030. I figured the dissolved gasses causing the hydrometer to be more buoyant 🤷 I took two flip-top bottles to chill and evaluate, wife is pleased with the flavor though it is very sweet.
I racked it off the primary yeast two weeks ago into the cleaned and sanitized plastic water carboy, fitted a bung and airlock bubbler. There is some pressure > atmosphere, but no bubbling since racking.
Last week took a sample and S.G.=1.030 still, taste is slightly sharper kind of like a soda or spritzer?

My question(s): Is the ferment done and I'm left with a sweet desert wine? If it is not complete, can I or should I attempt to restart fermentation, and how? I think the ABV is sitting now @12-13% though initial should have made to 18% I think.
 
How are you measuring gravity? Are you using a refractometer?
You're only 24 days into fermentation, you can afford to wait and see how things develop more.
18% is tough to reach, even with EC-1118. I hope you can get there, but 15-16% is often a solid endpoint.
 
I am using a triple scale hydrometer for gravity, I do have a refractometer but have concerns about using that with dark colored wines.
Is red wine not an issue for refraction? It is spot on when used against spirits, I calibrated against DI water and checked against Jim Bean.
How long does a ferment usually take, temperature of 20*C average? I would like to ferment to dry, then back sweeten with measured amounts of juice concentrate.

An unrelated query, what about using a brewing bag to hold some pounds of dried cranberries for added flavor during primary or secondary ferment?
sort of "steeping" or some such?

Thank you for looking and replying!
 
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