I just started making this Peach Banana wine recipe of Jack Kellers. I am concerned about the low sugar content. Anyone else think the sugar is too low in this recipe? I know you add sugar later in two more increments, but I still feel it's quite low.
Jack Keller's Peach Banana wine
- Thread starter Carla
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bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
Hi Carla - and welcome.
I don't think the problem is the amount of sugar. It uses 1.75 lbs of sugar (excluding the sugar from the fruit). That suggests a gravity of 1.070 . The fruit will probably provide you with another 10-15 points so you are up to about 1.085 which is a potential ABV of more than 11%. If you wanted to increase the amount of sugar I would suggest that you double the amount of peaches.
But that said, what's the idea behind adding sugar in stages? Is this supposed to be a dress rehearsal for step-feeding a mead where the total gravity would be too high for the yeast to tolerate so you begin with a sugar concentration the yeast can handle and slowly add more honey as the yeast ferments dry the previous amount.
I can imagine a recipe where you might add the fruit in stages so that at different points in the fermentation different aspects of the process are affecting the flavors being extracted /produced. But adding sugar in stages where the gravity is well within the tolerance of any yeast seems unnecessary work with no added value.
I don't think the problem is the amount of sugar. It uses 1.75 lbs of sugar (excluding the sugar from the fruit). That suggests a gravity of 1.070 . The fruit will probably provide you with another 10-15 points so you are up to about 1.085 which is a potential ABV of more than 11%. If you wanted to increase the amount of sugar I would suggest that you double the amount of peaches.
But that said, what's the idea behind adding sugar in stages? Is this supposed to be a dress rehearsal for step-feeding a mead where the total gravity would be too high for the yeast to tolerate so you begin with a sugar concentration the yeast can handle and slowly add more honey as the yeast ferments dry the previous amount.
I can imagine a recipe where you might add the fruit in stages so that at different points in the fermentation different aspects of the process are affecting the flavors being extracted /produced. But adding sugar in stages where the gravity is well within the tolerance of any yeast seems unnecessary work with no added value.
Thank you. So, you don't think it's necessary to add the sugar in stages in this instance?
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
What might the reason be? If there is a good reason then sure... but what is the reason? As I say, I can imagine someone arguing that if you add some of the fruit at the beginning of the fermentation then you are using the yeast to help extract some of the flavor. If you add some fruit towards the end of the fermentation then the action of the yeast will have slowed down so you will not blow off as much of the aroma and flavor from the fruit. If you add some of the fruit to the secondary then you are using the alcohol to extract the flavors so that provides a different character... but sugar added to fruit does not do diddly squat to the flavor it simply adds more alcohol. Jack Keller (IMO) likes to make miracle wine - turning water into wine rather than fruit into wine... but hey! to each their own. I prefer to use water for cleaning and keep the fruit for wine making.
Mallerstang
Let it go
I started a batch of that same wine last August 25, following the ingredients except with 3.5 lb peaches instead of the 3 lb called for. Also, after preparing the banana liquid according to the recipe, I followed my usual method instead of doing the incremental sugar thing - everything into the bucket one evening except the pectic and yeast, then next day add pectic in the morning and pitch yeast in the evening.
But to get to the point, starting SG was about 1.094 so it should end up at around 12%. It's taking its time clearing - after six months and three rackings it's still hazy. At the last racking it tasted promising, with body from the bananas and no banana flavour remaining.
But to get to the point, starting SG was about 1.094 so it should end up at around 12%. It's taking its time clearing - after six months and three rackings it's still hazy. At the last racking it tasted promising, with body from the bananas and no banana flavour remaining.
