I was curious about the means by which one can make their wine less bitter. In the past ive been told to use sodium bicarbonate(baking soda) to eliminate the acidity which can cause bitterness but it seems like a strange method. Any recommendations??
Making wine less bitter.....
- Thread starter yetijunk
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I've never had a wine turn out bitter. I guess if you post a typical recipe, we can see why your wines are bitter and then suggest a fix.
Two different things bitterness and sour, bitter caused by tannins not acid, sour caused by acids. Sounds like you got a high acid wine. Potassium carbonate seems to be a better choice as it doesnt add a bunch of sodium. WVMJ
pumpkinman2012
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What type of wine are you referring to?
You need to test your wine, PH, TA and SO2 before fermenting, you can make adjustments to balance out the wine, then start your normal fermenting process, then, depending on the type of wine that you are making the following can all help with the finished product:
You need to test your wine, PH, TA and SO2 before fermenting, you can make adjustments to balance out the wine, then start your normal fermenting process, then, depending on the type of wine that you are making the following can all help with the finished product:
- Selecting a yeast that complements the varietal or fruit that you are making.
- Fermentation process.
- Aging the wine
- Racking the wine so it doesn't sit on the sediment too long.
- Stabilizing the wine.
- Aging the wine.
- Oaking the wine.
- Malolactic Fermentation (depending on the wine).
- Aging the wine.
- Degassing the wine (aging will naturally do this)
- Did I mention aging the wine?
Well the recipe Ive been using is VERY simple ha ha
--6 bottles of Welch's black cherry Concord grape juice
--Lavins D47
--2lbs turbinado cane sugar
--two tsp grape tannin
the final product after two weeks of fermenting has a very smooth and full bodied flavor, however if it is not sweetened it has a crisp bite to it which people who have tasted it describe as bitter..... after I sweetened it with a further pound of turbinado cane sugar there was a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. For the batches that I do not sweeten I may try using calcium bicarbonate as you mentioned and potentially less tannins.
The recipe itself is great and unlike most wines Ive tasted but it will go down smooth and still put you on your ass after a couple glasses haha cheap and simple
--6 bottles of Welch's black cherry Concord grape juice
--Lavins D47
--2lbs turbinado cane sugar
--two tsp grape tannin
the final product after two weeks of fermenting has a very smooth and full bodied flavor, however if it is not sweetened it has a crisp bite to it which people who have tasted it describe as bitter..... after I sweetened it with a further pound of turbinado cane sugar there was a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. For the batches that I do not sweeten I may try using calcium bicarbonate as you mentioned and potentially less tannins.
The recipe itself is great and unlike most wines Ive tasted but it will go down smooth and still put you on your ass after a couple glasses haha cheap and simple
Well the recipe Ive been using is VERY simple ha ha
--6 bottles of Welch's black cherry Concord grape juice
--Lavins D47
--2lbs turbinado cane sugar
--two tsp grape tannin
the final product after two weeks of fermenting has a very smooth and full bodied flavor, however if it is not sweetened it has a crisp bite to it which people who have tasted it describe as bitter..... after I sweetened it with a further pound of turbinado cane sugar there was a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. For the batches that I do not sweeten I may try using calcium bicarbonate as you mentioned and potentially less tannins.
The recipe itself is great and unlike most wines Ive tasted but it will go down smooth and still put you on your ass after a couple glasses haha cheap and simple
That's the two teaspoons(?!?!) of grape tannin. Most people would use 1/8 teaspoon per gallon to start, and find that more than enough. Some people wouldn't add any at all!
You don't need to use bicarb to drop acid, as that isn't the problem.
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B1GDave
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How long is considered too long?
pumpkinman2012
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I like to get it off the gross lees immediately, then rack when necessary as sediment accumulates while aging, but after 4-5 months the wine is fairly clear.
You're absolutely right and thats what I've been doing for each new batch; however, i truly believe that the bitterness/sourness may have been cause by the use of excessive tannin. Past batches with an identical recipe,which excluded tannin, lacked any bitterness
Bitterness and sourness are 2 different things. You can actually try to fine out some of the excess tannins, I havent had to do it but I think gelatin is used for that as well as other fining agents that target tannins. Do you degass your wine? WVMJ
