Slight bitter aftertaste

[bgeibel]

I have a 5 gallon carboy of red raspberry/blueberry wine that I just put the Super Kleer in. It is very good but it has a slight bitter aftertaste. What can I add to it that might help this.

[grapeadmin]

Add some sugar and pottasium sorbate. The sugar will cover up the bitterness. Just add the sugar in small amounts and keep adding until you get the taste you are looking for.

thanks
john
g and g

[bgeibel]

Can I add them both one right after the other?

[grapeadmin]

Yes, one right after the other. I would also add some sulfite just before bottling. 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons of wine.

thanks
john

[bgeibel]

I used my baster to take a small amount out and add some sugar water and it indeed did make it taste really delicious. Is it okay if I add the Super Kleer now and then in another 3-4 days add the sweetener to the batch with the potassium sorbate and the sulfite? I thought I would then rack it into gallon jugs with loose lids for a few days and make sure nothing is going to start up and then bottle it shortly after everything looks good and stable.

[grapeadmin]

Yes that would be fine

John

[bgeibel]

Can I make a mixture of a teaspoon of sodium metabisulfite and a teaspoon of citric acid in a bottle of water and using a funnel, pour this from bottle to bottle followed by a quick rinse to sterilize my bottles prior to filling, or is the Star San a better idea? I know with Star San it says you don't have to rinse, but should I anyhow? Also, when you say to add sulfite, I am taking this to mean potassium metabisulfite, is that correct? Thanks for helping me John. I am in the very beginning stages of learning how to make wine and I want to make sure I do things right.

[grapeadmin]

Yes, either method of sanitizing would be fine. I always rinse sanitizers but it is not necessary with the star-san. The sulfite should be rinsed however. Potassium sulfite is correct.

thanks
john

[bgeibel]

I am making cherry wine. I put it together Feb. 2 and added the yeast on the 3rd. It was in the bucket a week, then transferred to the carboy on the 10th. It's not even a month and it is already at .995. It is pretty cloudy and it is bubbling about once every 10 seconds. What do I do next?

[grapeadmin]

Rack it to another carboy, top it up and let it sit for another month or so to clear. Then rack it again and let it bulk age for another month before sweetening and bottling. Add a clarifier if necessary. If you sweeten prior to bottling, add potassium sorbate and some sulfite.


thanks
john
g and g

[bgeibel]

If I put a cup or so of elderberry juice in my new batch of red raspberry/blueberry, would that take the place of grape tannin? I'm so new to winemaking that I have not made a recipe using grape tannin, but I thought I read somewhere that elderberry juice is rich in tannins? Am I correct or did I misunderstand? As always, thanks for your patience with me. And also, do you think this would make a tasty addition to my mead or not? Last summer my husband picked a ton of them and I rendered them down into juice for jelly but if it would compliment my wine, all the better. I just prepared a new 5 gallon batch last night and added everything except the yeast which I will do tonight so I still have time to add the juice, if it's a good idea.

I would like to try making a gallon of elderberry. Would 3 cups of pure juice be enough to fill the gallon jug the rest of the way with water?

[grapeadmin]

It probably would replace the tannin. If the wine has trouble clearing, you can always add tannin later.

Try a little test batch by putting some mead in a glass and add some of the elderberry juice. Taste it an see if you like it.

I don't know if 3 cups would be enough or not. You would have to try it and see. My guess is it would not be enough but it really depends on your personal taste. Just be sure to adjust the acid and sugar.

thanks
john

[bgeibel]

When I made my cherry wine, after I added the yeast, it was bubbling and hissing like crazy the next day. My red raspberry which I added the yeast to last night is doing absolutely nothing. Is this normal that one would be so active and another would be so quiet?

[grapeadmin]

yes it could take several days to start.

john

[bgeibel]

It's doing real well now 60 days later. I have my fruit (red raspberries and blueberries) floating and I stir it daily. I think the last batch , which incidentally was my first attempt at wine making, I left the fruit in the primary much too long, (well over a month and fermentation was slow due to having it in a cool room). My question is, should I strain the fruit out of the must and transfer it into the carboy from the primary bucket a week after adding the yeast, or should I wait until the specific gravity goes down before I do that? I started it at 1.100 and it is now down to 1.090. I'm determined to get a good result this time. As always, thank you for your patience with all my questions.