Help Required Please.

Hi all, I am a total newbie to the art of wine making hence me using the starter kits from Wilkos. I purchased a 6 bottle white wine kit as a trial run and it worked out fine. I then became a bit more adventurous and purchased the 30 bottle white wine kit along with the required apparatus. I followed the instructions word for word. After the 7 days passed, I added the stabiliser then the next steps following the instructions for the finings.

The wine cleared perfectly and the wife and I couldn't wait to bottle up and sample our latest batch. Well the look on the wife's face said it all. Wine was really sweet and it was supposed to be a medium dry. The wife then commented don't worry, it will be fine as after the first glass she won't notice how sweet it was.

Well basically a bottle later she remarked that she didn't think there was any alcohol in it. I remarked of course there is as the strength should be around 12%.

I did a bit more research and I now know that temperature plays a key part in fermenting. If I had bought an Hydrometer and taken a reading I would have known it hadn't finished fermenting (schoolboy error). I have since bought an hydrometer and the reading is showing sweet wine on the scale.

Now here is the million dollar question, Is there anything I can do to save the batch of wine I have made or is it a case of down the drain with it. I have read about yeast starters which could kick off the fermentation process but am unsure if it would work as I have added the stabiliser and finings.

HELLLPPPPP.....

Regards

Darren

Hi, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but once the stabiliser has gone in there's nothing to be done. However you could make another batch at a lowish abv and then add the too sweet wine to it. It might work but there's no guarantee :?

wezil said:

Hi, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but once the stabiliser has gone in there's nothing to be done. However you could make another batch at a lowish abv and then add the too sweet wine to it. It might work but there's no guarantee :?

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Thanks for the reply, just broke the news to the mrs and she's not to happy,oops, I was told that if I move it somewhere warmer it may improve but I did that 2 weeks ago and it's still the same.

Oh well, down the drain it goes then.:sad:

You could make a 22.5 litre "easy white" following the instructions in the thread below (switch the orange juice for apple juice) let it ferment out to 990 which is dry then experiment with half a bottle of each or 3/4 bottle of sweet and 1/4 bottle dry, change the quantity until you find it drinkable when you know how much of each to add to all the following bottles.

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=39846



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Hi, anything's better than chucking it down the sink!! (I've got a relative who loves very sweet wine, so down his throat it goes):drink:Might be worth asking around. And every body makes mistakes it's learning from them that's the hard part. (that and getting round her indoors when they happen)!

Chippy_Tea said:

You could make a 22.5 litre "easy white" following the instructions in the thread below (switch the orange juice for apple juice) let it ferment out to 990 which is dry then experiment with half a bottle of each or 3/4 bottle of sweet and 1/4 bottle dry, change the quantity until you find it drinkable when you know how much of each to add to all the following bottles.

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=39846



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Thanks for that chippy, excellent idea and link to the thread.

Cheers

wezil said:

Hi, anything's better than chucking it down the sink!! (I've got a relative who loves very sweet wine, so down his throat it goes):drink:Might be worth asking around. And every body makes mistakes it's learning from them that's the hard part. (that and getting round her indoors when they happen)!

Click to expand...

Totally agree with you mate, anything is worth a go.

If you dont try the easy white to rescue your wine you could try a red grape juice and apple juice (following the instructions in the video) on your other half, you may never buy a kit again, there are many tried and tested recipes in the thread, i am sure there will be something you both like.


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