Sugar

4/06/2011

Thought I would give a quick update on the primary fermentation of the new batch of elderberry wine.

Sugar is what makes all this happen. Yes I am sure there are some sugars in the berries but there is never enough. (I am working on adding sugar by measurement and not weight so you will see me add by the cup.) I can tell you that when you make wine by the gallon you are going to use around 4 cups of sugar. My primary fermentation suddenly came to a halt so I popped open the bucket. I stirred things around and took a small taste. What I tasted was out of sugar. I added one cup of sugar per gallon and added hot water from the tap to a glass. It was not too hot and it mixed in all the sugar. Dumped the sugar water in, gave it a quick stir and closed things up.

Now at this point fermentation is going slower than at first but it is steady. I think I should have started this recipe out with 4 Cups of sugar per gallon. I am finding that is a really common starting point for most wine. Well, it is up to 4 Cups per gallon now and blooping away. I am more confident at giving this must a first racking at day 7 or 8. That means that we will be first racking this Saturday or Sunday. Probably Sunday though.

I will probably work in a later posting to take a closer look at sugar and exactly what it means to a brewer. May even have to look at what different types of sugar can do to the flavor.

Keep it bubbling!!!

Chuck