Couple of small questions.........

If you've reached the alcohol limit of a high alcohol yeast, then it would be difficult to get it to ferment out as it is. There are a couple of options .. . . if it has a LOT of flavor, you could dilute it with some water to bring the alcohol concentration down and let it finish fermenting (perhaps pitch another yeast starter too). Or, maybe a better option, you could blend it with a lighter drier wine to achieve a better balance.

--Greg

Ah, these were the answers I suspected I might get. The wine has a wonderful flavour, but it's a delicate one (I didn't use all fruit/juice, but mostly water to obtain the desired lightness), so, I fear diluting it would spoil it. Maybe I could give it a try with just a little water and another starter, and just see how it goes? (I have about 3 1/2 gal. maybe if I made it up to just under 4?).....

I don't have a h/m light dry wine to hand, and am loath to blend it with a commercial wine, just on pure, stubborn, possibly unreasonable principal ',;~}~

Thanks Greg!

Shaun aRe

You could start another batch using less sugar and after it is going well blend this wine in over a week or so. Of course that will take a while.

Or you could go ahead and bottle this one and serve it when guests are over that like sweeter wine.

Ray

In message , Shaun Rimmer writes

You could get another high alcohol yeast like , say champagne yeast for example and make a starter, while slowly adding more and more of the wine every few hours or so for about a day, then add it to the wine. You could also think about using yeast nutrient if you haven't already done so to give it that extra boost! By the way my description is probably quite vague about the yeast starter. Have a look on Jack Kellar's (Keller?!?!) website for a more precise method.

What yeast did you use? As others mentioned a higher alcohol tolerating yeast like EC-1118 will ferment out to about 18% alcohol. Do you have an SG reading of the wine?

Don S.

You may have better luck for the Hoegarden recipe over at rec.crafts.brewing. You could also look at

BTW, I think Hoegarden is a Wit, not a heffeweissen. Both wheat beers, but there is a difference, so you may want to make sure you look for the right recipe.

Andy

Thanks Ray - sorry for taking so long to get back. Seems the wine eventually kicked off again, albeit at a very slow rate (1 bubble every half to one hour (or so)) without further help, apart from some serious agitation once I'd spotted it start to cloud a little again, so, I might be OK yet

',;~}~

Shaun aRe

I'd thought about the nutrient, and if it stops again (see reply to Ray - started itself again) and still is too sweet, might just use some.

It was just fine thanks - I get the gist.

Cheers! Yamas! Prost! Yachy da! ',;~}~

Shaun aRe

Uhhhmm, I threw the packet before noting the number. I'm such a damned amateuer eh? ',;~}~

All it said was 'Super Yeast', and the seemingly knowledgeable shop guy told me it would suit the type of wine I was doing better than Champ. yeast, and had a higher tolerance (said 18-20% no problem if I slow feed the wine and do it all wit care. I only wanted about 15 % or so).

Nope! I make wines like I cook, and that's without a recipe, just by 'feel'. I get an idea, and try to follow it through to conclusion. I guess I generally like surprises ',;~}~

I just checked an old winemaking book, added the same amount of sugar, plus some for the extra alcohol and 'dry' fruit (fruit wasn't sweet, and I didn't use any where near 100% fruit juice, more like 40 %, the flowers, topped up with good ol' aqua).

Again, as I said to Ray, I may yet be saved as the wine has started fermenting again, albeit rather slowly........here's to hopes and prayers - it really is an excellent drop (my best yet by far) apart from the sweetness.

Cheers!

Shaun aRe - Thanks all for your sage advice.

Andy - again, many thanks! Found more recipes on that site than I could use - will give us plenty to go on. Brilliant!

',;~}~

Shaun aRe