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Raspberry wine update?

Rick,

I was reading your thread from a year ago on your experience with raspberry wine. I have a batch going right now. I would like to know how things turned out for you. Did you get the acid level right?

I did things a little differently than you. I ended up adding 1.5 gallons of whelche's white grape juice to my black raspberry must. I started with a TA of 5.5 but since raspberry does not have much TA, most of the acid is Citric Acid, I don't know how relevant that reading is. I too, tried to use PH strips but the readings were always inconclusive because the purple juice on purple strips make it hard to take a reading. I may have to get a PH meter.

My batch just finished fermentation and now sets at 0.992 SG. It has a nice raspberry flavor and has a lot of potential. It has a bite that usually is present with unaged wine. I would really like to know if I will need to adjust the acid level or not.

My plan is to bulk age for 6 months to a year and then make a sweeter batch by adding sugar to some and also making a dry batch.

What about oaking? Did you add oak chips? Would you advise oaking raspberry wine?

Thanks for reading,

Michael

Reply to
Michael E. Carey
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Be careful about adding sugar to a fermented out wine. Even if it is clear, the additional sugar may give a few dormant yeast cells just floating around a reason to live again, and they will definitely have lots of babies. You will need to add some Potassium Sorbate to the wine, or use another reliable method of stabilizing the wine, or you will risk restarting fermentation.

Reply to
Bruce_Nolte_N3LSY&

hi, Mike... to tell you the truth. I've toyed around with it, but so far, it's still in the carboy, all topped up. I've bottled a few batches, and that is the next one I plan on tackling. I've just been lazy... It didn't ahve a bad flavour, was just a bit flat. I bought a used ph meter, but now it doesn't work...so I really don't have much news to give you! sorry..... however, you've inspired me to get going on it again and see what I can do with it! Someone once told me..Rick, you have a lot of patience to just leave the wine like that! But also I have 3 kids, almost all teenagers, a busy life, and need to take the time to get at it!

The one thing I did do before I sweetened it: added sorbate and sulfite so the yeast wouldn't renew its fermentation. Earlier I've added some sweetened reserve raspberry juice...and the fermentation never restarted because it was stabilized. also I just recently bought some rasberry syrup (ingredients: juice plus sugar) that has a very nice flavour - meijers in muskegon michigan, product of poland... which I will no doubt use in my finishing of it all.....

I'll let you know what I did....try to do that this coming week! Thanks. Rick

Reply to
Rick Vanderwal

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