Watermelon wine

[Rounsy]

Ok here's the thing I started a batch of watermelon wine back on 7/9/11

in a 6 gallon primary I added 40 pounds of watermelon, 5 lbs of sugar, 1 package of yeast (71b-1122), and pectic enzyme...

The starting SG was 1.040

after only a week almost all the actual "watermelon" had dissolved and the airlock stopped bubbling. So I racked it to 6 gallon carboy and took another SG reading on it and it had dropped to 0.998, which in my understanding will make it very dry and not what I am shooting for... topped off the carboy with water mixed with enough corn sugar to raise the SG back up to 1.011 and of course it started fermenting again (not too worried about it getting stronger)...

My concern is what is the best way to go about getting it sweet again and WHEN should I do it... I prefer sweet wines and also curious as to what my target SG should be...

 

[brazedowl]

you need to add sorbate and campden to put the yeast out of commission then sweeten to taste.

I just rerack onto 5 crushed campden tablets and 2.5 tsp (just shy of a 1tbl) of sorbate and let it sit for a few days. Then sweeten, bottle and enjoy.

 

[Androshen]

In the time it will take to clarify, the yeast will most likely finish up anyway ....

Which will most effectively raise the SG - corn sugar or cane sugar?

 

[Yooper]

In the time it will take to clarify, the yeast will most likely finish up anyway ....

Which will most effectively raise the SG - corn sugar or cane sugar?

Either- they are pretty close in SG.

As was mentioned, the yeast will finish up and the wine will clear. Then it can be racked (as many times as necessary whenever there are lees 1/4" thick or more after 60 days) until completely clear. Once it's completely clear, it can be stabilized with sorbate and campden (sulfite) and then sweetened to taste. I always recommend sweetening to just under where you like it best, as it seems to get a bit sweeter in the bottle. For example, if I like it at 1.008, I'll sweeten it to 1.005 or 1.006.

 

[Rounsy]

Thanks... so now all I have to do is the hard part......wait

 

[Rounsy]

Just racked it onto 6 crushed campden tablets in another 6 gallon carboy... SG was really low for my tastes, so added another 2.5 lbs of corn sugar, bringing the SG back up to roughly 1.02.... will take SG again in a few days to allow the sugar to mix in...

 

[PantherCity]

If you drink don't drive do the Watermelon Crawl!

 

[Rounsy]

hmmmm apparently I should've waited longer after the campden to add the sugar... went to take an SG reading and I'll be darned if it wasn't bubbling away... I guess I'll just have to let it set for a good long while.... to let the yeast truly finish and die out, before I can sweeten it

 

[Foomoochoo]

You have to use Sorbate to prevent fermentation. Campden helps against oxidation and lets the wine store longer.

I will recommend a Wine Conditioner. You can get it online or at some local brew shops. It is a mix of Sorbate and a sweetener. It will Stabilize the wine and sweeten it. If it is not sweet enough, you can add sugar since the wine is stabilized.

Sorbate is the key to back sweetening.

 

[Snyperwolf]

If it helps to clarify anything on this to those who happen to look for campden vs sorbate. Just to help people’s train of thought.

Campden is used for killing yeast off. I.E. Stoping fermentation / sterilization before fermentation.

Sorbate is for after fermentation is stopped. Sorbate keeps yeast from multiplying so you can back sweeten without fermentation restarting.

This is why if you are making lower ABV you use both in order to stop and prevent yeast from fermenting the newly added sugar.

If you max out the yeast’s ABV tolerance you will not have to worry about the fermentation restarting.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Oh, great. Thanks for the earworm. I really hate this one.

 

[thiagoedwardo]

If it helps to clarify anything on this to those who happen to look for campden vs sorbate. Just to help people’s train of thought.

Campden is used for killing yeast off. I.E. Stoping fermentation / sterilization before fermentation.

Sorbate is for after fermentation is stopped. Sorbate keeps yeast from multiplying so you can back sweeten without fermentation restarting.

This is why if you are making lower ABV you use both in order to stop and prevent yeast from fermenting the newly added sugar.

If you max out the yeast’s ABV tolerance you will not have to worry about the fermentation restarting.

so campden alone can do the work?
if it kills the yeast, it would not be able to start fermenting again

 

[Maylar]

so campden alone can do the work?
if it kills the yeast, it would not be able to start fermenting again

No. Campden does not kill yeast. See post 9 above.