Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using
1118 yeast.

Exponential Feeding A system of sugar additions to a must so that a high =
alcohol content can be achieved. If all the sugar is added at the start =
of fermentation, there is a great danger that the sugar will inhibit or =
even kill the yeast. By adding small amounts of sugar each time the =
specific gravity falls to 1-005, the yeast learns to tolerate alcohol =
concentrations which normally would kill it. In this way, a slow, steady =
ferment is encouraged. This aids quality by not causing the vaporization =
of esters.

Stephen

"Jim" wrote in message =
...
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using
1118 yeast.

Thank you for the information.

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 21:18:45 +0100, "Ant"
wrote:

Exponential Feeding A system of sugar additions to a must so that a high alcohol content can be achieved. If all the sugar is added at the start of fermentation, there is a great danger that the sugar will inhibit or even kill the yeast. By adding small amounts of sugar each time the specific gravity falls to 1-005, the yeast learns to tolerate alcohol concentrations which normally would kill it. In this way, a slow, steady ferment is encouraged. This aids quality by not causing the vaporization of esters.

Stephen

"Jim" wrote in message ...
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using
1118 yeast.

Right on the mark. Just remember that increasing the alcohol of a
four week kit will NOT improve the quality beyond its starting
material.

A four week kit (read the label) is grape juice, sugar, and acids
,etc. Sort of like your "juice drink" that is 30% juice. If you want
more alcohol DO NOT use less water--unless you bother to adjust the
acid balance.

If you are talking about a wine cooler type of kit, DO NOT add sugar.
It does not in any way make the thing any better (I tried). If you
like the fruit flavour, add white grape concentrate and adjust the
acid balance at the end.

I have to say that in working for a kit vendor, I was privileged to
see every clever variation that a city full of customers came up with
when making wine from kits. The best wine was from 8 week kits with
less than 23 litres final volume. The next best was from fruit trees
in a good year.

--Irene

"Ant" wrote in message ...
Exponential Feeding A system of sugar additions to a must so that a high
alcohol content can be achieved. If all the sugar is added at the start
of fermentation, there is a great danger that the sugar will inhibit or
even kill the yeast. By adding small amounts of sugar each time the
specific gravity falls to 1-005, the yeast learns to tolerate alcohol
concentrations which normally would kill it. In this way, a slow, steady
ferment is encouraged. This aids quality by not causing the vaporization
of esters.

Stephen

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using

1118 yeast.

Thank you Irene.
On 20 Oct 2003 19:39:15 -0700, (Irene) wrote:

Right on the mark. Just remember that increasing the alcohol of a
four week kit will NOT improve the quality beyond its starting
material.

A four week kit (read the label) is grape juice, sugar, and acids
,etc. Sort of like your "juice drink" that is 30% juice. If you want
more alcohol DO NOT use less water--unless you bother to adjust the
acid balance.

If you are talking about a wine cooler type of kit, DO NOT add sugar.
It does not in any way make the thing any better (I tried). If you
like the fruit flavour, add white grape concentrate and adjust the
acid balance at the end.

I have to say that in working for a kit vendor, I was privileged to
see every clever variation that a city full of customers came up with
when making wine from kits. The best wine was from 8 week kits with
less than 23 litres final volume. The next best was from fruit trees
in a good year.

--Irene

"Ant" wrote in message ...
Exponential Feeding A system of sugar additions to a must so that a high
alcohol content can be achieved. If all the sugar is added at the start
of fermentation, there is a great danger that the sugar will inhibit or
even kill the yeast. By adding small amounts of sugar each time the
specific gravity falls to 1-005, the yeast learns to tolerate alcohol
concentrations which normally would kill it. In this way, a slow, steady
ferment is encouraged. This aids quality by not causing the vaporization
of esters.

Stephen

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using

1118 yeast.

"Jim" wrote:
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using
1118 yeast.

The method I use (not with kits, but it should work there as well) is to
wait until the SG drops BELOW 1.000, and then add 2-oz of sugar per gallon
of wine. This raises the SG by ~.005, and is usually consumed within 24
hours. Wait until the SG returns to the original point before adding sugar.
Do not add sugar until it does so, or you will end up with a stuck ferment
and a overly-sweet wine. If it takes more than 24 hours for the last sugar
addition to be used up (i.e. for the SG to drop to the original point
again), do not add more sugar. You have almost reached the yeast's
tolerance, and adding more will cause a stuck ferment.

To add sugar, draw a cup (per gallon) of wine. Add the sugar to this smaller
container, and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Then continue stirring
just to be sure. Pour the sweetened must back into the main carboy, and stir
that well (otherwise the sweetened must will drop straight to the bottom).
This is essential. Undissolved sugars can and usually do cause a stuck
ferment.

Some yeasts will take a lot of alcohol, so be sure and calculate (from a
chart) how much you wish to add, and don't overdo it. If there is too much
alcohol, it will overpower the flavour of the wine, and it won't taste very
good.

Also note that this method will probably leave a bit of residual sugar in
your wine, especially if you make one more addition than specified above.
This is a good thing, because high-alcohol wines (like ports) need a bit of
sugar to offset the bite. It should not be a bottling problem, or require
the use of sorbate, since the alcohol will have exceeded the yeast's
tolerance. And, it will keep better than lower-alcohol wines.

LALVIN EC1118 PRISE DE MOUSSE - S. cerevisiae - bayanus =20
White, Red, Sparkling, Restart Stuck Fermentations=20
EC1118 is the original, steady, low foamer, and is excellent for barrel =
fermentations. It ferments well at low temperatures, and flocculates =
well with very compact lees.

Jim are you aware of these properties of this yeast.

i assume it's this yeast=20

Stephen

"Jim" wrote in message =
...
Is it possible to feed a 4 week kit wine to increase the alcohol
content and if so how do I go about doing it? I was thinking of using
1118 yeast.