I am making port this year for the first time. Using Cab grapes, I'll
be mixing it with brandy. I have a couple of questions I'd like to put
up to the group to check myself:
1) do I have to add potasium sorbate to halt fermentation, or will the
brandy do the trick?
2) I'll be taking the juice off the must at about 15 Brix (started at
26) and mixing 1.5 gal brandy with 3.5 gal wine. Do I need to worry
about sufiting this process both the carboy and the port itself, or is
the strength of the final product enough to no worry about that? (I'll
probably do it anyway)
thanks
Marc

You don't mention the yeast you used or the strength of the brandy but
most yeast will stop at the 18-20% abv you should be shooting for. If
you are planning on tawny port you won't need the sulfite, but if not a
tawny you will need sulfite to prevent oxidation.


wrote:

> I am making port this year for the first time. Using Cab grapes, I'll
> be mixing it with brandy. I have a couple of questions I'd like to put
> up to the group to check myself:
> 1) do I have to add potasium sorbate to halt fermentation, or will the
> brandy do the trick?
> 2) I'll be taking the juice off the must at about 15 Brix (started at
> 26) and mixing 1.5 gal brandy with 3.5 gal wine. Do I need to worry
> about sufiting this process both the carboy and the port itself, or is
> the strength of the final product enough to no worry about that? (I'll
> probably do it anyway)
> thanks
> Marc

1) Adding enough alcohol will stop fermentation. Sorbate doesn't stop
fermentation. It prevents yeast from starting.

2) At the alcohol levels that port has, nothing will grow in it. You
can use regular levels of SO2 for a "ruby" style port or no SO2 for a
"tawny" style (more oxydation).

wrote:
> I am making port this year for the first time. Using Cab grapes, I'll
> be mixing it with brandy. I have a couple of questions I'd like to put
> up to the group to check myself:
> 1) do I have to add potasium sorbate to halt fermentation, or will the
> brandy do the trick?
> 2) I'll be taking the juice off the must at about 15 Brix (started at
> 26) and mixing 1.5 gal brandy with 3.5 gal wine. Do I need to worry
> about sufiting this process both the carboy and the port itself, or is
> the strength of the final product enough to no worry about that? (I'll
> probably do it anyway)
> thanks
> Marc