Non sugar sweetening

[TStarr]

Hi all - could one or more of the resident experts suggest the best non-sugar sweetener to try backsweetening my fruit wines. Do they all leave an after taste that sugar doesn't? are they getting better? (I know dry would be best, but the family all like their wines off-dry) I presume they mean you don't need to sorbate a finished wine, thereby avoiding any possible off flavours from that addition. Do many of you use artificial sweeteners as a matter of course?

[Cellar_Rat]

canderel - better as power than tablets - no aftertaste

[fatbloke]

I use lactose.

[silverfox]

Hi Tstarr
Have you got a copy of Gerry Fowles Winemaking in Style?
He explains about sugars & which ones are best to use at what ratios.
I have had great success with Xylitol. , Use at 1:1 just the same as sucrose, it will not re-ferment & it leaves no aftertaste.

thanks Silverfox

[lockwood1956]

I use sorbitol, but it does leave a very slightly candied aftertase (only very slight) the best addition for sweetening is to reserve some of the original juice and sweeten using that. Having sulphited and sorbated first of course, and sorbate and sulphite at the correct levels will not impart any taste or smell to the wine. they are only detectable at levels of 200ppm or more, some people are very sensitive to it (me included) but even then it has to be at at least 150ppm

sorbate can impart an off aroma (but not flavour) if it is added without the wine being sulphited at the correct level (you get a very strong geranium nose)

I agree with silverfox's assertion that the xylitol has no aftertaste (having tasted quite a few of his wines) I will be purchasing some this coming year

regards
bob

[Cellar_Rat]

.. I will be purchasing some this coming year

Yeah me too but YIKES have you seen the price. (£10/kilo) I think I might go back to watching the hydrometer - mucho cheaper for larger applications.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xylitol-sweetener-1Kg-pouch-BIRCH-/320806502856?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item4ab18ec1c8

[Cellar_Rat]

Xylitol is derived from birch sap. I wonder if this is the reason birch sap wine finishes sweet!

[Cellar_Rat]

I have had great success with Xylitol. , Use at 1:1 just the same as sucrose, it will not re-ferment & it leaves no aftertaste.

Big thanks !!!

[Big Dave]

canderel

lactose

Artificial sweetner vs non fermentable sugars - is it just down to personal preference?

I see Xylitol seems to be quite popular

[Cellar_Rat]

Yeah I guess, but I have noticed canderel will drop a very fine sediment.

[winemanden]

Stevia

I have heard that Stevia is very good and non-fermentable. I popped into Holland & Barret yesterday and there it was on the shelf alongside Xylitol. My goodness. It was more than twice the price. I can't remember the exact price but at £6 odd it was more than double the price of Xylitol. Call me a cheapskate if you want but I don't think I'll be using it. I think I'll stick to Sulphite and Sorbate and old fashioned sugar.

Regards to all, Winemanden.

[Cellar_Rat]

I looked into this, and it might be down to dosage. Xylitol is v/v not as sweet as sugar, where as Stevia is many many times sweeter than sugar. Bit concerned it is not 100% it can get woody in high concentration.

All this - and for years I used canderel!

[Jimmy_T]

I recently picked up some stevia and tested it, and yes it is so very sweet, which just means you only need to use a fraction of how much sugar you would add. The flavour by itself can be a little funky but when mixed with other stuff you can just taste the sweetness