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I have a gallon of elderflower, 3 gallons of gooseberry and 1 of raspberry wine which all seem to have finished fermenting. The hydrometer is reading 990 to 995 on them. all are definately below 1000. Gooseberry and elderflower are very clear. Raspberry is clearing much slower. I am not sure what to do now. Can I rack and bootle them now? and how do you recomend I sweeten them? as all taste very dry. If I had seen this site before I started wine making I would not have been so ambitous starting off. Help greatly appreciated
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First and foremost, make sure they are all properly topped up. Add 1 campden tablet per gallon to prevent oxidation and spoilage. Then I would just leave them alone while they clear. Sometimes a wine can look completely clear but really isn't. The easiest way to tell is to shine a torch through the carboy or DJ and see if you can see the beam of light. If you can, then it is not completely clear.
You can sweeten with ordinary table sugar, but you will have to add potassium sorbate (aka sorbitol, sorbate, or sorbic acid) to keep the yeasties from waking up again and eating the newly added sugar.Steve
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I dont have any wines to top up with so can you suggest anything else.Comment
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Buy some cheap plonk and use that.National Wine Judge NGWBJ
Secretary of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Society
My friends would think I was a nut, turning water into wine....... Lyrics from Solsbury hill by Peter Gabriel
Member of THE newest wine circle in Yorkshire!!Comment
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Great, thanks I will get the hang of this eventually.Comment
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It's very important to top up wine containers. Air is the enemy. The biggest newbie mistake, in my opinion, is leaving too much airspace in the top of the DJ. Leave it like that for too long and you'll soon have spoilage problems. And if by chance you're lucky enough to avoid spoilage, the oxygen will soon begin turning your nice wine brown.
Top up, add Campden, and you'll soon have a nice drinkable wine.
Steve
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as I have 3 gallons of gooseberry (in One gallon demi's) Would it be ok to use one to top up other 2 and my gallon of elderflower? Sorry about all the questions I just want to get it right. I would hate to lose a drop
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I you are only topping up a little, then water might be ok (up to say 250ml)N.G.W.B.J.
Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
Wine, mead and beer makerComment
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