using the hydrometer to stop a fermentation.

[GrafVonJon]

Hi,

I'm a bit of novice when it comes to using a hydrometer, but understand it pretty well coming form a scientific background, and reading a few tutorials.

What I want to know is this:

All the wines I make are dry (which is my preference) but now and then I'd like to vary the sweetness of my white wines.

Question is, what is the best way to achieve this?

Do you simply add more sugar to the recipe and hope the ABV kills the yeast exactly where you want it? Seems a bit ad hoc.

Or do you "aim" for a predetermined final gravity and kill the ferment yourself when it gets there?

If it is the latter, what sort of area on the hydrometer should I aim for? is 1010-1020 OK, or a bit sweet? or not enough?
Usually my wines finish around 990-998, which I would say is dry.

Please note, I'm after trying to make various table wines with subtle variances in sweetness. NOT anything as sweet as, say, a sauternes dessert wine or anything.

Thanks.

[spritzer]

Hi...
You should always let the ferment finish, and if you require it to be a sweeter wine, then back sweeten afterwards
Just remember to add SORBATE when you back sweeten.

Welcome, by the way


Edit.... See the tuturail for WINE #2
This is a lovely wine, and explains about back sweeetening

[Rich]

Sulphite and Sorbate.. not just sorbate.

It'll all be explained in the tutorial

[lockwood1956]

0.990 is dry....0.998 is medium


you need to read up on technique regarding stabilising and sweetening.....

You CANNOT stop an active ferment (unless it wants to stop)

[lockwood1956]

So...
best way to achieve...........

ferment to dry...


stabilise.....



sweeten....

[GrafVonJon]

Awesome,

Thanks to you all for the advice... and also for the welcome to the forum.
Have got a few batches of wine under my belt now, but trying to get a bit more technical about it, rather than just relying on Mr. Berry's recipes!

Thanks for all the links too, genuinely very useful.

[elleks]

If you're following CJJ Berry's recipes, I'm surprised all your wines aren't turning out sweet!

[GrafVonJon]

Yeah, I have been following his recipes loosely...

I'm using his ingredients and methods, but have been using a hydrometer when adding sugar as I had heard his wines were pretty sweet tasting.
I've been starting them around 1080-1090 and then just letting them ferment out completely.