Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong, today.
I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a bit
and then got the shock of my life!!!
I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch recipe
and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of 21%!!!!!!!!! I
did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
alcohol production.
Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and put an
airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should probably
split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5% PA.....
I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the shelf
for a year....
<pout>
Bob

Bob, You are going to get what you were looking for I think. Ec1118 should
get you around 16-20% alc leaving you a semi-sweet Niagara. The only other
viable option I see is to add in unsweetened Niagara or a concentrate to get
your numbers back in line. I'm not sure why you would want a real high
alcohol Niagara, but to each their own. Ps. I would add some nutrient
(slowly) to help try to prevent fermentation from sticking if you dont get
the PA down.
John Dixon
"Bob" > wrote in message
...
> Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong,
today.
> I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a
bit
> and then got the shock of my life!!!
> I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch
recipe
> and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of 21%!!!!!!!!!
I
> did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> alcohol production.
> Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and put
an
> airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should
probably
> split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5% PA.....
> I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the shelf
> for a year....
> <pout>
> Bob
>
>

What is the problem? Just stop it short at about 17% or so. You will have
sweet and strong just like you wanted.

"Bob" > wrote in message
...
> Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong,
today.
> I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a
bit
> and then got the shock of my life!!!
> I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch
recipe
> and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of 21%!!!!!!!!!
I
> did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> alcohol production.
> Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and put
an
> airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should
probably
> split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5% PA.....
> I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the shelf
> for a year....
> <pout>
> Bob
>
>

"Bob" > wrote in message >...
> Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong, today.
> I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a bit
> and then got the shock of my life!!!
> I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch recipe
> and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of 21%!!!!!!!!! I
> did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> alcohol production.
> Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and put an
> airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should probably
> split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5% PA.....
> I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the shelf
> for a year....
> <pout>
> Bob

I think your idea to split the batch and add (acidulated) water is
your best bet, but why not just add water until you reach the desired
PA and then transfer this volume to different sized containers so that
each is full. 10.5% PA isn't necessary or desirable.

In addition to 6.5, 5 and 3 gallon carboys, I often use 1/2 and 1
gallon glass apple juice containers to keep everything topped-up. It
means lots of different sized stoppers and an arsenal of air-locks,
but it works.

Miker

"Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
...
> What is the problem? Just stop it short at about 17% or so. You will
have
> sweet and strong just like you wanted.

Boy, I sure hope so... It is fermenting along just fine, but I may
dilute it and put it in my 6.5 gal. carboy as soon as it is empty. It gives
me the willies. I haven't had anything with a PA of 21% since I dunno
when....

>
> "Bob" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> > I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong,
> today.
> > I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a
> bit
> > and then got the shock of my life!!!
> > I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch
> recipe
> > and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of
21%!!!!!!!!!
> I
> > did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> > hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> > happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> > alcohol production.
> > Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and
put
> an
> > airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should
> probably
> > split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5%
PA.....
> > I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the
shelf
> > for a year....
> > <pout>
> > Bob
> >
> >
>
>

"Miker" > wrote in message
om...
> "Bob" > wrote in message
>...
> > Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> > I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong,
today.
> > I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a
bit
> > and then got the shock of my life!!!
> > I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch
recipe
> > and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of
21%!!!!!!!!! I
> > did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> > hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> > happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> > alcohol production.
> > Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and
put an
> > airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should
probably
> > split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5%
PA.....
> > I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the
shelf
> > for a year....
> > <pout>
> > Bob
>
> I think your idea to split the batch and add (acidulated) water is
> your best bet, but why not just add water until you reach the desired
> PA and then transfer this volume to different sized containers so that
> each is full. 10.5% PA isn't necessary or desirable.

I'm leaning towards using the 6.5 as soon as it is available. I hadn't
thought about adding acid to the water; thanks for mentioning that.
>
> In addition to 6.5, 5 and 3 gallon carboys, I often use 1/2 and 1
> gallon glass apple juice containers to keep everything topped-up. It
> means lots of different sized stoppers and an arsenal of air-locks,
> but it works.

I'm in a remote area and the local shops don't sell glass jugs of apple
juice, only plastic ones. This episode has pointed out to me the need to buy
another 6.5 gallon carboy. I have five of the 5 gallon, but only one
6.5.....
Blobert<><
>
> Miker

"J Dixon" > wrote in message >...
> Bob, You are going to get what you were looking for I think. Ec1118 should
> get you around 16-20% alc leaving you a semi-sweet Niagara. The only other
> viable option I see is to add in unsweetened Niagara or a concentrate to get
> your numbers back in line. I'm not sure why you would want a real high
> alcohol Niagara, but to each their own. Ps. I would add some nutrient
> (slowly) to help try to prevent fermentation from sticking if you dont get
> the PA down.
> John Dixon
> "Bob" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Never make wine when you are tired and not thinking well.
> > I have a problem. I decided to make a Niagara, sweet and strong,
> today.
> > I looked in my book of recipes from previous projects, tweaked things a
> bit
> > and then got the shock of my life!!!
> > I was boosting the ingredients used in a previous 6 gallon batch
> recipe
> > and I am only making a 5 gallon batch, so I now have a PA of 21%!!!!!!!!!
> I
> > did not notice the problem until after I added the yeast and put the
> > hydrometer in. I used a D47 yeast, but as soon as I realized what had
> > happened, I added in an EC1118 as it is supposed to be much higher in
> > alcohol production.
> > Does ANYBODY have ANY ideas??????? I've racked it to a carboy and put
> an
> > airlock on it. This is sooo incredibly FUBAR that I think I should
> probably
> > split the batch into two carboys and top each off to have a 10.5% PA.....
> > I hate it when concrete proof of my stupidity is sitting on the shelf
> > for a year....
> > <pout>
> > Bob
> >
> >


No worries, the Red Sox are a bunch of idiots and things worked out
for them :-)

I think your mistake was in pitching the EC-1118. That may eat up most
of that sugar and leave you with mostly just strong. If you had stayed
with the D47 and taken the 14% ABV you may have ended up with a decent
dessert wine if you balanced the sugar with sufficient acid. Although
it would depend on how much flavor you get from the Niagra.

If this is from a concentrate, I would split the batch and add more
diluted concentrate. If it's from grapes, maybe blend with a low
alcohol wine like a Riesling?

Andy