how can i sweeten?

[veggielover]

My wine is ready but i'm finding it quite tart.... how can i sweeten it up a bit?

This is my first ever batch of homemade wine, made with 2 cartons white grape juice and 1 catron of apple ( or it coud be the other way round!!)

[pdblake]

I think you just put more sugar in, though I've not had to do it before so don;t take my word for it. Also not sure if it would start fermenting again.

[shirlthegirl43]

You can buy sweetener (non fermentable) from Wilkinsons or your local brew shop. I can't help you much with that as I have never used it. Are you sure it needs sweetening? Have you de-gassed it? CO2 can make it taste pretty grotty.

[veggielover]

That was my thoughts..... maybe i'll just have to add lemonade to the glass, make a spritzer!!! lol

[veggielover]

De- gassed? can u tell me how please?

[shirlthegirl43]

Either stir vigorously or syphon into bottles leaving a bit of space - put thumb over top of bottle and shake until the 'fizzing' stops. Will take a good shake (a bit like taking the fizz out of lemonade) and you might be surprised by the difference in taste.

[veggielover]

I've just siphoned into bottles don't taste too bad after a few mouthfuls!!! lol, just the first mouthfull is a bit bouncy on the tongue ( does that make sense?) I have siphoned into a bottle with a well known name label still attached to it, gonna test it on my mother in law next weekend, see what she thinks of " the bottle i bought " just to see if she can tell the difference...... then when she announces that she likes it i will tell her its mine, if she announces that she don't i'll keep quiet!!!!

[Llamas]

Very clever idea!!!

[Snadger]

Saccharine tablets?

[Maddie106]

If you add more sugar, it will probably start to ferment again.( ie, you get more alcohol and it wont be any sweeter)

Try a search for "non-fermentable sugars"

I have a vague recollection of using lactose to inmprove sweetness.......

[veggielover]

Having been drinking it over the weekend, and the fact that it passed the mother in law test i have decided it is fine as it is!!!! lol

[littlemark]

Just for interest, there was quite a bit of discussion about sweeteners in cider circles some time ago, and it was decided that Sucralose is a much better sweetener than the widely used Saccharine, which IMO tastes nasty. Sucralose is non-fermentable and available as Splenda in shops.

Cheers, Mark

[ohbeary]

Sorbitol and glycerine would be my bet, but I don't suppose there's any left to sweeten if it was only a gallon!!!

[NOG]

Add some sugar to the glass just before you drink it.