blackcurrant vinegar

[VegiDales]

I am new to brewing and after a great start with 12 bottles of lovely rhubarb wine early in the summer I have tried to make 12 more of blackcurrant wine, its getting to the end of its fermentation and I just tried it.... its like vinegar. Is there anything that can be done or is it too late?

Thanks!

[Samurailord]

If your wine is vinegary there could be two reasons for it.

1. Most likely is that your sterilising of your equipment has failed and you have some natural yeasts infecting your brew. If the vinegary taste is 'off' this is what has happened.

2. If the taste is vinegary but not 'off' it may simply be that you need to add more sugar to the brew. Blackcurrant and other red fruit wines can take up to six months to mature and develop their true flavours, especially if it is a single fruit wine. It may have been that the blackcurrants were picked before they were completely ready and what you are tasting is the result of the sour berries.

I would try to add a couple of hundred grams of sugar and leave until the fermentation has completely stopped, and taste again.

If it doesn't have an 'off' taste yet I would bottle, put the bottles somewhere cool and dark and forget about them for at least six months.

If it is still not to your taste after six months wait another six, if it's still no good it never will be, so get rid.

You have come so far with the brew it will be a shame to throw it away without trying to recover it.

Andy

[VegiDales]

If your wine is vinegary there could be two reasons for it.

1. Most likely is that your sterilising of your equipment has failed and you have some natural yeasts infecting your brew. If the vinegary taste is 'off' this is what has happened.

2. If the taste is vinegary but not 'off' it may simply be that you need to add more sugar to the brew. Blackcurrant and other red fruit wines can take up to six months to mature and develop their true flavours, especially if it is a single fruit wine. It may have been that the blackcurrants were picked before they were completely ready and what you are tasting is the result of the sour berries.

I would try to add a couple of hundred grams of sugar and leave until the fermentation has completely stopped, and taste again.

If it doesn't have an 'off' taste yet I would bottle, put the bottles somewhere cool and dark and forget about them for at least six months.

If it is still not to your taste after six months wait another six, if it's still no good it never will be, so get rid.

You have come so far with the brew it will be a shame to throw it away without trying to recover it.

Andy

Thanks Andy, I will add some sugar and see if that makes a difference. I fear that I may not have been as careful with sterilising as I should have been. If its off is it possible to make into actual vinegar?

[Two_Sheds]

I fear that I may not have been as careful with sterilising as I should have been.

Well, you've learned the hard way. I dropped a dirty tea towel into my first brew

[Samurailord]

If its off is it possible to make into actual vinegar?

Unfortunately not , if it's off, then the best thing you can do with is is to pour it away and start again.

After all, would you really want your fish and chips to taste of gone-off wine?

Andy