fortified fruit wine

[minerva]

I have made far too many gallons of various fruit wines and have just spent ages searching the internet for a fortified fruit wine recipie but cann't find out much,  what i can grasp is that i have to add stronger spirit like brandy or vodka, but I donn't know when to add it, how much or what to?  the blackberry wine i was thinking of fortify is practically fermented, is that too late?

can anyone help me - please
sam
xx

[Steve_C]

Hi Minerva
will look it up in my books will get back to you
Steve C

[Steve_C]

Hi Minerva
Sorry its taken so long to get back to you
I have found the information it involves some thing called the pearson square.
(all in % alcohol by volume)
Here is the pearson square,

 A                 D
       
         C

 B                 E


A = alcohol content of spirit to be added
B = present alcohol content of wine
C = desired alcohol content
D = diffrence between B and C
E = diffrence between C and A

The proportion D to E is the proportion of spirit to wine to achieve the desired strength.

If you are blending two wines of known strength and wish to know the final strength, the formular is:
(A X B) + (C X D) divided by  A + C

A = No. of parts of 1st wine
B = Strength of 1st wine
C = No. of parts of 2nd wine
D = Strength of 2nd wine

for example

(2 X 15) + (3 X 10) Div by 2 + 3 = 60 div 5 = 12%

From  First steps in wine making by C.J.J.Berry

Hope this helps and not confuses
Steve C
       

[minerva]

Oh my god, that should keep me buisy, i have printed it off and will take a long look at it this evening, and give it a go, you never know I might get something half drinkable out of it, if its anything like the sloe gin i was sweetening last night i will not be able to stand up let alone taste the final result.  thank you for going to the all the effort  of looking it up steve,  i promise i will give it a go and let you know how it works out
sam
xxx

[Steve_C]

Hi Sam
After reading what I put on there I came to the conclusion that it would be better to add a little at a time till it tastes right  
Steve

[minerva]

dear Steve,
finally tried out the "add more alchohol" method on my fruit wine, the blackberry  can now knock you out cold just from one sniff ,  Its great actually about the same strength as my slow gin!  I tried it when my 17 year old  1/2 brother was staying, and he blagged some out of me to take home,  so i guess his mother wont be too pleased with me ( no change then  )

i have also discovered that homemade fruit wine makes the absolute best mulled wine, especially the apple and blackberry.
sam

[Beer_Belly]

Mmmmmmmm  mulled wine....