This isn't a beer question but I'm sure someone here can probably help me. I'm in the middle of making 46 litres of red wine but ended up with a stuck fermentation. I tried everything to get going but I have now given up. So, my problem is.... I started with an OG of 1.080 which should have given me an abv of about 10.5 (which is fine by me) but it got stuck at 1.026 so now my abv will be about 8. I'm going to add some brandy just before bottling to bring the abv back up to around 10.5. Can anyone give me a stab about how much brandy (40 percent abv) I would need to add to 45 liters (11.88 US gallons) to bring it up to 10.5 abv? I know its a bit of a strange question but I'm sure someone out there will have the solution. Thanks.
Stalled fermentation
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Let's start with 100% pure alcohol to be added.
1% by volume of 45 liters is 0.45 liters (450 ml), so adding .45 liter of 100% alcohol will raise ABV 1%. That means 2.5 x 0.45 (=1.125 l) will raise it 2.5%
If your brandy is 40% alcohol (80 proof), divide the 1.125 by 0.40 (=2.28 liters). That's how much 40% ABV brandy you'll need.
You might consider vodka or neutral grain spirits, as brandy will add some flavor to the wine, which might not be your aim.
(this doesn't account for the slight volume increase by adding to the 45 liters, but it's close enough)
Good luck!
1% by volume of 45 liters is 0.45 liters (450 ml), so adding .45 liter of 100% alcohol will raise ABV 1%. That means 2.5 x 0.45 (=1.125 l) will raise it 2.5%
If your brandy is 40% alcohol (80 proof), divide the 1.125 by 0.40 (=2.28 liters). That's how much 40% ABV brandy you'll need.
You might consider vodka or neutral grain spirits, as brandy will add some flavor to the wine, which might not be your aim.
(this doesn't account for the slight volume increase by adding to the 45 liters, but it's close enough)
Good luck!
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Jeeps! Proper applied mathematics; top answer!
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You lost me at 100% pure alcohol!
Donoroto.... you are a genius! And so well explained. I'm dyslexia so the only thing I'm worse at then spelling is mathematics, and even I could follow it. Brilliant! I should have seen it myself but I'm glad I had you to rely on. Now! Vodka or brandy? That's a tough one. I just can't see adding 2.28 liters of vodka to 45 liters of wine without it ending having some vodka taste! I figured that at least with brandy it's going to taste of grapes no matter what! It's only home made kit wine so I can't see brandy ruining it. What I might do is split it. Half brandy and half vodka. How does that sound? Thanks again for your calculations. Very good of you to take the time.
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If its available in your area they make Everclear which is 190 proof. That'll get ya there. It just tastes like alcohol.
Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing.
I'm a (retired) professional writer, my job was to make complicated things understandable. (I am other things as well, none of them genius).
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