Pineapple wine experiment, dextrose vs sugar, final alcohol level 11.3%
This is my first experiment in making pineapple wine. Both bottles finished at 0.996 final gravity with 11.3% alcohol for the dextrose and 11.7% alcohol for the sugar (sucrose).
Bottle 1
1/2 cup dextrose + roughly 25% more (less dense than sugar)
1/4 tsp DAP
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient (B vitamins)
1 tea bag steeped in 1/2 cup boiling water (for tannin)
1/16 tsp Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
Original gravity 1.082
Final gravity 0.996
Final alcohol 11.3%
Bottle 2
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp DAP
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient (B vitamins)
1 tea bag steeped in 1/2 cup boiling water (for tannin)
1/16 tsp Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
Original gravity 1.085
Final gravity 0.996
Final alcohol 11.7%
For more details on the method check out my blog. The quick instructions are below.
After the ingredients are added cover the top with breathable paper as the yeast are multiplying, after 2-5 days add an airlock or loose cap with a plastic bag and elastic band. The wine should be fully brewed in 2-3 weeks. Leave in a warm, dark area until all bubbling stops.
Results:
Wow, the yeast loves pineapple juice! As it turns out pineapple juice is loaded with nutrients, minerals and vitamins and it sure showed in the vigor of the fermentation. I learned this the hard way with five volcano like overflows in the first few days.
Bottle 1
The smell is mild and fruity, a hint of sweetness, not really clearly pineapple but pleasant none the less. The taste is sour, with some residual pineapple flavor and quite smooth.
Bottle 2
There's a similar fruity smell as bottle 1 but with more sweetness likely from the fructose in the sugar. The taste is sour, more acidic, more harsh and lacking the smoothness of bottle 1. This is a recurring result I am finding when using table sugar compared to dextrose. Sugar creates unpleasant left over flavors.
Final thoughts:
I have a few more experiments with dextrose and sugar that I will post in the coming weeks. After that I am moving on to fine tuning the recipes with only dextrose. It's just not worth using table sugar and having this gross acidic, unpleasant flavor when I can easily get a smooth result with the dextrose. Also I am re-adding bentonite into every recipe and pectic enzyme to break down the pectin from the fruit to create more clarity in the final product.
I have also found out that anything labelled nectar or with a fair bit of pulp is going to overflow. I switched to 1.5 liter jars I had left over from olives that leave a bit more airspace for the foam to settle out in. These are only necessary for some juice mixes though.
I recently bought stevia mixed with erythritol which is made from monk fruit. This may be a good option to sweeten the final product just to balance out the sourness without adding something that will actively ferment again. I'll have to test it and see if it will ferment first. Then I'll have a sweetener option that doesn't require preservatives to be added to stop the fermentation and also not add in extra calories.
Please leave your comments and thoughts below. Cheers!