Forgot to add sugar before yeast!

[thisislin]

Hi there,
I'm making a concord grape wine and I never took an initial reading of my ABV or SG or anything, I put the yeast in about 24hrs ago and just realized I never added sugar to adjust the potential ABV. Currently it's at 10 Brix and I'd like to get it to 21.5. Is it too late to add sugar to adjust? The recipe called for 6.5 lbs of sugar but it seems like a risk to add after the yeast has started.

Any advice?

 

[bracconiere]

i'd do it....

 

[Blacksmith1]

I would just add it one pound at a time, AFTER degassing it. when the active fermentation slows add another and stir.

Again AFTER you degas. If you don't the CO2 will release suddenly, kinda like a volcano. The sugar crystals have a great number of nucleation points which cause this.

 

[S-Met]

I would just add it one pound at a time, AFTER degassing it. when the active fermentation slows add another and stir.

I'm not certain, but added 1lb of granulated sugar each day may degas on its own. Watch out for an eruption, think Mentos in a coke.

 

[thisislin]

Thanks for the tips! I’m going to add it slowly, using more of a simple syrup instead of granulated.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Good idea, just make it thick so you don't add any more liquid than you have to.
Then again you could make a concord syrup using your must so you don't add any liquids, maybe? Not sure how well that would work.

 

[bracconiere]

i'm still on the YOLO train, and thinking just dump a 10lb bag of sugar in.....lol or as the mod's have created (or maybe that's over doing it, just a 4lb bag)

 

[Toxxyc]

Dissolve the sugar in some warm water (a little bit) and add it slowly. I've found a lot less flare-up from pouring liquid than powder/granules. I now dissolve my Fermaid O in some hot mead as well when adding, so I don't even degas my meads anymore. At all.