Sugar and acid degrees are two constituents of making a perfect batch of wine and so any adjustments to the process are the results of those tests. As you’re no doubt aware the sugar level of your wine is incredibly important since the yeast feeds off of it to make the alcohol. The amount of sugar you use will determine the amount of alcohol that is present in the final batch but in order to run these tests you’ll have to own a hydrometer.
The hydrometer gives you the ability to accurately test and take measurement of the sugar that is present in the juice and the volume of alcohol that can be produced from the sugar. Consequently you can also measure the amount of sugar you’ll still need to add to the juice.
A gravimeter is basically a glass tube that contains a weight that will float in water. Sugar levels can be tested by checking at what level actually floats in nearly all hydrometers their scale provides a reading of how much alcohol it has. The scale is readable when you first start the fermentation process to determine whether you need to add more sugar based on the amount of alcohol that you want to be present in the final wine.
If you think that you should alter the sugar level in order to increase the alcohol level, you’re probably curious what kind of sugar is the best. It helps to remember that every type of sugar will display different characteristics. [Corn sugar and cane sugar are usually the cheapest] and the most readily available, though there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with other sugar options if you have them available.
You’ll need to do tests and maybe even adjust the acid level of your wine. Bear in mind that a proper acid level will provide your wine with balance and character and render assistance for the fermentation process as it’s critical for you to keep in mind that different fruits have different acid levels.
The best way you can test acidity is through the use of a titration kit, which will help you determine how the wine will actually taste. If you have too much acid in the wine then it will taste bitter or sour, however, if it doesn’t have enough acid then it will have a flat taste. Based on those readings, you will know whether or not you should modify the acidity level of your wine. If you find that you require to change anything you can do so via one of these fruits: citric, tartaric and malic fruit acids.
Some methods of changing the flavor the wine during bottling include mixing it with other wines, incorporating spices, or oak chips, body or flavor enhancements. You may even fortify it with something like grain alcohol or the like. The most critical rule that should be followed upon doing the last minute tweaking is to make sure is that you adjust small, so in other words, always play with small portions and not the full batch.