I added some 1kg of sugar to a beverdale Shiraz. I have done this in the past with other kits because the volume was lower than I liked. However, to my surprise it measured 110. That equates to 14.5% APV. I tend to put a heater in their which is set to 20C. I also put a duvet. To keep the temperature more stable across the fermenter and in winter it is needed.

After the first day it was bubbling over the sides of the fermenter. I don’t have one of those annoying bulb system and I can’t put the lid on the fermenter as the cable for the heater comes out the side. However, for cleanliness, I put a clean tea towel over the top with the duvet around it.

If it is bubbling over the sides this suggests that it is too hot. But as the heater will not be on, how. Can the fermentation process heat the wine over the temperature it should be at? I would have thought that it would self regulate, in that if the temperature increased the yeast activity would slow down.

I don’t think I have done any harm to the outcome but I am concerned about the over activity.

The SG dropped over 24 hours from 110 down to 60 and fermentation has settled done now.