I have a one gallon cranberry melomel started on 3/4/13 with a SG of 1.142. Lalvin 71-B yeast. Jug has cleared, a vanilla bean I added dropped to the bottom, and FG has remained at 1.05 for several weeks. If my calcs. are correct, I should have an ABV of 12.07%. While the FG of 1.05 sounds like a lot of residual sweetness, it tastes very good, apparently offsetting the tartness of the Cranberry Juice.
I have read that cranberries contain malic acid, and a wine site said that you should not sorbate a malolactic fermentation, the result being a geranium like smell. I assume there would be some malolactic fermentation with this blend.
I would like to bottle eventually, but I am at a dilemma: 1) bottle with no metabisulfite or sorbate and risk bottle bombs, or 2) bottle with metabisulfite and no sorbate and pray that fermentation does not restart.
Any advice would be appreciated, I don't want to mess this up, it's going to be good...
I have read that cranberries contain malic acid, and a wine site said that you should not sorbate a malolactic fermentation, the result being a geranium like smell. I assume there would be some malolactic fermentation with this blend.
I would like to bottle eventually, but I am at a dilemma: 1) bottle with no metabisulfite or sorbate and risk bottle bombs, or 2) bottle with metabisulfite and no sorbate and pray that fermentation does not restart.
Any advice would be appreciated, I don't want to mess this up, it's going to be good...
