# blackberry/elderberry mix



## hounddawg (Apr 20, 2020)

started a new must 3 blackberry concentrates from homewinery.com, 2 lb wild blackberries and 35 lb of elderberry, 18 gallon water,
will dial in SSG tomorrow, already got pectic and yeast nutrients in it, will get my SSG correct and pitch K1V-1116 come morning,
Dawg


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## BernardSmith (Apr 20, 2020)

Blackberry and elderberry sound like a really good blend


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## hounddawg (Apr 20, 2020)

BernardSmith said:


> Blackberry and elderberry sound like a really good blend



thank you, i like both so i decided to experiment some, 
Dawg


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## robert81650 (Apr 20, 2020)

Where did you get 35 lb. of elderberries?












where


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## hounddawg (Apr 20, 2020)

robert81650 said:


> Where did you get 35 lb. of elderberries?
> 
> my yard last year , they were in my freezer, my elderberries yield better than 100 lbs a year, but I have doubled my plants, they a native to here, same with blackberries, pears, if your looking homewinery.com has elderberry i use them on what i don't grow, 3 concentrates for 2#-6 gal carboys plus and extra gallon so i can top off what i am making with the same, i've just ordered 3 strawberry which will finish 2#=6 gal caryboys and 1# sour cherry to finish in a 3 gallon carboy,
> Dawg
> ...


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## hounddawg (Apr 21, 2020)

SSG 1.080, found out was outta K1V-1116 so EC-1118 it is,
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Apr 30, 2020)

blackberry/elderberry blend is down to 1.010 so tomorrow after stirring it good with a drill, i'll then rack into carboys and airlock them, then start my strawberry tomorrow, 
Dawg


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## robert81650 (Apr 30, 2020)

Sounds good.............


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## FTC Wines (May 1, 2020)

Dawg, We just bottled our Black Elderberry. It was almost 2 years old made from Home Winery concentrates. It was 2 pints of Blackberry and 3 pints of Elderberry concentrates per 5 gallons. ( a little stronger than instructions) . It is awesome, smooth, fruity, bold. All our friends love it too. Roy


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## hounddawg (May 1, 2020)

FTC Wines said:


> Dawg, We just bottled our Black Elderberry. It was almost 2 years old made from Home Winery concentrates. It was 2 pints of Blackberry and 3 pints of Elderberry concentrates per 5 gallons. ( a little stronger than instructions) . It is awesome, smooth, fruity, bold. All our friends love it too. Roy


wqw know i'm stoked
Dawg


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## hounddawg (May 2, 2020)

today i racked 3#- 6's of blackberry/elderberry,,, 3#--6's banana,,, 4#--6's & 1#--5 of skeeter pee, and pulled 3 concentrates of strawberry from home winery outta the freezer,, so that will be 13 gallons of strawberry must tomorrow, i got a few days behind, broke garden, limed the pasture, frig i'm getting old, But loving every minute,,,,,,
Dawg,


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## hounddawg (May 4, 2020)

after racking the blackberry elderberry blend ended up here at the right
Dawg


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## hounddawg (May 4, 2020)




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## hounddawg (May 5, 2020)

yes to make my blackberry / elderberry from homewinery.com,,, i use for 2# 6 gallon carboys finish, i order 2 blackberry half gallon concentrates, and 1 half gallon elderberry, with that gallon and a half pour into ferment barrel, i use yeast energizer per instructions, pectic enzyme per instructions, and 13 gallons of well water using EC-1118 , in lime rock well, which is called sweet water, i stir with a cordless drill and a kraft stainless steel you need more mixer bit, then i as dry sugar a little at a time stirring with my drill till my SSG is 1.080 to 1.095, stir every day to put as much oxygen into my must, till my SG is down to a SG off arond SG.998, then i put into 6 gal carbys, the extra i put into smaller airlocked jars to use to top off with, if you more info feel free t contact me.
Dawg
i


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## FTC Wines (May 5, 2020)

Our recipe is very similar to Dawgs. To keep the math simple we use a pint of Home Winery concentrates to a gallon of must. Home Winery says to use 1/2 gallon ( 4 pints per 5 gallons). We would use 5 pints. We also use a little less Blackberry than Dawg in our blends, we feel it can over power other flavors. A fav blend of ours is 25% blackberry, 25% Elderberry and 50% Cabernet. All personnel taste. When increasing concentrates we use our Vinmetric 300 to make sure all is in line. Roy


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## hounddawg (May 23, 2020)

FTC Wines said:


> Dawg, We just bottled our Black Elderberry. It was almost 2 years old made from Home Winery concentrates. It was 2 pints of Blackberry and 3 pints of Elderberry concentrates per 5 gallons. ( a little stronger than instructions) . It is awesome, smooth, fruity, bold. All our friends love it too. Roy


on homewinerty calls for a 1/2 gallon concentrate per 5 gallons , which to my taste is to light, so i always use 3#
half gallon concentrates for 2,,,6-gal carbots, this gives me at start 13 gallons thats 2 - 6,gal carboys and jugs for topping of, now i keep all glass topping jars in 1 gal, 1/2 gal, 32oz and 160z now all these jugs have a tread finish of 38-400 that gives you a bung size of 6&1/2, so normal 6 & 1/2 drilled bungs to air lock, in my topping off jugs, to each their own, but i never top off with anything but what i'm making, never have, 3 concentrates per 4 and 1/3rd , that little bit really comes through, very fruity or very bearish, now if you wish to only do 1 ,6 gal carboy you can call them with your order, they will sell you a half gallon concentrate plus, a extra pint, but you have to call to do that, that's why i order 3 concentrate to make 2 -6 gal carboy , you just use 12 gallon water then 3 concentrates which gives you roughly 13 gallons,
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Jun 17, 2020)

i racked last night it was early on some of my wines but an extra racking never hurt a thing,,
dawg


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## hounddawg (Jun 17, 2020)

looks like this year that i might get enough black elderberry to finish at 3#-6 gal carboys, 
dawg


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## hounddawg (Jun 27, 2020)

blackberry/elderberry set back for bulk aging
dawg


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## hounddawg (Dec 4, 2020)

bottled 1 carboy of blackberry/black elderberry here while back, opened a bottle a couple nights ago, wondered what had done wrong, set bottle aside for 45 minutes with no cork, wow, this when aged more will be sipped at room temp, I'll be doing all this years new wines made it to the every year to make list, 
Dawg


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## FTC Wines (Dec 4, 2020)

Dawg, We had a bottle of our BKE, ( blackberry 50%, Elderberry 50%) last night, it’s two and Half years old. Awesome just gets smoother and smoother as it ages! I put some away for the 5 yr tasting. Roy


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## hounddawg (Dec 9, 2020)

this is the first wine I've made, that taste much better at room temperature than cold, and it is enjoyable, i bottle 1 carboy, the other 2 will age for a long time to come, 
Dawg


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## BernardSmith (Dec 9, 2020)

But red wines generally taste better at room temperature* and white wines are enhanced by chilling. I think Americans have been hoodwinked by breweries that make crap beer and lager with more rice and maize in them than barley to think that all drinks should taste better at near frozen temperatures. Those breweries refrigerate their brews because the cold makes it harder for you to taste how awful they truly are. 
* and historically, room temperature generally meant that you had to wear several layers to keep warm.


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## Bossbaby (Dec 9, 2020)

I just did a 3rd racking on my blacberry/elderberry last night and the flavor has gone kinda flat with an astringent aftertaste, I dont want to back sweeten a whole lot but it may need something??? acid maybe..


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## hounddawg (Dec 9, 2020)

Bossbaby said:


> I just did a 3rd racking on my blacberry/elderberry last night and the flavor has gone kinda flat with an astringent aftertaste, I dont want to back sweeten a whole lot but it may need something??? acid maybe..


your blackberry elderberry needs time to age, what is your SG & PH
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Dec 10, 2020)

BernardSmith said:


> But red wines generally taste better at room temperature* and white wines are enhanced by chilling. I think Americans have been hoodwinked by breweries that make crap beer and lager with more rice and maize in them than barley to think that all drinks should taste better at near frozen temperatures. Those breweries refrigerate their brews because the cold makes it harder for you to taste how awful they truly are.
> * and historically, room temperature generally meant that you had to wear several layers to keep warm.


um that's a personal preference, although that tends to be the norm for traditional wines, not so much with country wines, generally?
Dawg


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## winemaker81 (Dec 10, 2020)

I agree with @BernardSmith on temperature regarding beer. I pour a home brew at 70 F, it tastes fine, but American mass market beer needs to be chilled, else it tastes like crap. [Honestly, all mass market beer tastes like crap to me, but that makes it easy to nurse one beer for 4 hours!]

Ales from local brewpubs taste fine regardless of temperature, so it may be an ale vs. lager thing ... although I find beers with significant amounts of corn or rice just don't taste good. As a teenager we drank what we could get, but once I started on barley-only beers? There was no going back.

@hounddawg, I'm curious why the blackberry-elderberry tastes good to you at room temp, while previous wines did not. You like sweet wines, so is there a difference in the sweetness?



Bossbaby said:


> I just did a 3rd racking on my blacberry/elderberry last night and the flavor has gone kinda flat with an astringent aftertaste, I dont want to back sweeten a whole lot but it may need something??? acid maybe..


In my experience, non-grape wines need backsweetening, else they taste astringent.

Start with 1/4 cup sugar in 5 gallons of wine, stir very well, and taste. Repeat until you're satisfied.


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## hounddawg (Dec 11, 2020)

winemaker81 said:


> I agree with @BernardSmith on temperature regarding beer. I pour a home brew at 70 F, it tastes fine, but American mass market beer needs to be chilled, else it tastes like crap. [Honestly, all mass market beer tastes like crap to me, but that makes it easy to nurse one beer for 4 hours!]
> 
> Ales from local brewpubs taste fine regardless of temperature, so it may be an ale vs. lager thing ... although I find beers with significant amounts of corn or rice just don't taste good. As a teenager we drank what we could get, but once I started on barley-only beers? There was no going back.
> 
> ...


i love the Ozarks and proud of our history, but the old ridge runners round here could not make beer all of theirs tasted of yeast, so i never tried brewing beer, made fine um u no, and good wine, 
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Dec 11, 2020)

winemaker81 said:


> I agree with @BernardSmith on temperature regarding beer. I pour a home brew at 70 F, it tastes fine, but American mass market beer needs to be chilled, else it tastes like crap. [Honestly, all mass market beer tastes like crap to me, but that makes it easy to nurse one beer for 4 hours!]
> 
> Ales from local brewpubs taste fine regardless of temperature, so it may be an ale vs. lager thing ... although I find beers with significant amounts of corn or rice just don't taste good. As a teenager we drank what we could get, but once I started on barley-only beers? There was no going back.
> 
> ...


no, and I've been pondering that myself, it don't make since, I've tried all my wines both ways, and every single time i like cold..., but i got them i just bottled in a wine rack, i kicked back a few bottle to try 1 each year..., my SG-PH and amount of pounds the exact as always , and i know fruit is different every year, but i don't think that could be it, makes e wonder about the 2 carboys still in bulk age, i got a bad habit of when making a wine i make 3 to 5- ,6 gal carboys, no i bottle at 1.040, 
Dawg


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## dralarms (Dec 12, 2020)

@hounddawg, I just tried a 50/50 mix of blackberry and elderberry. Mighty tasty.


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## hounddawg (Dec 13, 2020)

dralarms said:


> @hounddawg, I just tried a 50/50 mix of blackberry and elderberry. Mighty tasty.


yep i ain't disappointed, can't hardly wait to try at 1 year which is not that far off, still have 2 carboys bulk aging plus the one i bottled, still have most of the bottled, but alas i gotta make a lot more Skeeter Pee Port,, makes aging easier by keeping me out of what i'm aging,
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Jan 3, 2021)

yep this wine keeps getting better, I'll be making much more of this wine, grinning ear to ear, 
SKOAL
Dawg


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## hounddawg (Jan 3, 2021)

BernardSmith said:


> But red wines generally taste better at room temperature* and white wines are enhanced by chilling. I think Americans have been hoodwinked by breweries that make crap beer and lager with more rice and maize in them than barley to think that all drinks should taste better at near frozen temperatures. Those breweries refrigerate their brews because the cold makes it harder for you to taste how awful they truly are.
> * and historically, room temperature generally meant that you had to wear several layers to keep warm.


not with country wines at least to me, strawberry, tart cherry, etc. are very good cold, of course i make and drink my wines at a SG of 1.040. if i remember correctly you like dry wines, where i like sweet wines, and where i live i get most all my fruits and berries farm fresh, now and then i do have to use concentrates, mainly in winter time, ,


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## hounddawg (Feb 11, 2021)

so pulled a cork yesterday, room temp, of my blackberry/elderberry, it has gotten better, i figure the other 2 - 6 gal carboys will stay in their carboys, yep sooth as silk, am very happy
Dawg


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## Scooter68 (Feb 11, 2021)

Some day I might try a blend of Black Currant (Tart) along with Blackberry. Black Raspberry, when I can get the good wild stuff deserves to be made all by it self.

I did bottle up a batch of "Triple Berry" this winter. I scrounged up some old Wild Blackberries (3.5 lb (I think)) Red Raspberries (1lb maybe) and Wild Black Raspberries ( 2 - 2,.5 lbs) the three together are just down right awesome. A one gallon batch - I bottled 3 standard bottles and 4 Splits because there is no way I'm giving away a whole bottle to anyone who isn't a really really good friend. Wild Black Raspberries are too precious.


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## hounddawg (Feb 11, 2021)

Scooter68 said:


> Some day I might try a blend of Black Currant (Tart) along with Blackberry. Black Raspberry, when I can get the good wild stuff deserves to be made all by it self.
> 
> I did bottle up a batch of "Triple Berry" this winter. I scrounged up some old Wild Blackberries (3.5 lb (I think)) Red Raspberries (1lb maybe) and Wild Black Raspberries ( 2 - 2,.5 lbs) the three together are just down right awesome. A one gallon batch - I bottled 3 standard bottles and 4 Splits because there is no way I'm giving away a whole bottle to anyone who isn't a really really good friend. Wild Black Raspberries are too precious.


Agreed 100%
Dawg


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## winemanden (Feb 18, 2021)

BernardSmith said:


> But red wines generally taste better at room temperature* and white wines are enhanced by chilling. I think Americans have been hoodwinked by breweries that make crap beer and lager with more rice and maize in them than barley to think that all drinks should taste better at near frozen temperatures. Those breweries refrigerate their brews because the cold makes it harder for you to taste how awful they truly are.
> * and historically, room temperature generally meant that you had to wear several layers to keep warm.


Bernard is spot on. Try tasting an American Budweiser against a Budweiser from the Chzech Republic. it's a revelation. Top quality ingredients and Ageing compared to??? No contest.
No I'm not being anti American.


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## Scooter68 (Feb 18, 2021)

Interesting to read the opinions on this thread. I suspect that the comparison to some foreign beers to American beers is probably spot on.
I found the same to be true comparing breads as well. (OK off topic but it does involve yeast) German white bread vs American White bread. Mass production is the American way and I suspect that the crafting of beers at micro-breweries has taken off simply because the difference is significant - when the beer is truely crafted well. The technical quality of our products might compare favorably but the true test is done by our taste buds.


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## Arne (Feb 18, 2021)

Since we got off topic from elders and blackberries I am going to keep it a little off topic. Hope you don't mind, Rich. Daughter gave me a blackberry plant 4 years ago. Last year itproduced 78 berries and Kathy counted and ate every on of them. I had to cut a branch off it and took a piece of it and set it in


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## Arne (Feb 18, 2021)

Darn fat fingers. set it in a glass of water on the kitchen window sill. It proced to loose its leave and left us with a stick. Was in with some other cuttings and left it. The other day Kathy said the blackberry had roots and leaves. Put it ina small pot today and back in the window. My question is the plant was thornless, will the new plant be thornless also assuming I can keep it alive? Arne.


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## sour_grapes (Feb 18, 2021)

Arne said:


> Since we got off topic from elders and blackberries I am going to keep it a little off topic. Hope you don't mind, Rich. Daughter gave me a blackberry plant 4 years ago. Last year itproduced 78 berries and Kathy counted and ate every on of them. I had to cut a branch off it and took a piece of it and set it in



AFAIK, this fat-fingered response is the only one of 4,996 that did not end with the word "Arne."


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## hounddawg (Feb 18, 2021)

Arne said:


> Darn fat fingers. set it in a glass of water on the kitchen window sill. It proced to loose its leave and left us with a stick. Was in with some other cuttings and left it. The other day Kathy said the blackberry had roots and leaves. Put it ina small pot today and back in the window. My question is the plant was thornless, will the new plant be thornless also assuming I can keep it alive? Arne.


yep should, all thornless blackberries come from the collage in North West Arkansas, i have a few, good eating, but all my blackberry wines are from wild blackberry,,, wild blackberries make the best wine, I put on 2 pair of britches a couple 3 long sleeve shirts and tight fitting leather gloves,
Richard


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## hounddawg (Feb 18, 2021)

Arne said:


> Darn fat fingers. set it in a glass of water on the kitchen window sill. It proced to loose its leave and left us with a stick. Was in with some other cuttings and left it. The other day Kathy said the blackberry had roots and leaves. Put it ina small pot today and back in the window. My question is the plant was thornless, will the new plant be thornless also assuming I can keep it alive? Arne.


the best way i know is i get some thin plastic, put potting soil in it, wrap it around the cane this spring fasten top and bottom with bread ties and use a syringe to water it when the roots start showing thru the potting soil cut below the plastic, sandwich baggies work great, it makes it easier to tell when the roots come out past the potting soil..
Dawg


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## Robert R (Feb 19, 2021)

If you let tips of blackberry canes touch the ground for a few weeks, they *will* root. Dig it up, clip the old cane a few inches up, then replant wherever.


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## Arne (Feb 19, 2021)

Robert R said:


> If you let tips of blackberry canes touch the ground for a few weeks, they *will* root. Dig it up, clip the old cane a few inches up, then replant wherever.


We will find out. Bent one of the branches over and buried the end of it same day I took the cutting. Might get two plants out of this deal. Arne.


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## Arne (Feb 19, 2021)

sour_grapes said:


> AFAIK, this fat-fingered response is the only one of 4,996 that did not end with the word "Arne."


Lol. Thing posted too fast. Didn't give me a chance to sign off. Arne.


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## Arne (Feb 19, 2021)

hounddawg said:


> the best way i know is i get some thin plastic, put potting soil in it, wrap it around the cane this spring fasten top and bottom with bread ties and use a syringe to water it when the roots start showing thru the potting soil cut below the plastic, sandwich baggies work great, it makes it easier to tell when the roots come out past the potting soil..
> Dawg


Wrap the plastic around the cane while it is on the plant or cut it off? Read it again, while on the plant. Will try this this spring. Arne.


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## hounddawg (Feb 19, 2021)

Arne said:


> We will find out. Bent one of the branches over and buried the end of it same day I took the cutting. Might get two plants out of this deal. Arne.


yup i forgot to mention that, been holed up so long getting forgetful
Dawg


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## Arne (Feb 19, 2021)

Not above freezing but the sun is shining. Melting a little of the snow, maybe one of these days we will get to plant things again. Arne. Just noticed after posting, been on here a long time. 5000 posts. Hope to be around for another 5000. Arne.


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## hounddawg (Feb 19, 2021)

Arne said:


> Not above freezing but the sun is shining. Melting a little of the snow, maybe one of these days we will get to plant things again. Arne. Just noticed after posting, been on here a long time. 5000 posts. Hope to be around for another 5000. Arne.


the lying weather people said today was to be 31-F,, nope todays high was 30-F and now looks like thawing will be shoved back about 3 days, at least till thaw,, yep here it will be a few months ,, I'm 60
Dawg


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## Scooter68 (Feb 19, 2021)

Sorry we soaked up all the heat over in our corner. I saw 36.5 once and we were above freezing for a little over 3 hours today. I've been using the opportunity to walk through our woods and cut down wild grape vines (They do not produce), wild rose bushes and any other vines.. Will have to go back out with a chain saw to finish - some of the grape vines are bigger around than my forearm.
I've learned my lesson though - Do NOT try to pull down the vines up in the trees - Dead branches and snow on your head are what you get. I cut them the ground and again as high up as I can reach. 

No new ferments going to happen here until the average temp is up in the 540's and 60s. Too expensive to heat up the other house (empty) just for a batch of wine. It costs enough just to keep it at 60 degrees. That leave the basement at 50-55 degrees until spring.

Stay warm all and remember global warming will stop all this cold weather soon. (yeah, sure)


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## Robert R (Feb 19, 2021)

We actually got up to 36 here in sunny Sapulpa! first time above freezing in almost 2 weeks. Interesting factoid: Sapulpa is a Creek (Muskogee) Indian word meaning "sweet potato".


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## franc1969 (Feb 20, 2021)

Arne said:


> Wrap the plastic around the cane while it is on the plant or cut it off? Read it again, while on the plant. Will try this this spring. Arne.


Search for information about air layering or easiest is tip rooting or serpentine layering. This is all done during the growing season to get duplicate plants.


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## hounddawg (Feb 25, 2021)

BernardSmith said:


> But red wines generally taste better at room temperature* and white wines are enhanced by chilling. I think Americans have been hoodwinked by breweries that make crap beer and lager with more rice and maize in them than barley to think that all drinks should taste better at near frozen temperatures. Those breweries refrigerate their brews because the cold makes it harder for you to taste how awful they truly are.
> * and historically, room temperature generally meant that you had to wear several layers to keep warm.


@BernardSmith ,, you don't know how hard it is for me to admit this! I wonder if you are a warlock,, LMFAO,,, I've sipped country wines as long as i can remember, cold, as cold as i can get them ,, Red/White no matter, since back when i posted on here about liking my elderberry/blackberry at room temp, I've not even put a strawberry in my fridge, you used voodoo on me I'm sure ,,, I helped (fetch/toted) since i was a kid, in secret of course, my dad is 88, , dad has never tasted alcohol not even once, I was raised Pentecostal, lol ,,, that's how i snuck around to the old timers, now half a century latter, boom i drink still country wines, but dang,, I'd of never thought of drinking reds at room temp,, Moral of this story is yep,,, You can teach a old dawg new tricks, 
Skoal
Dawg


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