# Top 10 mistakes



## herbenus (Feb 5, 2010)

I wanted to share the top 10 mistakes I've made in the short time I've been doing this. But then I had to add number 11.Maybe this will help someone else. I know for me I learn best by doing.





<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Trying to rack a 6-1/2 carboy of wine into a 6 gallon.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Going to the local shop with “Brew” in the name for advice on winemaking (or buying “6 gallon” carboys from him). </LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Racking wine with too short of a hose.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Racking wine in a room with carpeting.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Trying to cork a small neck 375 ml bottle with a number 9 cork.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Not taking SG readings from start.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>“Waiting till later” to write the SG reading down.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Not having enough wine to drink.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Gluing on labels with water soluble ink before shrinking caps with boiling water.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Piling too many cleaned bottles in a dish rack.</LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Going to my in-laws without a bottle of my newest wine.</LI>


----------



## admiral (Feb 5, 2010)

I could add:

1. Not degassing enough.
2. Leaving bottles in oxyclean too long.
3. Forgetting to add sorbate before bottling.


----------



## AlFulchino (Feb 5, 2010)

forgetting to k meta or fine if the need is there

not having a sink near your wine making area if at all possible

the big one......not making enough of the wine you love!


----------



## Bartman (Feb 5, 2010)

My favorites from your list are no.s 4 &amp; 11. Those made me laugh!

I have always used a spare bathroom to avoid a terrible mess followed by a very angry wife. If only it had a kitchen conuter to bottle on - the wife gets annoyed when the bottling process takes over the kitchen for half a day or more. 

My additions would be not ensuring I have enough corks before starting to bottle (being 3 corks short means you have to get creative... or very drunk) and not budgeting enough money to make the wines I want when I want. But that applies to most everything in life, right? - never enough $$$ to buy everything I "want".


----------



## IQwine (Feb 5, 2010)

(or buying “6 gallon” carboys from
him).

Not sure I understand this one ??? the others are right on the money






</font>


----------



## herbenus (Feb 5, 2010)

Well because they are not 6 but 6-1/2... I like the idea of using the spare bath. Hadn't considered that. But it means hauling carboys through house each time I rack. I think I need a carboy dolly.


----------



## herbenus (Feb 5, 2010)

What happens when you leave in Oxyclean too long? I've been using washing soda which I think is probably the same. WhenI soak too long I get a white film. I haven't figured out if the film is from the soda or the glue from the labels.


----------



## robie (Feb 5, 2010)

What's that old saying, 
"A day late and 3 corks short"... or something like that.


----------



## Brewgrrrl (Feb 5, 2010)

I would add:

1. Holding a sterilized piece of plastic wrap over the jar neck and enthusiastically shaking a 1-gallon yeast starter to aerate it before adding it to the must (there was a fantastic explosion - I am still finding crap on the walls and ceiling)


----------



## admiral (Feb 6, 2010)

If you leave the bottle too long in the oxyclean, the bottle gets a white film on it that is very, very hard to remove. Did I mention that it is hard to remove?


----------



## vcasey (Feb 6, 2010)

admiral said:


> If you leave the bottle too long in the oxyclean, the bottle gets a white film on it that is very, very hard to remove. Did I mention that it is hard to remove?



Use CLR, just make sure you clean really well after wards.


----------



## Tom (Feb 6, 2010)

Also ADD;
Not doing the 3 "P's" !
Patience
Patience
Patience
and rushing your wine.


----------



## intoxicating (Apr 19, 2010)

IQwine said:


> (or buying “6 gallon” carboys from
> him).
> 
> Not sure I understand this one ??? the others are right on the money
> ...


 If I remember right, most of the brew stores sell 5 gallon fermenters, that is what the beer kits make.


----------



## OGrav (Aug 13, 2010)

This probably could be moved to another topic; but with Oxyclean. I find it works great and rinses clean and odor free. I don't use much, though; about a teaspoon for a few gallons of hot water. I've been using some bottles here in Germany, the flip cap kind. They have a ring where they ride and vibrate sitting in their cases. They recyle all their bottles here, so who knows how many times some of them have been refilled. Anyway, I was soaking for afew hours in the oxyclean, but I noticed that where the glass was scratched and worn seemed more noticeable after the soak. I would almost say it etched the glass where it was already scratched. I guess I could do trials, but since that, I just soak for a few hours in hot water, the labels fall off here anyway. Then I drain, use some oxyclean, soak for 30 min or so, and brush and rinse. Looks good so far, and no effects on the stainless hoops that I've seen.


----------



## Runningwolf (Aug 13, 2010)

Dang, I was hoping to learning something new from this thread before I screwed something up, but I think I can say been there done that for most of these. Its almost like reading your on biography.


----------



## batonrougeguy (Sep 17, 2010)

I can add a good one trying to make blackberry champagne with the skins and opening it in my mother-in-laws kitchen(she happened to be looking)
To add to that it was all white and took hours to clean up.

that was like my first batch don't guess when it comes to champange and if you do guess open it outside


----------



## Randoneur (Oct 13, 2010)

One to add:
Don't lean the window screens to the house in front of your wine rack. 
When the corks pop, you have holes in your screens.!!!!!!!


----------



## rrussell (Oct 14, 2010)

Mine would be to always filter white wine no matter how clear it looks. Did not filter my viognier because it looked crystal clear and now get sediment showing up when I chill it in the frig.


----------



## Tom (Oct 14, 2010)

rrussell said:


> Mine would be to always filter white wine no matter how clear it looks. Did not filter my viognier because it looked crystal clear and now get sediment showing up when I chill it in the frig.




Yep ALL my Whites and Fruit wines get filtering. I use the Mini-Jet


----------



## gaudet (Oct 14, 2010)

Oxyclean residue is removed easily with Vinegar............ Just make sure to quadruple rinse the carboy/bottle with hot water and clean it one more time before use.


----------



## John Prince (Jun 8, 2011)

I'm a new guy, I've only made 3 kits with 2 kits in the primary stage and 3 homemade gallons in the primary stage.
Mistakes so far.
Not doing the 3 "P's" !
Patience
Patience
Patience

I bottled too soon on the first 3 kits. Time will tell. I did sample the summer wine after 3 weeks. I thought it was pretty good.

I'm sure I made lots of other mistakes. I'm learning, thanks to you and my mistakes.


----------



## Tom (Jun 8, 2011)

Thats why we are here. We all been there done that ...


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 9, 2011)

Here's my current big one to NOT do again:

Don't let the wine sit on the fines for more than a month max. Left one on the fines for 5 months and it has a definite problem.....


----------



## joeswine (Jun 9, 2011)

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN PUT A DEFINITE NUMBER ON THE MISTAKES,AFTER 10 YEARS I STILL FINE ROOM FOR MORE OF THE SAME.....TEPE IS RIGHT PPP,ALSO TASTE TASTE AND TASTE, AND ALWAYS LEARN TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX


----------



## RickC (Jun 9, 2011)

Here's my top mistakes but there are many more.


Hoping for a great wine from a low-end kit. Sorry, it just isn't going to happen. Buy as high a quality of kit as you canafford to buy. You get what you pay for. Price per bottle will not be much higher. 


Not degassing well. Not degassing well. Not degassing well. 


Forgetting to add more K-meta every 3-4 months during bulk aging. 


Putting family pics on the label. Everybody wants one as a keepsake and before you know it, you have 1 case left and haven't drank a single bottle yet. CRAP.


----------



## vcasey (Jun 9, 2011)

RickC said:


> Putting family pics on the label. Everybody wants one as a keepsake and before you know it, you have 1 case left and haven't drank a single bottle yet. CRAP.



Unless the wine is less then you expected - then its a good way to distribute it and they may not want the really good stuff.


----------



## Waldo (Jun 9, 2011)

My biggestmistake was that one time I thought I had made one..I was wrong though .


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 9, 2011)

Bwahaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!


----------



## joeswine (Jun 9, 2011)

I can make a low end kit taste excellent...if you think about the make up of wine and apply the principles of taste ,texture and aroma,it can be done ....alls it takes is thinking out side the box..........


----------



## Rocky (Jun 14, 2011)

Joe, there are a number of 10liter kits on sale this month so I would be interested in learning how you can make them taste "excellent." Would you be willing to share your secrets? I have only made one 10 liter kit (a WE Sangiovese) and I was _underwhelmed_ by the results.


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 14, 2011)

Hehehehehe.....


Lets see if old Joe gives up his little secrets!


----------



## Rocky (Jun 14, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Hehehehehe.....
> 
> 
> Lets see if old Joe gives up his little secrets!










Dost thou mean to implieth that Brother Joseph wouldst not share the fruits of his knowledge with the flock? Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?


----------



## Tom (Jun 14, 2011)

Joe is a friend of mine.He dont visit here as most but I'm sure he will enlighten you.


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 14, 2011)

Took me a while to figure out the "secret" but I finally did......

I could tell you as they say, but then I would have to kill you.....







Rocky said:


> Dost thou mean to implieth that Brother Joseph wouldst not share the fruits of his knowledge with the flock? Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?


----------



## Rocky (Jun 14, 2011)

If I guess it, will you tell me?








I made a 10 liter Sangiovese and I thought later if I had to do it again, I would have done a couple of things differently. First, I would not have added so much water and would have started the wine out with an SG of about 1.105-1.108 by reducing the water. I would also have added raisins (maybe two boxes) to the fermenter.


----------



## vcasey (Jun 15, 2011)

If you start not adding as much water in the 10L kits and adding raisins or even a grape pack - why not just buy a larger kit? And most folks will tell you the kits are balanced to 6 gallons so if you change that expect the wine to be off balance. 

Unless of course you are, as Joe &amp; Tepe would would say thinking way outside the box. 

Things to add to the smaller kits to enhance include honey (make a pyment), the raisins or add some fruit. I would use the smaller kits to play with and experiment with different ideas. 

Play with your food!


----------



## Tom (Jun 15, 2011)

Joe will come in sometime. BUTT, I would thinkhard of getting some other mfgr kit. I and others here dont like WE


----------



## Rocky (Jun 15, 2011)

*Vcasey*, I normally only buy the big kits. The first kit I bought when I got into this hobby was a 10 liter WE kit and I was disappointed in the result. However, a. George has 10 liter kits on sale (and I am a shopper) and, b.Joe says he can makea 10 liter kittaste like the big kits. These two facts led to my question. Also,as to reducing the water, I am not sure I totally buy the "critically balanced" kit idea. In any case,I am not talking about reducing the water by that much. I would only reduce it enough to raise the ISG to about 1.105. 



*Tepe*, I too am not a big fan of WE because of my experience with their Sangiovese. I have read, however, that they do make a couple of nice 10 liter kits and I might try one in the future. For now, I was considering the _Grand Crus_ that George has on sale. My thinking is if I can make these "taste like the big kits" foraround $50 plus some inexpensive additions, why not give it a try?


----------



## hannabarn (Jun 19, 2011)

The only WE kit I buy is White Zinfandel. I have some friends who say that is the best White Zin they have tasted.


----------



## joeswine (Jun 20, 2011)

TEPE take a look at when good wines gone bad...


----------



## Rocky (Jun 20, 2011)

This may have been mentioned as a Top 10 Mistake, but one I happened upon all by myself is: 


Label your wine at the same time you bottle it. Don't try to come back later to four cases of freshly bottled wine and think, "Now, was this the Sangiovese or the Zinfandel?"


Sometime I wonder how I got this far in life.


----------



## Tom (Jun 20, 2011)

Joe 
I been following it just "lurking"


----------



## Runningwolf (Jun 20, 2011)

Rocky said:


> This may have been mentioned as a Top 10 Mistake, but one I happened upon all by myself is:
> 
> 
> Label your wine at the same time you bottle it. Don't try to come back later to four cases of freshly bottled wine and think, "Now, was this the Sangiovese or the Zinfandel?"
> ...





I also worry about this as sometimes I wait several days before labeling. I have bottling crates that hold about 33 bottles so I just transfer my tag from the carboy to the corresponding bottling crate.


----------



## paubin (Aug 4, 2011)

I'm a little late on this thread but here ya go.....using very strong sulfite solution in my air locks on my primary and then forgetting to remove the air lock before opening the valve when racking though it into the carboy....In case your wondering.....you end up with highly sulfated wine !


Pete


----------

