# Bigjeff's wine making thread :)



## BIGJEFF (Sep 20, 2010)

Since don't want to start a new tread everytime I start a new wine, I decided to start this one.....it's'probably gonna be far from serious be heh!
I try to search everytime before asking a question but sometimes I get lost or excited so feel free to remind me to do it or to post a link to the info 


SKEETER PEE:
I started this today, I converted the recipe to 6 gal. My SG was 1.05 so I added sugar until I hit 1.075....
My 4 year old daughter helped me (kinda), she was really excited to help daddy make some "beer" and she said she can't wait to be a teenager so she can drink beer! (Scary!!)
I think this SP is gonna turn out great! I'm adding my orange wine slurry to it tomorrow!


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## Tom (Sep 20, 2010)

Keep us Posted


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 21, 2010)

I added the slurry to my SP and it started fuzzing just a couple houres later 
I smell succes!!
Can I backsweet whit ice tea concentrate?


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 23, 2010)

*A bunch of pics!!*



I finally got my computer back up and running after my hard drive died so I can post a few pics 

My Orange wine fermenting (smelled SOOOOO good!!)
















Orange wine slurry that I used to make my 1st Skeeter Pee





My basement setup, L-R: Pinot Griggio (ready to bottle), Peach Sauvigon blanc (ready to bottle), Skeeter Pee, Shiraz, Pinot Griggio #2, Merlot (secondary fermentation) and Orange wine...





Wine rack....sadly empty!! (wasted last year wine making season because of renos  )






So that's it for now! 
Have a good day!!

EDIT: Excuse the non-rotated pics....photobucket is no cooperating...I'll try to fix it later...


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## djrockinsteve (Sep 23, 2010)

Watch having those carboys on the concrete. I believe that's what I can see. Place a piece of corragated box or a matt under it. You'll be glad you did.


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## Tom (Sep 23, 2010)

You will have that rack filled in notime. AND will need to buy more soon


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 23, 2010)

djrockinsteve said:


> Watch having those carboys on the concrete. I believe that's what I can see. Place a piece of corragated box or a matt under it. You'll be glad you did.



I did! 
I was running out of room so I got a new table and everything is off the floor now as you can see in the 2nd last pic), high enough to sifon too! 
I'll move my orange wine on the floor once I rack it and it has to sit for 3 months but I'll put it on some of those big rubber mats that look like puzzle pieces.



Tom said:


> You will have that rack filled in notime. AND will need to buy more soon



Yes it will be and yes I'll have too! lol


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## countrygirl (Sep 23, 2010)

i bet the skeeter pee with the orange slurry will be great!


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 23, 2010)

countrygirl said:


> i bet the skeeter pee with the orange slurry will be great!



I think so too!!
I'm thinking about making a new batch with my pinot griggio slurry and backsweet it with concentrated ice tea....opinions?


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 26, 2010)

*skeeter pee racked into clean carboy*

I checked the S.G. in my SP today and it was 0.992 so I racked it from the fermentor to a clean carboy, the orange wine slurry gave it a nice yellow color!!


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 29, 2010)

I'm going to start my blueberry wine tomorrow and I have a couple questions...

1- the method on my additive kit says to put it in a cool place (20* and -) in the first stage to extract the juice, is that necessary?
2- They say not to stir the must after putting in the yeast, I tought it was good to stir fruit wine 1-2 times a day to introduce oxygene and help fermentation (yeast is Lalvin EC-1118) what should I do?
3-the kit has a clearing kit, am I better off letting the wine sit for 6 months or use the clearing kit?

Thanks for you help!

Jeff


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## Tom (Sep 29, 2010)

BIGJEFF said:


> I'm going to start my blueberry wine tomorrow and I have a couple questions...
> 
> 1- the method on my additive kit says to put it in a cool place (20* and -) in the first stage to extract the juice, is that necessary?
> 2- They say not to stir the must after putting in the yeast, I tought it was good to stir fruit wine 1-2 times a day to introduce oxygene and help fermentation (yeast is Lalvin EC-1118) what should I do?
> ...



Thanks for you help!
1st if making 6 gal do it in 2 buckets.
2nd add frozen berry in a straining bag
3rd make sure you added Pectic Enzyme.
4th make a STARTER a big one. Blue can be a bear to start
5th punch down 2X a day .
6th after 1.20 remove the bag.
7th rack @ 1.010
8th When dry add stabilizers and degas


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 29, 2010)

Tom said:


> 1st if making 6 gal do it in 2 buckets.



Even if I use a 35 gallon bucket?

The starter is water and sugar is it?


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## Tom (Sep 29, 2010)

Cool @ big bucket
Yes add a little sugar. at start and more in a dya or 2 ..repeat.
So U see you may want to start making the starter a day b-4 or same day as you start after adding the fruit.


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 30, 2010)

I picked up my blueberries, crushed them and they are now resting in a nice bath of juice!!
got my yeast started too, it bubbles happily 

The blueberries are amazing, 30lbs of wild bluberries sweet as can be! I had to stop myself from eatring them!!

The juice+pulp gave me about 20L (5gallon) 

I'll wait until saturday morning before taking out the pulp and put the yeast starter & etc in is and see it bubble like crazy!!


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 30, 2010)

One of my friends told me to "massage" the pulp bag 1-2 times a day...do you advise that?


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## Tom (Sep 30, 2010)

BIGJEFF said:


> I picked up my blueberries, crushed them and they are now resting in a nice bath of juice!!
> got my yeast started too, it bubbles happily
> 
> The blueberries are amazing, 30lbs of wild bluberries sweet as can be! I had to stop myself from eatring them!!
> ...



U owe me one...


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 30, 2010)

Tom said:


> U owe me one...


I owe you a few...let me know next time you're in Halifax


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## Tom (Sep 30, 2010)

is DAT in NJ >?

LOL
pony express will do...


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 30, 2010)

*clearing agents*

what is the advantage of clearing wine aver a long period VS using clearing agents??


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## Tom (Sep 30, 2010)

I feel ist faster. I like it. The extra $ is nothing..


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## BIGJEFF (Sep 30, 2010)

wine will still last as long? I mean for a few $$ and enjoy my wine 5-6 months earlier...why the heck not!? lol


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## Deezil (Sep 30, 2010)

Last as long? Not if you start drinking it earlier!

.. But it should age just fine either way


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

this morning, I pressed my blueberry pulp (well I twisted the bag for lack of a fruit press  ), I dissovled my sugar in 1 gal of hot water (I put 1KG less to start since I had a lot of juice). I added grape concentrate (4 cups) and I did an acid test, got a reading of 2.5 so I added the acid blend. Than I took the S.G and got a readding of 1.080 so I decided against adding the extra KG of suggar. I then took the temp of the must, it was sitting at 72 so I added my yeast starter

I didn't put any yeast mutrient/energizer...should I?


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## Tom (Oct 3, 2010)

BIGJEFF said:


> this morning, I pressed my blueberry pulp (well I twisted the bag for lack of a fruit press  ), I dissovled my sugar in 1 gal of hot water (I put 1KG less to start since I had a lot of juice). I added grape concentrate (4 cups) and I did an acid test, got a reading of 2.5 so I added the acid blend. Than I took the S.G and got a readding of 1.080 so I decided against adding the extra KG of suggar. I then took the temp of the must, it was sitting at 72 so I added my yeast starter
> 
> I didn't put any yeast mutrient/energizer...should I?



Yes add nutrirent and energizer if you have.. Blueberry needs help for the yeast


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## Tom (Oct 3, 2010)

U R leaving the pulp in primary right?


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

Tom said:


> U R leaving the pulp in primary right?



 No the recipe I had said to discard it so I did....
How bad did I screw up?

It's now energizing the dirt in my garden


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

the juice is already fuzzing up....at least i must hae done something right!!!


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

Here's the link to my wine making photo album 

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/album.php?albumid=180


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## Tom (Oct 3, 2010)

BIGJEFF said:


> No the recipe I had said to discard it so I did....
> How bad did I screw up?
> 
> It's now energizing the dirt in my garden


Should have posted recipe.
We leave the fruit in till the gravity gets 1.020 then remove. There are all those sugars and tannin that would have been extracted and would add more body..
Stil should come out ok but we learn from our miscues..


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

Tom said:


> There are all those sugars and tannin that would have been extracted and would add more body..
> Stil should come out ok but we learn from our miscues..



I taught that's what the grape concentrate was for...oh well I'll know next time!!!


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## CrazyCajun (Oct 3, 2010)

thx BigJeff...i'm learning from your mistakes...


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 3, 2010)

CrazyCajun said:


> thx BigJeff...i'm learning from your mistakes...



they're not mistakes, they're experience milestones


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 5, 2010)

qustion: Ive got 2 kits that would be ready to bottle (stabilised, degased & clarified) But I want to bluk age them for 6months before bottleing them.

They just finished clearing, should I rack, add 1/4 tps k-meta or just leave it in the carboy it's in now for three months?

Thx!


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## Runningwolf (Oct 5, 2010)

BIGJEFF said:


> qustion: Ive got 2 kits that would be ready to bottle (stabilised, degased & clarified) But I want to bluk age them for 6months before bottleing them.
> 
> They just finished clearing, should I rack, add 1/4 tps k-meta or just leave it in the carboy it's in now for three months?
> 
> Thx!



If you only have fine lees on the bottom I would not rack. Let them compact more, then rack in three months. How long has it been since you added k-meta. Only 1/4 tsp every three months. If you are ready to add it now I would desolve it in a few ounces of water and gently stir it in try not to stir up the lees.


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 5, 2010)

Runningwolf said:


> If you only have fine lees on the bottom I would not rack. Let them compact more, then rack in three months. How long has it been since you added k-meta. Only 1/4 tsp every three months. If you are ready to add it now I would desolve it in a few ounces of water and gently stir it in try not to stir up the lees.



thx for the info!
I only just added the k-meta from the kit about 15 days ago...I'm going to rack it somewhere around christmas then


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## Tom (Oct 5, 2010)

Dan's got it right. Meta every 3 months


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 7, 2010)

I racked my blueberry wine tonight...tastes good even with the ferment in it!! 

I now have a very nice blueberry slurry for my next SP appy

here's a couple pics (I know I'm going to hell, I used a 2l plastic bottle as a secondary fermenter...I coudl'nt trow out all that good wine )

Slurry:






Wine:






i was missing an airlock, so I put a plastic bag with a loose elastic until I can get to the store


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## CrazyCajun (Oct 8, 2010)

looking good!


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 15, 2010)

Busy night this evening!
starting a kit of White Zinfadel, SP#2 and hard ice tea #1!!


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 19, 2010)

*everything wine*

everything wine, made with everything left in the freezer


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## BIGJEFF (Oct 19, 2010)

decided to bottle the wines that were ready so I can have more free time this week-end 

Pinot Griggio:






Skeeter Pee#1:


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