Recent content by cmason1957

There are at least two possibilities I can think of right away. There are probably 55 really, but these generally are good starts. 1) Not letting the wine take some time to develop. As in not aging it long enough. What kind of timelines are you following. Kit instructions generally are 4-8...

The one I bought secretly years ago from Cookshack keeps the temp at what I set it within 2 or 3 degrees of set point. That's measured by it and also by a temp probe at the outlet. Does a fine job. Not inexpensive

Usually that is me with the horrible auto unintelligible.

Today, I am sitting around not doing much, except for exercising on a bike about 5 times a day. Yesterday, I had my right knee replaced. Interestingly, that is now an outpatient procedure. Into the surgery center at 830 out heading for home at 2. Absolutely amazing to me. My ex-wife had one done...

An item I have considered, might buy at some time, in the future, they might only be sold at Bass Pro/Cabela's is a propane grill with one side being the griddle the other a conventional grill. They look interesting, seen to have good reviews. I'm not in the market for anything, right now.

Strawberries - prepare for a somewhat higher than expected level of loss due to lees during primary fermentation. When I have made strawberries in the past, I have often started with 1.5 gallons (scaling everything appropriately) or 2 gallons. There is that much loss on the first racking. On...

This is probably a question to ask of a lawyer well versed on ATF and your local state rules and regulations. One thing I have heard is always legal, provided you stay below the legal limit is someone buys the raw materials and you make the wine, they get the wine. But I don't do even that. You...

If the Titanic sinking happened in 2024.

My thoughts. It fermented a little bit fast, but it fermented. Probably time to rack it to a carboy, it might drop a few more points, might not. It's all good.

All K&C - yes, both sweeting paks - yes. I very seldom drink sweet wines, so I decided might as well do what the directions say.

This in the story makes me think I am going to pass on trying this (or the Dr. Pepper wine someone else asked about)

You don't want to add sorbate to red wine that has undergone Malolactic Fermentation. You can (and I have never done this and most don't) if the malolactic fermentation is totally completed. The danger is the interaction between the malolactic bacteria and potassium sorbate can lead to the...

If you follow the procedure you outlined, you would want to add Potassium Sorbate to the wine as well as the K-Meta. The K-Sorbate acts as birth control for yeast. If the wine underwent Malolactic Fermentation (malic acid become Lactic acid, which is less harsh tasting) then adding the...

Mine is red, has a brand name of Ferrari on the tag. It sits 27 inches fully closed. Just the perfect height for sitting in a folding chair. I had one of the blue ones and the bearing at the back became elongated. It didn't work nearly as well after that. I sold it to someone for $20 with a...

I have the red Portuguese one like in the first video. I sit in a folding chair and use it quite fine. 200 bottles is nothing to do.