Recent content by mpdeem

Thank you so much for the advice. Moved everything back to a large fermenter as you suggested and with in 12 hours things were bubbling along nicely. Divided into two batchs since I wanted one just off dry and the other dry. Finished fermentation within days...this after over a month of...

Thank you for sharing your expierences and conclusions - they mirror mine almost to a T. Like you I found that by the time I added up the cost of table grapes (no they aint cheap these days), the extra supplies to tweak/add complexity (raisinsm extra sugar), the money spent was almost the same...

Thanks for the reply. I think you are right in that country fruit based wines will probably be more comlex and enjoyable grocery sore table grapes. I have made blackberry wine a few times. The best batch was of course from my home grown blackberries -a variety breed by a friend of mine that is...

Thank you for sharing your expierences. I would love to have tasted your Frankenwine...interesting in that sometimes the field blends end up being better, prehaps more forgiving due to the variety of grapes included. Rather like plant breeding/varietials in that sometimes a landrace/grex...

Great question. I am guessing classical Bordeaux blends are fermented seperately, blended later after wine from each varietal has had time to age and express itself (so to speak). This is pure conjecture on my part of course ;) I am even more curious as two of my favorite "Bordeaux blends" are...

Does Brehm Vineyards ship frozen grapes year round or only seasonally? My mother just placted an order for a pail of frozen Cabernet Suavignon grapes two weeks ago. Received an auto confirmation but no further update. She left a voicemail asking for an update on shipping ETA but has not heard...

Sorry - my bad. Large carboy - Gravity is 1.170 Brix is 35. Initial values were even high/off scale - must barely reaching top of hydrometer bulb. Smaller containers - gravity ranges from 1.085-1.095 Brix 20-25

Thank you for your feedback especially with regard to lack of complexity from eating grapes. While I am happy to get anything quaffable, I would like to move on to using wine grapes in some shape or form for future winemaking efforts. The lack of complexity combined with slightly acidic...

Yes I have a hydrometer and have been testing brix and gravity. Also have a PH meter, have been monitering PH. I do not however, have the ability to measure TA or sulfites. Thanks for your fermentation tasting notes. Assumed fiziness might have been as much due to addition of 1118 yeast ;)

Thank you for creating this threads and for all of the wonderful suggestions. I have been using your raisin additions to add complexity to my humble grocery store grape wines - with great results thus far. Still super new to winemaking but finding this thread dowright inspirational :)

I am trying a bariation of this. Rehydrated and fermented golden raisins - fermentation with skin contact. After fermentation finished, added to wine made from green grocery store wine grapes....hoping to add some complexity and a tad bit of sweetness. Will see how it goes.

Got a Fontana Pinot Grigio wine kit as a present, Being new to winemaking and wine kits, I did not dilute the grape must concentrate. Just put in a carboy and pitched in yeast that came with kit. Silly me missed the explicite instructions to first dilute grape must with 3 liters of water -...

My first forays into winemaking from grapes is limited to seedless table grapes from my local grocery store. Varieties available are Flame Grape, Kermit the Frog Green Grapes, and Black-Dark Burgundy skinned grapes (w/ dark burgundy flesh). Overall results and notes: -Grape must brix lower...

What type of barrels do you use? Do you prefer new or used? One of my fave Champagne producers uses both oak and acacia barrels. Thank you for the Lalvin 31 recomendation. I foresee a lot of yeast trials in my future - especially as I transtion from grocery store grapes to wine grapes...

Thank you so much for such an indepth response. Realise making wine from blackberries versus grapes poses two differet challenge Crystalizing tartaric acid - could one do this after first fermentation when PH has dropped below desirable level? If there is a thrread ortailing procude feel free...