Search results

I would gently punch the cap down, but not vigorously stir, such that CO2 is being released. If it was me I would enjoy the experience of pressing and take a day off. Easy for me to say.

So you let the wine bulk age for 12 months and still get sediment in the bottle? You also say you added bentonite and the K&C. Together? That could be a reason. They are two separate methods to get lees to drop out. Fining agents work by having a charge and binding with oppositely charged lees...

How long was the wine aging in a carboy before you bottled? If it’s 6 months or more, then the wine probably has outgassed by now. The CO2 in the bottle won’t hurt anything, your wine may have a bit of a sharp note, maybe even a fizz to it. Decanting red wines will help drive the gas out, or...

Hard to say for sure, looks like skins from the grapes, might have some mold growing on them. Why did you put the must in a carboy, and not the preferred method of fermenting in a bucket? Did you add potassium metabisulfite (aka Kmeta) at a rate of 1/4 tsp per 5g? If not, then you should have...

It would be best to dose with Kmeta again. It usually does not go away with time unless you do something about it. I would rack and splash it around a bit to drive off the smell.

You haven’t mentioned what your SG has been. It’s customary to add Fermaid O at 1/3 sugar depletion, so I’m estimating that might be when SG is 1.060.

Check out the food terminal, probably very common for big cities. Your local restaurants get California fruits and vegetables flown in daily. I’ve seen lugs of California grapes out on the floor of the Cleveland terminal.

The wine is still generating CO2, I think you will be fine. Might be wise, for peace of mind, to invest in a longer utensil.

The only way to be sure is to get out the hydrometer and measure the SG. I’ve had white wines that looked inactive but were happily fermenting.

I think bentonite is mostly clay. I wouldn’t worry about what else is in it, especially since it drops out as sediment. Also FYI, you’re responding to a thread that’s really old.

That’s an ice wine without having to wait for freezing to happen! :i At the very least freeze them for use next year.

If it was me I would skip it completely. Bentonite will produce a lot of light, fluffy lees. I’m guessing you will lose some wine at the next racking. Kits include fining agents so they clear fast, which is what the kit vendors want. If it’s a 1 or 3 gallon kit, I would use the juice. If it’s...

1/4tsp per 5 or 6 gallons of wine.

Click on the search button for “steam juicer” and you will find some old threads. It sounds like some people use them and love them. Just don’t reply to super old threads, those people aren’t around anymore and won’t respond to threads.

This is where you really need a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity (SG). Juice buckets are adjusted by the vendor to be ready to go (example SG of 1.090). Everything else needs a hydrometer so you can adjust your must to your target. Secondly, it is highly advisable to put in some yeast...

You may want to investigate yeasts that are recommended for under ripe fruit. I don’t grow grapes but I’ve seen the yeast guide at Morewine has some recommendations.

I would use it. Freezing immediately after picking should kill everything. Dose with potassium metabisulfite at thawing. I would not boil the must, it might lead to a cooked flavor in the wine. I leave my blackberries semi-thawed, maybe 40-50F. Then pour the simmered sugar solution onto the...

The fruit should be frozen ahead of time. This breaks down the cell walls and extracts more juice. So mashing helps do the same thing, best to do both. Kmeta is easier to work with, saves having to crush/grind individual tablets. Also easier to measure out, or weigh out if you want to be super...

Even your target SG may blow out your yeast by osmotic pressure. Make sure the yeast can tolerate that high a level.

A really cost effective fix is to separate your juice bucket into 2 buckets and put a different yeast into each one. When the SG gets to about 1.020, the yeasts have defined the flavor, whatever else you do is not going to affect the flavor anymore (for example... finishing it off with EC1118)...