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My wife mentioned maybe a cheap Island Mist Kit tweak contest as an idea for our next one. She likes the island mist kits, and she would be helping with the judging, so... This would be like Gina's "Shooting for Boone's Farm" idea.

I have never met a wine I couldn't appreciate for what it was. I'm just not a particular guy, even being a particular guy. :h It would be a good time of year for wild varietals, but I don't know how much access our city friends would have. We could go with Gina's take and have a Creativity...

Now what will we do? Any suggestions for the next contest? :dg

I keep some of the Brewers Best varieties around, too. Quality products. When you go to flavor at the end (if need), you are shooting for balance. Just like your sugar, start with a little (like 1 oz in six gallons) and work your way up. Ignore the label doseage. Go with what taste best to...

If your wine is clear, rack off of the sediment and add your sugar. I'd start by tasting it dry and see what you think. If you don't like it dry---most people don't---then I'd start with your half cup per gallon. Then taste again, and add more if you think it needs it. Like I've warned in the...

Gina is correct. Walmart carries the strawberry extract, as well as many others. I find keeping a selection of extracts around makes certain flavor adjustments easy. Some wines are harder to get that flavor profile you want. The "Big Bucket" was a last resort, as I could not find the Daily's...

I've been out of town celebrating my birthday, so I've was incommunicado at the finish of the contest. Thank you all very much! My wife (Weeping Willow Wines, Manager of Quality Control) said it was a winner. The SST was one of the first few variations I made from the Dragon Blood Recipe...

I use LD Carlson Yeast Energizer (pic below). "Contains Diammonium phosphate, yeast hulls, magnesium sulphate, & Vitamin B Complex. Use: Add ½ teaspoon per gallon of wine must to stimulate fermentation." And LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient (pic below): "Urea and Ammonium Phosphate. Acts as a...

The only blue wine I have seen is made by Lon DePope. He makes lemon wine and flavors it with blue raspberry Kool Aid. It looks like Ramulan Ale. Blueberry wine is not blue. It looks more like a red wine---very red.

Ok, got it. Thanks for the clarity. :hug

Am I over-thinking again, John? Do I only need to send wine to you, or to you and Joe both? I might have missed specific instructions somewhere along the line...:D

ME? I would add a pinch of sulphite and splash rack, then let it sit for at least a week or two before tasting again. You can check it over the coming weeks to see how it is improving. Somes wines will give you problems, but I have had problem wines turn out to be some of my best. Good luck...

Yes, Val. If you want to speed it along, a dose of nutrient would do the trick. If you are going to, make it soon. You don't want to add it too late in the fermentation process.

My bad! Let me specify. I use 20 cups of sugar in the primary to get my desired SG, ferment to dry, then back sweeten after fining and stabilizing (per the recipe). The sugar I was referring to in the above post was for back sweetening. I have reduced the amount of sugar I back sweeten with...

I have no idea how many ended up sending theirs in. I guess you'll get what you get. We're in no hurry here, judges, so do your judging whenever you judge the judging time to be right. :i

This kit won me a Gold Medal at the 39th Annual Amateur Wine Makers Competition at Cellarmasters of LA last year. Made exactly according to instructions, mine was aged a year in the bottle prior to being judged. I don't remember having a problem with the elder flowers floating around. I have...

First of all, Bill, great job fielding the DB questions. Your answers are spot-on! The very first couple of DB's I ever made included more sugar and more lemon juice than I use now. At first, being patterned after Lon DePope's Skeeter Pee (thank you, Lon!), I use what he prescribed: being 96oz...

Just to clarify... I'm not "in charge" of this or any contest. I'm just the semi-unofficial organizer. I'm also a contestant, so once the bottles are sent, the judges have the ball. If they want to wait for their judging to allow others to arrive, it's up to them. I'm not going to tell them...

Ok, bananas. Ripe with spots. Sliced with skins on. Perhaps one banana per gallon added to primary. I think that's how it goes. It does seem to add some body to the wine, but I do not add them any more. I've tried it and did not find that added step worth my while. You may have a diffent...

The coffee is used to fool the drug-sniffing dogs...:sm