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My advice... fwiw, is to do what I did, go with DD recipe... do it with berries, mixed berries, blackberries, whatever you like. Ferment it to dry, then do some testing when backsweetening. The recipe calls for about 3 cups of sugar to back sweeten (but says do it to your taste), and I like it...

With the covid discussions and wine discussions... we finally see an "intersection" between the two. I'll drink to that... red, of course! https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2022/01/wines-potential-covid-protection

Vinny, all I can is is be careful with the grapefruit... it was one of my least favorite wines that I have tried, and I would not want to see you mess up a batch by adding it to a recipe like DD. I know that a lot of folks use grapefruit zest in their wines but the grapefruit itself did not do...

You could try the "Dragonette" version of Danger Dave's recipe... it essentially replaces the lemon with acid blend (which has citric acid ~40-45%). I did it once and it was good... but not as good as the Danger Dave's in my opinion...but I like the tartness of the lemon. Also, I use less...

Thanks, Guys! @cmason1957 @stickman You mention that TA will be reduced and tartness would also be reduced below 3.6, funny that you mention this as I described the Red Muscadine wine to @Rembee as "a bit flabby" (not a technical term but as good a description as I could come up with), I...

I made 2- 6 gallon batches of Muscadine, one Red one White. Fermentation went well but in the 6 gallon carboys, after 3 months of clearing, I noticed lots of crystals in the bottom of the white wine carboy... lots, probably covered 50% or more of the bottom of the carboy. I wanted to rack it...

And don't be too worried... Making mistakes is part of the learning process, and this one was not "fatal", the wine will still be good! Just a mess, and probably not the last. But in a few months you will be reaping the rewards of your efforts... and that's worth a mess or two!

If it is not overflowing, just put a towel over the top of the demijon. If it is still overflowing, put it in the bucket with a towel over it. The wine will be protected by the CO2 coming off... move it back to the demijon when it slows down.

Other will jump in with more recommendations, but I can tell you that a 6 gallon kit, with double skin packs will not fit in a 6 gallon primary. The CO2 coming off the ferment, and lifting the "cap" of grape skins will take up about 8 gallons... maybe a little more. I have a 12 gallon...

Mitch, give it a go! There are many options to move it in the right direction... maybe pick and let them ripen in the house until they are syrupy sweet then make the wine. If you find something that works let us know (and who knows, I may try again, as the guidance with the very ripe figs was...

I tried figs several years ago... it did not make a good wine at first, or second...but it is getting better, but it's been over 3 years and just now getting acceptable. After I had made it and it was not that great, I did a lot of searching and most everyone who made it said to wait years for...

Yep, get the Apera 60 meter. I do mostly blackberries and it really helps... you can even "dial it in" if you like it sharper or smoother wines, from my experience. Had it for about a year and next to All-in-one, and floor corker, it is a must have... And start shopping craigslist/fb market...

For carboys... keep searching craigslist or marketplace, some will eventually come up and it will be a much better deal than amazon/online (and you may get some other winemaking supplies too boot!)

I've made a lot of blackberry wines, never seen this, but I have a different method (i.e. never puree use the bag and squeeze whole berries)... want to throw this out to the experts on the line and see what they think... I note dyou said you pureed whole berries, this would probably crush and...

This will help you see what could be hanging up... the springs push the jaws open.

I have one just like it... I thought the same about then handle, then went and pulled mine down to look at it, your handle is about as far back as mine, but the jaws to the "cork squeezer" do not appear to be opening to allow the cork to drop into place. Try pushing on the jaws that compresses...

As it's been said many times on this forum... "Time is your friend." It will degas and clear over time... my experience, is that after having tried to "rush" some wines along, to meet the manufacturers 8 week time frame, I've ended up with sediment in the bottles... it is easier to let it sit...

I use the boiling water method and made a wire holder, that holds the shrink cap in place and rests agains the bottle as I pick it up... works great, took about 5 minuets to make, had the wire on hand.