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Thank you for the warning. I think I'll stick with fresh blackberries and see how that works.

Thank you both for the clarification. As an update, my Fontana Malbec (with Zante currants, a bit of sugar, and some extra oak) is clearing well and tasting pretty good. I may have gone overboard on the oak but I know that will change with time. I think I will let well enough alone and not...

I've made their Cabernet Sauvignon twice, a Super Tuscan, a Tavola Zinfandel, a Riesling, and their new Zinfandel Blush. Unfortunately they don't offer Nebbiolo, perhaps because they source all their grapes from Lodi and Nebbiolo isn't grown in Lodi. If they offered one I would make it in a...

I'm not sure I understand. You said the F-pack wouldn't be fermented. I thought the F-pack was added at the beginning of primary fermentation. Maybe (after reading 155 pages) I've gotten confused. I'm hoping to add some blackberries to a Yakima Red Blend kit, and I was thinking I would...

Has anyone used a commercial liquid fruit flavoring instead of an fpac in primary? I was on the ABC Crafted site and they have what they call Blackberry Beverage Infusion. It comes in many other flavors as well. It doesn't say what is in it -- I suspect it is artificial fruit flavor and sugar...

I'd love to make a Nebbiolo. As far as I can tell, Winexpert doesn't offer one at all anymore, and RJS only has it in the cheaper lines (and calls it "Nebbiolo style" and doesn't say where the grapes come from). Master Vintner Sommelier Select has a Nebbiolo with grapes from Piedmont but it...

I wouldn't have believed it. But you folks were absolutely right, Old Corker and Winemaker81. I was just deceived by the optics of the volume in the carboy. It seems to be clearing just fine, and it's such a pretty color!

A few months ago I made the FWK Riesling with carbon and it cleared beautifully. Within a couple of days after adding the kieselsol and chitosan there was an obvious gradation as the carbon was precipitating out. Now I'm making a FWK Zinfandel Blush which also includes carbon. I racked and...

Good advice. Thanks. That's what I'll do -- and maybe I'll bring in a taster or two. But I'm glad to know that I can take my time and do it in steps.

I am making a Zinfandel blush. Am I correct that I can add the sweetening packet later (preferably after all of the carbon has dropped out and I have racked it off the ugly black lees), so that I can sweeten to taste? I may have done the math incorrectly, but I think the recommended amount of...

I look forward to seeing what suggestions you receive, as I have that same kit in my wine room, waiting its turn.

Following the suggestion of someone on another WMT thread, I used a conical food mill to keep the solids away from my auto siphon as I racked my Malbec into secondary. It worked beautifully. I'm going to use this same trick to make it easier to take the SG (because the valve on my wine thief...

I need to make one just like that. What kind of pipe is it? Does it have a cap on the end? What size holes did you drill? Thanks for posting a picture -- worth a thousand words.

This is a bit off topic, but I just came by some five-gallon GLASS water bottles, from the old days when bottled water came in glass (and all delivery people had scars on the backs of their shoulders from bottles breaking coming off the truck). Are they safe to use for long-term aging? I'm...

My thanks to you and to Khristyjeff for this great information. Just to make sure I understand about the nutrient, say I need 5 tsp of nutrient for my 5 gallons. Do I add 2 tsp to the must before inoculation and 1 tsp to the yeast starter, and the remaining 2 tsp after 48 hours? That keeps...

I've had nothing but excellent service from Label Peelers. In fact, I was going to buy a new primary because I didn't think the ones I had could be snapped shut for the Finer Wine process, and I phoned up to confirm something about it, and Matt told me that the primaries I already had would...

Thanks for your response. Your earlier posts were part of my source material, so thanks for that also. Have you ever tried using a different yeast, either alone or in combination with EC1118? Red Star Premier Rouge and RC212 are both reputed to enhance the flavor of red wine but I don't know...

I love Federweisser and Zwiebelkuchen -- perfect combination. But if you want a home version, try this. Welch's white grape juice in the plastic jug -- 64 ounces -- add 3/4 cup of sugar, sprinkle in a little yeast (1/4 tsp or so). Put a bung and an air lock and leave it on the counter. It...

I've been making high-end kits for years. I'm intrigued by the idea of using cheap kits to make a decent daily drinker. My plan is to make two identical kits (On the House Merlot), one to mfr's instructions, one with tweaks, and then compare them. My plan after reading this thread (yes, I...

Maybe the difference is the temperature. The warmer the wine, the more easily it releases its CO2. Just a thought.