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If he did I don't recall it.

I'm paranoid about too much oxygen during the extended time. On my current batch I put it under airlock in the Fermonster on Day 5 and have been sloshing it around to keep the skins wet since. There's a lot more air volume in a bucket. The CO2 in the wine will keep much of the oxygen from...

He did blog on that, but that was on his own blog. In his last post on that in November he said he'd wait three months and do a taste test to see how it was going. I've been watching it closely waiting for that one. Not their yet. I haven't seen a Winemaking Mag blog from him since last summer.

BTW, this month's Winemaking magazine has another article on degassing, though it's not very thorough. He mentions the ability to lose SO2 while vacuum degassing but doesn't give anymore details. Also, it seems that Vandergrift isn't associated with them anymore. At least I haven't seen his...

I agree with Jim. Your phrase of 'nuking' it with campden tablets could be the key to the latest problem. What's the temperature you're trying to ferment at? Here are my suggestions: 1. Stir it well to remove some of the Kmeta/SO2 from the campden tablets. 2. Make sure the must is above...

Thanks, I had you in mind when I wrote my reply but didn't want to ask specifically. I appreciate the information.

This would be a great question for a Chemist or Scientist who understands how gas binds and releases in a liquid under a vacuum. Not being one, here's my thinking. Breaking the seal likely lets the CO2 escape before it has a chance to go back into solution. Since you pump right away again...

Hi, good question. EC-1118 seems to be very common in kits from WineXpert, and maybe all the rest too. My experience with EC-1118 is that it is a powerhouse yeast that will reliably convert sugar to alcohol under all but the worst conditions. It makes very good wine too, but it isn't the best...

I agree with Jim, no problem at all. Only difference for me is that after rinsing I will add a Kmeta/Citric Acid solution and let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse again. Once you get a new barrel broken in and any leaks sealed, just keep producing enough wine to always have wine in them...

Depourable, a PC incorrect cider with a base of red and blue.

Finger lickin' good

Since I finished this first batch I've done two more. The second was the CC Showcase Cab I mentioned above. For it I used the supplied EC-1118 yeast and put the skins in the bag. I had no foaming issues, which I attribute to the yeast. I racked it out on Saturday after six weeks. It had a great...

KMeta is shorthand for Potassium Metabisulfite. It's a staple for all wine making and available at all local wine/beer making shops and all such on-line retailers. You can also find it in pill form called Campden Tablets.

Basic rule of thumb, if you aren't sure why you should deviate from the instructions then don't. Assume that the kit manufacturer went to the extra expense of adding what they did because they found it necessary to help make foolproof decent wine. Once you're comfortable and know what you're...

Everything you've done sounds normal and shouldn't have resulted in what you're seeing. The only item I don't have experience with is the is Sodium meta bisulfate that you used. I only use Potassium meta bisulfate so I can't comment on that. I recommend you give the company a call or an email...

That's great. I hope it goes well. Just beware how a tranquil looking wine can turn into a foaming monster with just a gentle stir :)

I've made it twice, my newest batch is about 15 months old. I really enjoy them. I wouldn't describe them as jammy and don't think I've met a jammy Shiraz, but I'm no expert on them. But mine are spicy and sassy which is what I look for. My new one was the first red in a brand new Vadai and two...

This weekend will be six weeks on a CC Showcase Cab I've done, and the two differences on this kit were that I put the skins in the mesh bag and used the kit yeast, EC 1118. The 1118 yeast is very low foaming so I never had an issue with foam over. But I also didn't address my questions about...

What Bill said. No need to rehydrate the yeast or add nutrient to an Eclipse kit.

Should be no problem. You would know immediately if there was an issue as the CO2 would push up the sorbate in clumps to the top. Will you be backsweetening? What was your ending SG? As long as it went dry and you are not backsweetening then there is truly no issue.