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My sg was at 1.045 this morning, down from 1.080 starting sg on Saturday. The bag of fruit I started with is down considerably from the whole berries I started with. It looks and feels like the blueberries are still relatively in tact. Is it normal for the raspberries and black berries to...

I started my first batch of triple berry dragons blood tonight. Right now, it is sitting quietly in the basement. I'll pitch the yeast tomorrow afternoon and let 'er rip. Giving the fruit bag a couple of squeezes, the smell of the raspberries smells like summer. Looking forward to the...

Great point Heather-thanks!

Great, thanks!

I started a Malbec juice bucket on 4/3 and added an all grape pack during fermentation. I fermented to dry in the bucket and racked on 4/12 to glass carboy. I added Vp-41 mlb culture & nutrient. However, there is alot of sediment/pulp dropping out and I'm slightly concerned that this may...

So I picked up 2 juice buckets yesterday and added an all grape pack into a paint strainer bag in each bucket of juice. I thought I had the one tied well but it opened up and all of the good stuff from the grape pack is loose in the must. I'm assuming this isn't too much of a problem during...

Bucket for me as well, 100%. Super easy to clean out when done.

Yep, was at pi wine this morning. As always, the folks there were great. Dan- it was nice chatting with you. I may be up again in a few weeks.

Heading up to PI Winery on Saturday morning. Chilean juice = the start of spring for me!

I had a similar experience with a Merlot from a juice bucket 2 years ago. I now use FT Tannin Rouge, added pre-fermentation to stabilize color.

What size of paint strainer bags work well with an all grape pack?

Hey Doc- how much additional sugar do the grape packs add? I usually need to add some sugar to juice buckets to get the starting SG up but wasnt sure how much sugar a grape pack will add.

Thanks all, I do think it is co2 only because the basement was cold for a few days (closed vent) and I opened it, shortly thereafter the bubbles. They didn't look like the real tiny mlf bubbles but larger like the co2 produced. So, I took a taste and was tingly so my guess is co2. The taste...

Thanks Greg, I'll run a chromatography test and post the results. If it is in fact a mlf, would you add any nutrient?

Hey all- I have a CA Sangiovese from the fall (juice bucket) that I checked on last night and there are a bunch of tiny bubbles that continually rise to the top of the carboy (6 gallons). It has been racked and sulphited after fermentation, nothing out of the ordinary. I did not innoculate...

I also agree with Redulees treatment. I had to use it on Pinot Noir and was successful in removing the sulfur odor. It gives a controlled dose of copper.

Doc- I was planning on ordering 2 grape packs for 2 juice buckets this spring. How big are they? Also, do you plan on using strainer bags or can the grape pack be added directly to the juice?

Thanks Heather. Yes, I was looking at the one from mosti mondali, glad you had success with it. It's crazy how quickly weekends are filling up with activities, family stuff etc. so I figured this was a decent alternative to fresh grapes. Probably gonna give it a try. Thanks!

Have any of you guys added an all grape pack during fermentation to juice buckets to boost tannins, color etc? I ask because I may not have access to Chilean grapes due to my schedule and the suppliers shipments not meshing so I was looking for an alternative to fresh grapes.

Bottled my 2014 Chilean Barbera, quite happy with it.