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PITA to open a sealed plastic bucket every time you want to stir or punch down. Fred

A few cliches come to mind: "Live and learn"; "What you don't know won't hurt you"; "God protects fools and children." I'll let you pick the one you believe most appropriate for this situation. Fred

This time of year just lay the lid on top. In warm months when insects (especially fruit flies) are out, cover with cheesecloth, nylon mesh, or sometime that will allow the must to vent but not let insects in. Fred

You can try using a large kitchen strainer to dip out the raisins. Another method if you don't have a large strainer is to pour the wine through a collander into another bucket. There should still be enough CO2 so oxidation shouldn't be a concern. Best way to avoid this situation is to put the...

When the wine starts tasting too oaky. Fred

Tom, Welcome aboard! What you should use for a normal fermentation is a nutrient such as Fermax or Fermaid. Follow directions on the container, but usually you add 1 tsp./gal. I like to divide the total dosage into two equal amounts and put them in the primary on the second day and about the...

I have diabetes and am on insulin (on an insulin pump). If you drink dry wines, there's not enough residual sugar to cause any problem. Alcohol as it metabolizes may actually cause your blood glucose level to drop some. Just be sure to test your glucose level regularly so you don't become...

My guess is that you will not be able to go until May with a new barrel that size. More like a month or two. Let taste be your guide, but have something else ready to go to barrel in case you have to rack it early. Fred

No. The grapes were flash frozen and should not be a problem. I recently did 5 pails of their 2007 Napa Valley Cab. and all went well. Fred

Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY5Ne8WDERY&feature=related And here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94uiigUqLc&feature=related Fred

IMO, if your MLF conditions are ideal---proper acidity, proper temperature, etc.--then you should be okay with just one. If you're not going to be doing another MLF soon then you may as well go ahead and use both since MLB may expire before you need it. Fred

I like to punch down every couple of hours during the day. Since I'm now retired, I'm home during the day and have time to do this. I think it helps to keep the grapes hydrated and contributes to body and color which in my case is not a problem because I like big reds. On YouTube there's a video...

I just clean and sanitize one time, but am careful to place the item I've used in a sanitized bucket or surface so as not to contaminate with dust, dirt, grape stains, etc. Usually contamination is no problem because either the wines's covered with CO2 or is sulfited so any microbes that may be...

No, we're talking micro-oxygenation, not oxidation. This is the reason all high quality commercial wines still use natural corks, not synthetic, agglomerate, or screw-cap. Fred

Duster, I like it--not just for the sugar conversion but also for all the conversions it shows. Thanks, Fred

IMO, it depends on the wine being bottled. For a red that will be aged over a year, I use a premium natural cork. These are more expensive, but last longer and are breathable which supports micro-oxygenation. Second to the premium natural cork in quality are the 1+1 corks with slices of...

I don't do alot of kits anymore, but I've used it with a C.C. amarone several times without any problem.

It probably came with EC-1118 because that's a strong yeast that's more forgiving of less than ideal conditions. IMO, if you are able to keep your kit in a 70-80F temp environment during fermentation, I'd go with BDX if available to you. Fred

budsweezy, I live in Granite Falls, NC--not too far from you. I regularly order frozen juice and frozen grapes from Midwest Wine Supplies, Minneapolis, MN for home delivery by UPS http://www.midwestsupplies.com/winemaking-ingredients/wine-recipe-kits/frozen-musts.html. I also know a...

If you refrigerate and add 1 Campden tablet/gallon (30-50 ppm SO2) it should keep 2-3 months easy. If you freeze it, it will keep longer. Fred