Search results

I got everything pressed. It sure was a lot of work. Ill have to keep watching for a larger press. Maybe one will eventually come up in my areas some day some year. I had to get another 11.5 L carboy and a bunch of one gallon jugs I was lucky enough to find used. I tasted everything and I’m...

I’ve had some success thinning them out with a vacuum cleaner. So maybe I’ll keep at it for a bit.

I can do that. I’ve already dealt with the tomatoes but I can’t really wait any less than a week if I don’t press now.

I’m going to start pressing today. I have many fruit flies around. Hundreds and hundreds. While they probably came with the grapes or bananas they stayed for the tomatoes. Are they going to be a problem when pressing the grapes? I have some wine last night and got swarmed. I have to cover my...

They are but they were too expensive to risk having not so good wine or vinegar. Maybe I’ll take a little sample and make vinegar. I helped the guy load pails of juice to customers when he got a semi load in. Almost 700 pails. He gave me a free pail. I picked a Nebbiolo. I was told to just let...

I have some beautiful color in mine. It was already under way fermenting with RC-212 but I added some Lallzyme EX-V when I got it for my grapes. I had already added some pectic enzymes. I can’t say with certainty without a side by side test but I think it has a better flavor and color without...

Well on Monday I got my remaining 9 cases from the other supplier. 3 Merlot, 2 Zinfandel and 4 Cabernet Sauvignon. Got them crushed and destemmed on Monday. Too bad I missed the crusher destemmer with motor I saw for $150. They took quit a bit of tartaric acid especially the zinfandel. I got the...

would you use the Avante yeast on the white muscat or should I use something like 1118 that I have on hand?

Thanks everyone. I added 24g tartaric and got down to 3.58 pH. I’ll go with that. I assume you can make adjustments for flavor after fermentation?

Oh man the lab work is almost as bad as the crushing and destemming. Not worried about total TA outside of my test kits range for reds?

Oh I forgot a couple other questions. Should I just use the Avante yeast on the muscat or just go with 1118? The grapes were in a cooler so I double bagged some ice and kept the zin and cab cold like around 12C. Wrapped in a blanket. I figure I can safely get 2 days of cold soak. I’ll likely...

Ok so I have measured everything and added some tartaric acid. The Zinfandel pH is a bit high but the TA is at 0.6%. Should I make any adjustments or leave it for now? Zin Hydrometer SG 1.112 pH 3.87 TA 0.6% Cab Hydrometer SG 1.112 pH 3.52 TA 0.6% Alicante Hydrometer SG 1.093 pH 3.48 TA 0.6%...

I just finished my first crush day. I got 2 Cab, 4 Zin, and he ended up having 1 Alicante and 1/2 a Muscat. It took me about 6 hours to crush and destem which most of that was destemming. He loaned me a small crusher which helped a lot. I added potassium metabisulfite and the EX-V enzyme. I was...

Ha ha I’m already in the OMG where am I going to put this space lol. I figured I’ll leave in carboys and only bottle one or two at a time.

I think I have a solution that could work but another reason came to mind that might be an issue I don’t have the proper storage conditions for long term aging. So making a wine that requires long aging when for most of the year I only have room temperature or slightly warmer storage may not be...

I’ll see what I can figure. I don’t want to cut holes in my lids or put grapes in a demijohn. Seems like a pain in the butt to get out. I do have some pails that I put a stopper in the lid. One lid cracked so I don’t want to do anymore. Maybe I’ll just do a sample in one pail to see. One way...

Ha ha yup going to be busy. Getting the first 6 lugs likely Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. He’s putting them in the cooler until I get home. Then Monday morning for the rest. I could get some ice and double bag at first and can get dry ice Monday. I only want to get dry ice once as...

Well wouldn’t just putting the lid on be about the same thing and plastic and bungee cords?

Im I’m confused because I’m not making kit wine. I’m getting 540lbs of grapes. I don’t see how maceration for a juice kit makes any sense?

You mentioned airlock but I was envisioning this extended maceration taking place in the primary fermenter?