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UPDATE: I stored the corked wine at 72F for 2 1/2 days then emptied the bottles into a fermenting bucket and degassed with my drill. Unbelievable! Even at low speed, it looked like my car washing suds. Degassing took nearly 2 hours and bubbles never really stopped but the wine eventually...

Thanks for the post. I shake a bottle twice and get considerable bubbles. The wine then looks like its full of specks but they rise to the top and disappear. RJS Cru Int'l Chardonnay, 12L. I degassed and cleared 2 days after fermentation ended, waited 40 days and bottled - slightly longer...

I did a lengthy degassing with a wine whip and tested until I was certain gas was finished. I'm convinced it's a bacteria issue in part because I did everything in the basement for the first time.

I bottled my Chardonnay today and found my wine had some fizz in the bottle prior to corking. I'm quite surprised as I didn't detect an issue when I tasted a month ago. I suspect the problem is either bacteria or an issue from SO2 during sanitizing. Thoughts please on my problem and...

Quick answer, it's not normal. I suspect the issue may be in how you treated the corks before bottling. Did you boil the corks?

In my case, I can't comment on a comparison versus WE as I haven't made the WE. Instead, I judge a wine against my expectations and general experience. That goes to the heart of your post because each individual will have their particular preferences, which is why I drive a Chevy instead of a...

Look at canva.com. It's what I use.

I've gone back and forth between WE and RJS and I find them to be about equal. However, under WE's new product structure, I'm finding RJS to be a slightly better value. In choosing, I look for the kit that best fits my need and whether that's WE or RJS is secondary. For example, I'll soon be...

Sounds like your juice became oxidized. I'd say toss it.

I'm about a month into an RJS Cru Int'l Chardonnay, now in a carboy. I tasted it today and was surprised at its light body. It seemed more like Pinot Grigio than Chardonnay. I'm wondering about making the wine more medium-bodied, perhaps by adding glycerin. / finishing formula I've never...

I believe so. Although it's possible to test yeast, I never did so prior to use. You should rehydrate yeast prior to pitching. When doing so, it will become apparent whether the yeast is active.

Wine kit instructions are somewhat generic. Fermentation time is dependent on many factors including temperature. As a result you should focus on specific gravity rather than the number of days. However, there is no requirement to act quickly when SG reaches 0.998. If you prefer to wait for...

What you're tasting as tart may actually be acidity, which is natural in wines. Red wine ph is typically 3.5-4.0 which is between coffee and lemonade, pretty tart. There are ways to improve ph but I'm not certain you have an issue. My suggestion at this stage is to finish the process. But...

First off, consider starting with a red if you're concerned about warm weather temperatures. The reason is that whites ferment best at around 7-19C while reds can do well at 20-27C. Note, however, that these temps refer to the temperature in the fermenter which is somewhat higher than the...

I agree with Rocky that if you feel like doing it, go ahead. In answer to your question, though, the kit is quite possibly not good and a waste of time. You don't say where you live, but if your garage gets hot in warm weather (perhaps two seasons) it's possible the juice has broken down. At...

Rule of thumb, 5 grams of yeast can be used to ferment up to 5-6 gallons of wine. However, you can use it to make smaller batches. Wine is a combination of juice and some water, with the juice coming from grapes or purchased as such. The amount of juice you'll get from grapes can vary...

I'm sure you'll get a variety of comments but here's mine. You won't be making a lot of wine from 11 lbs. of grapes and will have a lot of effort, particularly for a first timer. I suggest you start with grape juice rather than grapes to get the basics understood.

Some yeasts are available in an organic and non-organic form. The very popular EC-1118 is an example. Organic yeast is produced in using totally organic nutrient solutions. In addition, all ingredients in the yeast production process are non-GMO. Many governments including the EU, the USA...

Thanks for the follow-up.

It depends on your goal. If you want to produce an organic wine, using an organic yeast like Ossia is a way to go as many yeasts such as EC-1118 are not organic. EC-1118 does come in an organic version, as well, called EC-1118 Organic. Like organics in general, the organic form of EC-1118 is...