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After judiciously watching every slap and fold video on YouTube and still not getting the crumb I wanted, I picked up on the no knead/ no fold method. Mix everything together at once until all dry bits gone (5-10 minutes). The starter does NOT have to be fed. In fact it can be very neglected...

I've bought several of these Argentia Coast Amarone Style Wine Kits. Note that the name says Amarone style so don't count on a true Amarone. That said the kit produces great wine for the money. I usually wait for the kits to go on sale a couple times a year. The price has risen recently but the...

Or slow death in wine must through starvation or poisoned by sorbate. For wine yeast, life after a brief banquet is short and brutal. There's a bit of Lucretia Borgia on all winemakers.

I've been freezing a lot of the sourdough bread I make. I usually make three smaller loaves from a two loaf recipe, eat one and partially vacuum seal and freeze two. Question: A lot of bakers on the web suggest that you bake the bread anywhere from 70% to 90% of a full bake and then complete it...

Thanks for the advice. My White Zinfandel is indeed a blush. Any further guidance on making f-pac from raspberries?

Any suggestions for tweaking the Argentia Ridge Château Private Selection White Zinfandel Wine Kit from Costco? I've had great success with this simply by shorting the water and not adding the sweetener packs. But greedy guy that I am, I want more. I was thinking extended maceration with Muscat...

I just remembered this article from Winemaker Magazine that sheds more light on the pomace dilemma. The Pomace Predicament - WineMakerMag.com One notable use is pomace from Amarone production that imparts intensity to Chianti creating one of my favourite wines, Ripasso.

Any thoughts on getting a bucket of fresh pomace from a winery? I plan to freeze it and rinse in a K-Meta solution before using a pound or two for extended maceration in a 30-bottle kit. Pomace is basically grape skins that have imparted color and flavor into wine and been discarded after five...

This isn't about beer or wine but it may have application for a batch of Rumtopf I'm planning to start in the late spring. Rumtopf is a delicious way to preserve fruit in rum. We made it for several years but then stopped when two batches in a row ended up with mold growing on top. Before...

Thank you so much for this scale for judging homemade wines. The best wines I've made from kits - RJS En Primer series and another RJS International - by my estimation fall in the 85-89 range. My every day drinking wine, made from RJS Master Cellar kits and Argentina Ridge kits, both from Costco...

I always cut down the water in the cheaper kits (19l from recommended 23l), add some dry grape skins, or a cup of ,good organic (Sunmaid) raisins or 1 lb. of slightly crushed black table grapes and stems for reds. For whites, I add 1 lb. of slightly crushed green or light purple grapes and...

I've started writing novels. The main character of my second novel, Gravity Games, is a master chef and sommelier supreme, Nathan Sherlock. He has a super nose for food, wine — and murder. Check out the reviews: Gravity Games

As a relative newbie winemaker, I make twice as much wine as we consume in our household (including entertaining) and lay down half to reach a respectable age. That usually means at least 40 litres a month plus the odd top end kit that we won't touch for two years. I'm guess my production will...

Here's an interest article I came across about one potential benefit of fruit flies landing in your fermenter: Research suggests fruit flies could be responsible for wine’s pleasant aromas – Jamie Goode's wine blog The observation, while not definitive, gives rise to the theory that some fruit...

I can buy cheap buckets of frozen wine must ($54 Cdn) that the purveyor says produces a palatable table wine. Not the greatest endorsement but I was wondering whether I could make half the batch and use the rest with grape skins to bump up my cheap wine kits. Has anyone tried that?

I wondered why I would pay for Sun Maid organic raisins when cheaper raisins were available for a third the price. Again, JoesWine came through. The result in several cheap reds was spectacular. As an added bonus, the Sun Maid raisins made my Scottish scones really jump. Any thought on what I...

I bought them at my local winemaking store BUT the price is ridiculous. It went from $11.95 to $24.95. I now use black table grapes and squeeze out most of the juice. Joeswine, who I consider the master of cheap kit tweaking, says not to remove the juice but to boil the grapes down skins and all...

I tried reusing skins but realized there was nothing left when I tasted a little piece. I did the same with raisins and though they were still plump the taste was something like soggy mushy styrofoam. In other words no flavour, no sweetness, zip.

Can I "saute" the grapes in an instant pot and drain off some of the juice to get a jam and skins the consistency of the grape skin packs in an RJS En Primeur Super Tuscan?

Is that how those wine kits get that grape skin jam?