2018 Grape Season Underway

[Ajmassa]

Did Harford notify you, how anout the grapes?

I’m not sure if you realize it, but there’s actually more places in the world who sell grapes and juice aside from Hartford (I’m done fixing auto correct to remove the ‘t’) from here on out!

 

[Ajmassa]

Sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m drunk in Atlantic city right now.

 

[pgentile]

Sorry, you may have gotten you from New Jersey

Gino Pinto's South Jersey, no grapes in yet

 

[Ajmassa]

I meant it

 

[pgentile]

Picked up two Cab sauv and one Shiraz SA juice buckets today along with natural corks and a few pack of rc212.

pH 3.54 on the cab and 3.56 on the shiraz.

All three buckets are showing zero activity, will taste once they warm up a bit.

SG was only 1.070 on all three, will be bumping that a bit.

 

[ceeaton]

Picked up two Cab sauv and one Shiraz SA juice buckets today along with natural corks and a few pack of rc212.

pH 3.54 on the cab and 3.56 on the shiraz.

All three buckets are showing zero activity, will taste once they warm up a bit.

SG was only 1.070 on all three, will be bumping that a bit.

Nice pH numbers, just curious why the SG was so low. Assuming you stirred it up a bit before you tested. Most of my juice buckets are usually in the 1.085 to 1.090 range. Maybe mine are being adjusted before I get them, though I would think the label would say "added sugar".

 

[pgentile]

Nice pH numbers, just curious why the SG was so low. Assuming you stirred it up a bit before you tested. Most of my juice buckets are usually in the 1.085 to 1.090 range. Maybe mine are being adjusted before I get them, though I would think the label would say "added sugar".

After I mixed the buckets together and stirred thoroughly SG is 1.082.

 

[cmason1957]

After I mixed the buckets together and stirred thoroughly SG is 1.082.

I would be adding a little bit of sugar to that, as well. It might go up a couple more points as it warms. I belive last year, I had to add some sugar to mine to get them to where I wanted to be to start, but we are dealing with memory for that and I have consumed alcohol since then.

 

[pgentile]

I would be adding a little bit of sugar to that, as well. It might go up a couple more points as it warms. I belive last year, I had to add some sugar to mine to get them to where I wanted to be to start, but we are dealing with memory for that and I have consumed alcohol since then.

It's at about 48f right now. In the morning I'll take readings again. Plan on bumping to between 1.090-1.100 if it needs in the am.

 

[JohnT]

Sorry, you may have gotten you from New Jersey

OK,

Just for that...

 

[jgmann67]

After I mixed the buckets together and stirred thoroughly SG is 1.082.

Is it possible that ferment has already started with the wild yeast. My Cab bucket from last year decided to start without me...

 

[ceeaton]

Is it possible that ferment has already started with the wild yeast. My Cab bucket from last year decided to start without me...

Yeah, didn't think of that, you jogged my memory. I had a White Zin bucket that was going full tilt by the time I opened it (could hear gas escaping through the rubber valve on the bucket the whole way home from Harford).

 

[pgentile]

Is it possible that ferment has already started with the wild yeast. My Cab bucket from last year decided to start without me...

Quite possible, but I had buckets last year that had activity already going when purchased and these seemed to be inert at the time of pickup. Didn't taste like anything had gone on yet either, but who knows?

 

[mainshipfred]

Picked up two Cab sauv and one Shiraz SA juice buckets today along with natural corks and a few pack of rc212.

Does anyone think it's strange that the juice buckets come in before the grapes? I would have thought it would be the other way around.

 

[pgentile]

Does anyone think it's strange that the juice buckets come in before the grapes? I would have thought it would be the other way around.

I wondered that myself, but grapes might require different handling & shipping methods than the buckets making them take longer. Produce vs juice?

 

[JohnT]

Correct! Seems whole fruit needs a quarantine period where sealed juice is considered much safer to allow into the country.

 

[cmason1957]

I would guess that the logic might be whole fruit can hide critters, while they cannot survive the juicing process. But logic may have nothing to do with anything.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just spoke with the South jersey supplier. Everything should be coming in next week. I need to get my act together now. So much to do and order- and time is just tickin away!

 

[JohnT]

is that Gino Pinto??

 

[Ajmassa]

Yessir Gino Pintos. They said ALL of the Chilean grapes SHOULD be coming in throughout next week - as well as the juice pails.