WineXpert Ahh I did it now 2 kits

[Dend78]

Hey Dend,
I just follow the directions with these kits - 4 weeks really isn't that long to wait - is it? (I know, it totally is!)

I have never had an issue with these by doing it 'by the book'. The only thing extra I do is to at least double all of the degassing, as per my LHBS owner's instructions.
Ray

gotcha, yes it is because until i get one of the current batches bottled my primary is sitting empty until i have carboy space

< me waiting for my wine to finish hahah

 

[Dend78]

In my experience, Island Mist kits will probably drop to around .992 (although I haven't made any in a few years).

spot on, .992 it is, after following the directions further, stabilized, degassed, and added the f-pak in now its sitting at 1.012 and added in chitosan or however its spelled

 

[Dend78]

started the peach apricot chard. tonight i did bump the sg up to 1.080

blackberry is sitting quietly aging/clearing in the carboy

 

[Dend78]

transferred the chard last night sitting at around 1.012-1.014

 

[Dend78]

took a taste of the blackberry, not to bad needs a little more age to it then possibly some sweetening to my taste. tonight if all goes as planned i will be adding the f-pak to the chard

 

[Matt723]

Do you think this is because you bumped the SG before primary? I believe you took it to 1.070 right?

I am going to put down a Blackberry kit and am considering bumping up as well, just not sure how much.

Maybe I'll aim for 1.060.

 

[Dend78]

I would guess that has something to do with it but I also like my stuff pretty sweet, I will probably take mine up to 1.020 and test it again but i want it to age out because it is a lil bitter and age seems to cure a lot of the bitterness and alcohol tastes

2-27-2013

stabilized, degassed, finning agent and added f-pak to the peach apricot chard, shes been sitting quietly at 0.092 for a couple of days now. i will let it sit and pull a sample later for more info on final sg prior to sweetening to my tastes

 

[Dend78]

took a look that the chard today and it looks like another week and it will be crystal clear. i will probably give it a taste next week to see if i need to do anything else to it.

 

[Dend78]

gave the peach apricot a taste, apricot is very strong, a little age on this stuff and it could be great just as it is with little to no extra sweetening even for my tastes

 

[Dend78]

Well I bottled the peach apricot last night, I figure I will give it some time to age in the bottle then drink it. its drinkable now but some age to take the bitterness out of it will work wonders.

as for the blackberry im going to bulk age it for a bit longer because I believe I want to bring the sweetness up to that of something like a mogen davids

 

[Dend78]

purchased a bottle of Mogen Davids Blackberry last now for testing purposes, wow 10% ABV, sitting at 1.050

i dont think I will sweeten my blackberry quite that high

 

[Dend78]

okay good news tasted the blackberry last night and the bitterness has subsided, I kicked in some simple syrup, I plan to let that sit and then taste and get a reading off of it probably on monday and see where I am sitting at. If i like it shes gonna go in a bottle.

 

[Dend78]

its all in a bottle now! finished out the blackberry at 1.030ish

 

[Dend78]

well thus far the blackberry is a huge hit everyone that tries it loves it. the peach apricot i left to age a bit in the bottle, its still a little bitter and i think age will smooth that out

 

[the_rayway]

We just opened up the Strawberry White Merlot, and the Green Apple at our last house party. E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T!!!

(are you addicted yet?)

 

[Dend78]

im for sure gonna do another blackberry its awesome! thanks for pointing me in the way of these

 

[Dend78]

well blackberry has moved along really quickly ive got 10 bottles or less left haha

 

[Jc5066]

Please ignore me.