Best videos for newbies? Freezing grapes an idea? must-stirring proc?

[wine newbee]

I'll try to be concise ....

1. Would freezing grapes prior to mashing them be a useful idea? I'm thinking that once the fruit's cell walls are broken (at thawing), getting juices from those tissues could be easier? Would freezing damage a flavor profile? Or maybe this would just be too clumsy to bother with?

2. Are there any good YouTube tutorial videos out there for home wine-makers? The ones I've see so far don't impress me too much (re: experience, organization, depth).

3. If I should stir my muscadine must a couple of times per day, can I just rinse the ladle with boiling water prior to stirring (to sanitize) or would a quick wash with dish detergent be OK?

While I'm thinking about it .... doesn't opening the fermentation bucket's lid several times per day greatly increase chances of contaminating the must with bacteria/etc? No way around taking the chances?

Thanks much for any insights as to this. Being totally new at it, I'm gonna have a lot of questions ....... and realize now I should have been doing this a good while back (before the harvest time started).

 

[salcoco]

1. normal crushing of grapes breaks the skin sufficiently for juice release. if not fast enough for you add pectic enzyme or research other enzymes that can assist i juice extrication.
2 just gets some literature and read read read.https://morewinemaking.com/web_files/intranet.morebeer.com/files/wredw.pdf try this page, and https://winemaking.jackkeller.net/index.asp this web site.
3. make a sanitizing solution. 3 grams of potassium metabisulfite and 11 grams of citric acid in one gallon of water. put in a spay bottle. spray any tool that touches grape . rinsing with plain water after ladle use is okay. co2 blankets the must when fermenting. the amount of time the cover is removed does not affect any oxidizing concerns. long term exposure required before wine is affected. do not use dish detergent of chlorine products on tool used to make wine.

 

[wine newbee]

1. normal crushing of grapes breaks the skin sufficiently for juice release. if not fast enough for you add pectic enzyme or research other enzymes that can assist i juice extrication.
2 just gets some literature and read read read.https://morewinemaking.com/web_files/intranet.morebeer.com/files/wredw.pdf try this page, and https://winemaking.jackkeller.net/index.asp this web site.
3. make a sanitizing solution. 3 grams of potassium metabisulfite and 11 grams of citric acid in one gallon of water. put in a spay bottle. spray any tool that touches grape . rinsing with plain water after ladle use is okay. co2 blankets the must when fermenting. the amount of time the cover is removed does not affect any oxidizing concerns. long term exposure required before wine is affected. do not use dish detergent of chlorine products on tool used to make wine.

Thanks a heap -- I'm wondering: do I have to visit a brewing supply store or order online to get the K2S2O5?

 

[salcoco]

either. buy in powder form.

 

[Scooter68]

BEWARE of You Tube videos. There are many more videos out there with half-baked ideas than solid trustworthy ones and not just on wine making.

Better to read multiple sources and then post questions on here THEN start your wine. We see it all the time where someone got an idea (wrongly) that they were supposed to do something but the weren't sure, then they jumped in and had second thoughts. Many times you can recover from mistakes but not always.

If you have a topic you aren't sure of, there are tons of threads on here about a wide variety of topics and questions.
Take your time, don't rush into something before you know what you are doing. PATIENCE will take you a lot further in this hobby than quick actions.

Not trying to discourage you but just about every week this time of year someone gets a good idea, to make wine, but follows some bad advice on how to.

 

[wine newbee]

Forewarned is forearmed, Scoot; I had the good luck to get connected lately with a local home-winemaker, and this week he's gonna show me some basic ropes (he has tons of muscadines and has being "wining" 'em for years). I have mos' def needed somebody to act as mentor in this; I had to learn hands-on beekeeping by myself a few years ago, since my 1st mentor knew even less than I did (and never came to my house once to guide me) and the 2nd bailed out after all her hives collapsed -- despite her doing everything humanly possible to keep 'em going over 1 winter. I guess she was just worn out with the struggle.

Thx again!