Carlos

[gaudet]

Here is the Carlos Muscadine I started on the 7th, it was a high SG @ 1.120
and montrachet yeast had it down to 1.030 this afternoon, so I racked it to glass this evening. And there it stands. The blueberry pomegranate needed some company........

Edited by: gaudet

 

[Waldo]

Looks great gaudet. How did it taste?

 

[gaudet]

It tasted good, not as much distinct muscadine as I thought, but it was subtle. I'm estimating that the alcohol was at already near 12%. The carboy has a nice caramel color to it. It looks like the grape skins. I will probably set another batch to run in the next couple days so I can blend it like you suggested.
Edited by: gaudet

 

[Waldo]

Did you have much residual sugar left ? If not, when you back sweeten that will really bring back the uscadine flavor. It will not be immediate but very noticeable and get vetter as it ages

 

[gaudet]

The last reading of the hydrometer was 1.030, its still in active fermentation. So it was sweet, but as you suggest, its probably just the aging that needs to occur.

 

[Waldo]

The last reading of the hydrometer was 1.030, its still in active fermentation. So it was sweet, but as you suggest, its probably just the aging that needs to occur.

And I got up too damned early

I read that you had just racked from primary so naturally you still have sugar left...duhhhhh!!!!

 

[gaudet]

I'm always up by 6am..... 5am on working days......

 

[gaudet]

Waldo, Wade, or anyone that wants to answer,

I'm thinking forward, but when I do my first racking off the lees, would it be ok to top off with more pure juice? I have 8 quarts left from that juicing I did last week that I processed in a hot water bath and mason jars. I figure if I need to top off the 6 gal that would be my best bet instead of water.

 

[Wade E]

If it is still fermenting then there is no need to top off at this point. If it is stable then you could add your k-meta and sorbate to stabilize the wine and then add your juice or it will start fermenting all over again. After adding all those items if it is stable(check that it is stable by checking sg a few days in a row and make sure it is not still going down) then you could degas and add clarifier or just let time do its thing.

 

[gaudet]

The pomegranate blueberry (PB) in the carboy on the right was degassed and stabilized and k-meta. Notice the headspace as compared to the carlos on the left. I am worried about the headspace in it (PB) and oxidation. I will top it off with the juice I used to start the wine, it shouldn't restart fermentation. I just did all that last week, so am I safe to assume that the k-meta will be enough to protect it and that it will gas out and push any O2 through the airlock?

I will add clarifier when I top off. (PB)Edited by: gaudet

 

[Wade E]

Did you add sorbate? K-meta alone will help from oxidation but you should top off or move to smaller carboy or use sanitized marbles to displace the missing wine. You could even purchase a canned gas for use in saving bottles of wine. This is a good item to have if you are carboy deficient and to use to keep open bottles of wine fresh.

Edited by: wade

 

[gaudet]

Yes, I degassed & stabilized it with K-sorb, and K-meta about 7 days ago. And I back sweetened it as well. There was a little airlock activity, but nothing major and it has since ceased.
Edited by: gaudet

 

[Wade E]

Sounds like youre in good shape then and if you havent opened up the bung then you do have some protection from gases being given off, if you have popped the bung off since airlock activity then you really should find a way to eliminate that head space.

 

[gaudet]

Thats what I was hoping. I will top it off when I get some clarifier from George that I ordered yesterday. That will accomplish two goals, clearing and protecting.

 

[Wade E]

If you are adding the juice then add that before adding clarifier so as not to muck it up again.

 

[gaudet]

In the process of making a second batch of Carlos to blend with the first one. This one I used 8 quarts of juice, added water to 5 gallon mark. Took an SG of 1.020. I added 5 pounds of sugar and will take another reading shortly. I am shooting for 1.050 to blend with the other batch and get a lower ABV. the previous initial SG was 1.120. I figure (with Waldo's advice) that adding the SG of both and taking the average, that I would get a wine that if had been done all in one batch would give a SG of 1.085 which if ferments to .996 would give a final blended ABV of 12%

Edit:

I got it to 1.050 sg @ the 6 gallon mark. I did my first TA test, it took 4ccs of NAOH to make the change stick. Does that mean that I have a TA of .4? And where do I go from there for the adjustment. If I read right I need to add 1 tsp/gallon of acid blend to bring it up to .6 or .65

Edit 2:

According to the formula TA=75*4*0.2 / 15 =4 translates to 0.4% TA
I need to adjust 1 tsp/gallon acid blend to achieve .12-.15% I need 4 TBS to adjust the TA to .64%-.70% TA

And since I did not adjust acid on the previous batch should I double up to 6 or 8 TBS to compensate, or just wait until I blend the wines. I could always add it to the first batch I guess.

I desperately need guidance on this one....
Edited by: gaudet

 

[Wade E]

For every tsp. of acid you add to a gallon you will increase the acidity by .15%. This means for example that if you have a reading of .55% and you want to bring it up to .70% then you will need to add 1 level tsp. for every gallon in your batch. I dont have the info for that acid kit in front of me so kind of lost without it.



Edited by: wade

 

[gaudet]

I just need to know if I am correct in adding 4 tbs to bring this to the right TA level for this batch....

 

[Wade E]

Gaudet, I will not answer this question as Ive been working down in my basement all day and have been drinking and math is a little fuzzy right now and dont want to screw you up. I would advise you however not to over adjust it for the other batch until you have that reading and dd them together or adjust separately. Sorry, brain is all washed out from booze and vapors in the air form my project.

 

[gaudet]

That makes two of us Wade......

I figure 3 tsp per tablespoon. so to bring 6 gallons up .15% I need 2 tablespoons, so if if my starting point was .40, then I need 4 TBS to make a change of .30
.30
+.40
=.70

Right

PS: I will leave the second batch for tomorrow when we are all sober. I think I trust my math enough to say that I needed 4 tbs to make the adjustment. So I will add 4 tbs and pitch the yeast.

Edited by: gaudet