Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
You can add golden raisins to primary. Not much is needed with whites, since they aren't usually fermented on the skins.
Chilean harvest 2015 at Harford Vineyard
- Thread starter heatherd
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I saw you lurking, I was hoping you'd answer quickly! Good, I'll order the bucket w/o any grapes. I was worried they will close up orders on Monday, so I can order now and hopefully beat the deadline. Thanks.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
They usually have extra buckets, it seems. Makes it easy for the impulse buy when you go to pick up your grapes. 
Just ordered another bucket. It accepted my payment so I think I'm good.
Will have to make a pact with the wife NOT to splurge on a third bucket if they have extra. I already have to buy another fermenter, would be a terrible shame if I had to invest in another.
Will have to make a pact with the wife NOT to splurge on a third bucket if they have extra. I already have to buy another fermenter, would be a terrible shame if I had to invest in another.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Nice thing about the juice buckets is you can ferment in them. (yes, I am an evil enabler :: )
I don't need an evil enabler. I've averaged buying a carboy a week for the last month. Already had a few from beer brewing. Now I need a corker and a few hundred bottles (have 120 or so bottles worth in carboys and about the same on deck with kits and buckets to come). It's a never ending spiral, when will it ever stop!
Angelina
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I ordered a white juice pail. Is there enough head space to ferment the whole bucket in the original bucket, or is it filled with grape goodness right to the top?
The juice buckets have a bit of head space for fermentation. For a white, you should be fine. The buckets don't have enough room for a lug of grapes, so that's when I split them into two batches.
I picked up grapes today. They tested brix for free and loaned me a large fermenter to take home the grapes. I will take it back to them when I pick up Chilean harvest. Nice folks.... They had a big Mason Dixon wine event for 90 people plus a bachelorette party tasting today, so were hopping to say the least.
Heather
I picked up grapes today. They tested brix for free and loaned me a large fermenter to take home the grapes. I will take it back to them when I pick up Chilean harvest. Nice folks.... They had a big Mason Dixon wine event for 90 people plus a bachelorette party tasting today, so were hopping to say the least.
Heather
Luckily fermenters stack inside each other when empty, so we can all keep buying those without much notice. Carboys, on the other hand are pretty conspicuous. At the beginning of this hobby I told my hubby that I would just do one batch at a time, and I needed one more carboy just for swing space. Then we had the same conversation about the third one, the fourth one, the two 3 gallon ones, etc, etc.
Yea, it helps to have more carboys to make rackings less dependent on clearing another one. Makes carboy math easier (luckily I have a CS/Math degree). Unfortunately I'm not there yet.
Today I've got to move a beer batch from a 6 gallon glass carboy to a 5, then clean the 6 and move an Orchard Breezin batch to it to degass, move that to a 5 gallon and 4 L jug, clean the glass 6 for the next batch of beer, clean the bucket that had the OB kit in and make a Selection Viognier. Then at some point I've got to move two in 6 gallon better bottle batches into the glass 6 and a better bottle 6 I just bought, clean the better bottles and re rack the glass to one I just cleaned, before the Viognier needs racked out of the bucket. Then I might be able to get another OB kit going and cleared out of the bucket before the Chilean juice arrives. In between I go away for 4 days, so I've got to time moves around that.
Today I've got to move a beer batch from a 6 gallon glass carboy to a 5, then clean the 6 and move an Orchard Breezin batch to it to degass, move that to a 5 gallon and 4 L jug, clean the glass 6 for the next batch of beer, clean the bucket that had the OB kit in and make a Selection Viognier. Then at some point I've got to move two in 6 gallon better bottle batches into the glass 6 and a better bottle 6 I just bought, clean the better bottles and re rack the glass to one I just cleaned, before the Viognier needs racked out of the bucket. Then I might be able to get another OB kit going and cleared out of the bucket before the Chilean juice arrives. In between I go away for 4 days, so I've got to time moves around that.
ColemanM
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Well, I see your problem Craig, you need to start doing reds and pick up a couple barrels. Then you have a few 20 liter barrels. Some 5 gallon carboys, a half dozen 6 gallons and then a few 6.5 gallons for your beer. I don't need no stinking degree, I'm a fermenting addict [emoji7]
I see the barrel writing on the wall, just trying to hold it off for a year or so. Luckily I'm not an oak addict, yet.
Speaking of barrels, I know you run quite a few batches through till they become flavor "neutral" and are really only used for the micro oxidation, after that, how long is a barrel usable? Can I assume if you keep it filled it will last a lifetime, or am I smoking something illegal?
Speaking of barrels, I know you run quite a few batches through till they become flavor "neutral" and are really only used for the micro oxidation, after that, how long is a barrel usable? Can I assume if you keep it filled it will last a lifetime, or am I smoking something illegal?
ColemanM
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As long as you keep good care of it, it should technically last forever. My French barrels seem more "flavor neutral" that my Vadai barrel. Meaning my first fill of my vadai was over oaked after 10 days and it took 9 weeks for my French barrel to get to that level. Just my observation.
So when I do go down that avenue, no matter if it's a French or Hungarian or American barrel, I should be making enough to keep that barrel filled at all times, right? And also plan on the first few batches not lingering as long as later batches. In other words have a few aging in carboys before I buy the barrel, maybe even a Chardonnay for the first one, since I guess you can't put a white in after a red without making it a blush.
I use primaries for racking when I don't have enough carboys for swing space. I just rack from carboy to primary, clean and sanitize the carboy, then rack back into it.
I sometimes think "buy" is my middle name. When I get the bug, I've gotta put the brakes on and think it through. Did it years ago for beer and ended up with 4 corny kegs, a grain crusher, 7 carboys, fridge with temp control for lagers... you get the picture.
If all you guys and gals weren't so damn helpful I wouldn't have this problem. (My wife says I'm good at blaming others for my problems, I just don't see it
).
Okay, back to these Chilean grapes and buckets. If I get a lug of grapes, which I guess is 18 lbs since it's from Chile, how much juice can you get out of these when you press them? Is it like around 1 gallon per 18 lbs? (I know, depends on the grapes and the season, just looking for a ballpark figure)
I know I have plenty of room since I plan on splitting the bucket and grapes between two fermenters, just want figure out what the ratio is between juice in the bucket and juice added from the fresh grapes. (Thinking about a burgundy here).
I know I have plenty of room since I plan on splitting the bucket and grapes between two fermenters, just want figure out what the ratio is between juice in the bucket and juice added from the fresh grapes. (Thinking about a burgundy here).
