Chileans, Finally!

[ibglowin]

Both are very fruity and very sour at this point, but seem to have potential down the road. Time will tell.

With that pH let me know how the "sour" taste evolves...... LOL

 

[Johnd]

With that pH let me know how the "sour" taste evolves...... LOL

Yep, will do, cab at 3.49, Malbec at 3.35. Really more tart than sour. Expecting some slight MLF increase, but we'll just have to wait and see. It might just need another boost later, but will withhold adjustments til after MLF and some barrel time. Early pickers.........

 

[Johnd]

I have a 2ft piece of 4 inch PVC with a cap on one end. I drilled 'a gazillion' small holes in it. I stick that into the must (sometimes with a paint strainer bag around it) and then put a racking cane into the open end of the pipe. With the AllInOne, I rack the juice and while that's going, I scoop the skins into the press using a mesh strainer.

So Jim (and others!!), I pirated your method, but wasn't reall up for drilling a gazillion holes, so I started thinking about things with a gazillion holes in them. Perforated vinyl soffit. It's PVC, just like pipe. Picked up a piece, rolled it back on itself and snapped the seams together. Presto, a tube with a gazillion holes. Cut a round piece out and "sewed" it to the bottom using the holes and some 20# test. Did the double batch of Fourtitudes with Brehm skins, worked flawlessly!

 

[JohnT]

Looking great there johnd!!!!!

 

[Johnd]

Looking great there johnd!!!!!

A dyed in the wool convert to grape winemaking, even if I can't get em fresh.

I had a hard time tossing the Zin skins last nite, even after their second ferment the smelled wonderful.

 

[JohnT]

A dyed in the wool convert to grape winemaking, even if I can't get em fresh.

I had a hard time tossing the Zin skins last nite, even after their second ferment the smelled wonderful.

Mix them into the soil. Tomatoes love them!!!

 

[ibglowin]

You can get em fresh. Just have to do like me. Be willing to drive a ways to go pick them up.

A dyed in the wool convert to grape winemaking, even if I can't get em fresh.

 

[Johnd]

You can get em fresh. Just have to do like me. Be willing to drive a ways to go pick them up.

Closest I've found so far would be to drive to Dallas to the Toystore when they get their grapes, pretty long trek to make, and give up a weekend of bow hunting, but it's on the table....

 

[ibglowin]

I did it one year. 2011. Drove our Expedition, Mrs. IB, our 75lb Golden Retreiver "Jack" from Lost Almost to San Antonio, spent a few days with my family, drove up to Dallas and stayed at a 5-Star dog friendly hotel (Kimpton). Had the toy store crush/destem (dropped a lot of volume doing that) almost 800lbs and drove home that day. You can use dry ice to keep the must cool on the drive back. Now I only have to drive 700 miles round trip to Denver for my grapes..... The Dallas trip was like 1600 miles round trip.

 

[Johnd]

I did it one year. 2011. Drove our Expedition, Mrs. IB, our 75lb Golden Retreiver "Jack" from Lost Almost to San Antonio, spent a few days with my family, drove up to Dallas and stayed at a 5-Star dog friendly hotel (Kimpton). Had the toy store crush/destem (dropped a lot of volume doing that) almost 800lbs and drove home that day. You can use dry ice to keep the must cool on the drive back. Now I only have to drive 700 miles round trip to Denver for my grapes..... The Dallas trip was like 1600 miles round trip.

That's pretty much the same I'd do, drive in, stay overnight, crush/destem and cool for the ride home. So I'd be at home with must buckets, kinda the same place I'd be if ordering frozen. By the time you make the drive there and back, room and board, shipping cost isn't a problem.

I'm working on a pallet sized frozen bucket order right now (helps the shipping cost), got 10 pails of the great stuff that goes fast with my name on it, waiting for the rest of the grape offerings to present.

I keep telling myself that I'm spending less on wine than I would if I were buying what I like in the store, and having fun doing it.

 

[ibglowin]

You would think that there would be somebody in Houston (LHBS) doing this. But maybe not.

 

[Tnuscan]

I do the exact same thing as Boatboy (except my PVC tube is about 4 feet long). I first scoop out the "Cap" of skins using a ss strainer into the press, the pump the free run juice into my fermentor.

A friendly word of caution when making these types of accessories to aid in wine making.

Drilling holes, using glues in or on pvc, cpvc etc... can and will impart undesired aromas and tastes and even ruin your whole batch of wine.

These will need to be flushed and sanitized and sterilized to insure safe usage.
The glue alone can and will be detected for days and weeks on end.

I am not trying to ruffle feathers or anger anyone, I just don't want some one that don't understand this to unwittingly make one and use it without understanding the chemical reactions of using in wine making.

I have cut into water supplies, made repairs, flushed for a good period of time, and asked the owners to do the same before drinking. I have been informed by many, after many days and flushes, they still smell and taste the repair. And I myself have noticed the same.

 

[Boatboy24]

A friendly word of caution when making these types of accessories to aid in wine making.

Drilling holes, using glues in or on pvc, cpvc etc... can and will impart undesired aromas and tastes and even ruin your whole batch of wine.

These will need to be flushed and sanitized and sterilized to insure safe usage.
The glue alone can and will be detected for days and weeks on end.

I am not trying to ruffle feathers or anger anyone, I just don't want some one that don't understand this to unwittingly make one and use it without understanding the chemical reactions of using in wine making.

I have cut into water supplies, made repairs, flushed for a good period of time, and asked the owners to do the same before drinking. I have been informed by many, after many days and flushes, they still smell and taste the repair. And I myself have noticed the same.

Good point. To be safe, I used no glue in my 'build'. Not sure if the holes did anything, but my apparatus was thoroughly rinsed, then sanitized before using.

 

[JohnT]

That is a very good point.

I used no glue in constructing mine. I just slipped the end cap on .

Also, I made it a point to clean, sanitize, and sterilize the living you-know-what out of it before each use.

 

[Boatboy24]

@JohnT: What do you sterilize with?

 

[Tnuscan]

Good point. To be safe, I used no glue in my 'build'. Not sure if the holes did anything, but my apparatus was thoroughly rinsed, then sanitized before using.

This is good news and brings a sigh of relief. I remember you having a issue with the Chilean grapes. By them being different varieties and all being off somehow might be related to using this pipe...??? Not using any glues was a smart call, by just pressing the cap (dry fit) on and off makes it easy to clean.

 

[Johnd]

No glue in mine, pvc siding and fishing line.

 

[Boatboy24]

This is good news and brings a sigh of relief. I remember you having a issue with the Chilean grapes. By them being different varieties and all being off somehow might be related to using this pipe...??? Not using any glues was a smart call, by just pressing the cap (dry fit) on and off makes it easy to clean.

I'll be honest, it has me thinking. It has cooled off a bit this week and the AC hasn't been running nearly as much. As a result, it has been a bit warmer in the basement. I gave all a good stir last weekend and the tiny bubbles that had been missing for a while are back in force. I'm wondering if I didn't just have a stalled MLF. The last taste (last weekend) showed progress. While the concerns are still there, the wines weren't as bad as I remember the last taste being.

 

[Tnuscan]

Good point. To be safe, I used no glue in my 'build'. Not sure if the holes did anything, but my apparatus was thoroughly rinsed, then sanitized before using.

By rinsing and sanitizing after drilling, I'll bet your safe. Even if there were off aromas and flavors from this, I'm willing to bet they will dissipate over time and any set back will stabilize and the outcome will be fine.

 

[ColemanM]

This is what I use. It's designed I believe for a pool filter or something. It's been a while since I bought it and I have been drinking quite a bit tonight. But anyways. It works great in a 20 gallon fermenter
"Oops, almost got a picture of my "winter hobby" in there.