Extended Maceration

[seth8530]

Hmmm, I am not sure if that is possible at all (someone please correct me if I am wrong) but sugar development happens in the grape via photosynthesis from the nearest leaves. As soon as you remove the grape from the plant and the sun you remove any chance for further sugar development. The increase in Brix may be from the fact that it had a colder temperature than what is considered to be the normal range of your hydrometer.

Ah, but you are correct that that sugar development halts as soon as soon as they are removed from the plant.. However, a reason why the cold soak could increase the brix would be because as the juice and the grapes have longer to sit more sugars from the sugar rich grapes (relative to the juice) can diffuse to the less sugary juice thus raising the over all brix of the juice. I will use an ebuilometer on my final product to get the ABV. Using that and the final gravity we should be able to tell just how high the cold soak raised our sugars up.

 

[TicinoVintner]

Ah, but you are correct that that sugar development halts as soon as soon as they are removed from the plant.. However, a reason why the cold soak could increase the brix would be because as the juice and the grapes have longer to sit more sugars from the sugar rich grapes (relative to the juice) can diffuse to the less sugary juice thus raising the over all brix of the juice. I will use an ebuilometer on my final product to get the ABV. Using that and the final gravity we should be able to tell just how high the cold soak raised our sugars up.

That makes sense but I don't think a cold soak raised your total Brix, more like you have a more accurate reading as the sugars has properly diffused throughout the whole must. So what I'm trying to say is the cold soak raised your Brix to a more accurate reading but did not raise your ABV which should be the same if you did a cold soak or not. But I could be wrong as I do not know the physiology of cold soaks however everything that I have learned so far would have me believe that cold soaks cannot increase total Brix.
Cold soak discussion in a EM thread, ADHD anyone?.....SQUIRREL!!

 

[seth8530]

interesting point. I guess the question is it's does that extra time on the sins allow for any extra sugars to get released that would normally not get released. of course extra sugars are not the only thing one ifs after from a cold soak though.. I would be interested in doing some extra reading on the matter. at the very least I do enjoy having a Mir accurate set off initial readings.

 

[TicinoVintner]

interesting point. I guess the question is it's does that extra time on the sins allow for any extra sugars to get released that would normally not get released. of course extra sugars are not the only thing one ifs after from a cold soak though.. I would be interested in doing some extra reading on the matter. at the very least I do enjoy having a Mir accurate set off initial readings.

No it wouldn't. Sugar is in the liquid pulp not the skins. Extra time on the skins is a good thing ( at least for my grapes) as you get more tannins, color and various other flavor and structure profiles. I read somewhere (maybe WBM) over the pros and cons of cold soaking and one WM said the only benifits of a cold soak would be if you harvested the grapes in higher temps. So the cold soak would help to bring the temps down and make it more fruity before starting fermentation, but you can get the same effect by harvesting in cooler temps which is why many California vineyards harvest at night. Many belive to capture every aspect (aroma, flavor, color) you need to start fermentation ASAP. Except for the guys making Amarone. Which brings us full circle back to which technique is superior. Ask 3 winemakers, get 5 answers. Lol

 

[seth8530]

Yeah, I guess the least we can agree on is that extra time on the skins allows for better extraction of other goodies. I am personally a fan of cool fermentations but I am running a side by side test with pinot and chard where one is cool and the other is fermented hot to try and get a good comparison.. However, I guess I should not derail this thread.

 

[TicinoVintner]

The grapes I harvested in early Oct. have finally ended their EM. I pressed them yesterday the tried a small sip, then another, then a few more in a moment where the only words I could find were OMFG! It's not like any wine I have ever tried before. I can't really even describe it other than to say it tastes like freshly squeezed grape juice but with 13% alcohol and very smooth tannins. Even my wife and her mother were blown away. Good things happen when you break the rules.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Sdelli,
They look great! I cold soaked my Sangiovese and Cab Sav this past fall, both batches are amazing, I can't wait to try the finished product a year or so down the road!

 

[JohnT]

Now you know why I am such a big fan of making wine from fresh grapes. Impossible to do this sort of thing any other way.

 

[seth8530]

Yeah, fresh grapes (perhaps frozen must too) are the way to go if at all possible. Be sure to keep us on the loop about how your wine comes along with age!

 

[berrycrush]

Just wonder if one can use cream charger ( contains N2O ) instead of more expensive Argon canister to purge the oxygen in the fermenting bin...

 

[sdelli]

Just wonder if one can use cream charger ( contains N2O ) instead of more expensive Argon canister to purge the oxygen in the fermenting bin...

Not sure.... But I can tell you that I invested into a small tank and gauge with a trigger handle on it. I get it filled with an Argon/co2 mixture for only about $16. It lasts months!

 

[sour_grapes]

Is N2O actually cheaper than Ar?? I would find that shocking. Ar is 0.5% of the atmosphere, fer cryin' out loud.

 

[berrycrush]

Should Ar be expensive? don't know, but this one is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009MH5PC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[sour_grapes]

I see what you mean. But, like sdelli, this is what I had in mind:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/shielding-gas-contents-1-size-20-cu-ft

 

[sdelli]

Should Ar be expensive? don't know, but this one is:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009MH5PC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is the type of tank I was referring too.... Not cartridges.

http://www.uwelding.com/i/argon40CF.JPG

 

[ForzaItalia]

Sdelli any chance you can post a picture with the guage and trigger? Thanks!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Wine Making mobile app

 

[sdelli]

Here ya go.... Tanks , gauges and spray tip I purchased from Harbor Freight. I have it filled locally....

 

[ForzaItalia]

Awsome thanks! Thinking about trying this on my Chilean Malbec this year.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Wine Making mobile app

 

[REDRUM]

Oops... sorry.. posted in wrong thread and I don't know how to delete