Whooowee down to 3% BRIX this am. Temp falling from 80 to 75 now. So anytime now. Just got my press last night from a friend and going to get it nice and clean. Maybe pressing this afternoon or tomorrow first thing. Today is Day 6 not sure if its going to run from 3 to 0 as fast as the prior days or its going to slow down on the last hurdle.
First Time with Grapes
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If you are using a refractometer to get tthe brix, the reading gets skewed as it increases in alcohol so don't go on that alone to press. Once the cap sinks to the bottom I usually press and if tested at that point it is pretty dry. You can then also easily test it with a hydrometer.
Its wine, it can't tell time. Do a check tomorrow morning and press when you have the time tomorrow if its ready.
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The longer on the skins the better. Keep punching that cap down so it gets some good contact time in the ethanol extraction system you have made. I personally would let it go 7 days even if its below 1.000. There is plenty of CO2 to protect the wine now. Once you press it will be driven off.
Well all pressed today to fill 5 - 15gal demi-johns. A little messy but that was expected. Tried to balance out the juice between all five by dividing up the pressed juice vs free juice. Letting it relax overnight then racking to remove gross lees and begin the MLF.
Gearing up the equipment
Ah nice juice
Getting a little messy
Finished product!
Anything in particular to look for in getting MLF done? Rack Gross lees, add maloactic bacteria to the wine then wait 2 weeks before stirring then testing with paper Chromatography test?
Gearing up the equipment
Ah nice juice
Getting a little messy
Finished product!
Anything in particular to look for in getting MLF done? Rack Gross lees, add maloactic bacteria to the wine then wait 2 weeks before stirring then testing with paper Chromatography test?
Check to make sure your pH, ABV, SO2 and temps are within range. Do another TA beforehand as well to check for differences before/after.
Looks like a nice setup for sure!
Looks like a nice setup for sure!
Looks like a nice setup for sure!
Thanks Amigo will check all that before adding bacteria. Thanks for the compliments, just making sure the old man up there is proud that I am carrying on the tradition.
Just remembered since I started with BRIX of 24 or sg 1.1009 and fg 1.0000. I should have ABV of .1009 - .0000 = .1009 * 131 = 13.21. I think when I used the vinometer it showed between 13 and 14 % alcohol this morning and the PH was 3.36. Temp was down to 70. The SO2 I don't have a clue but I haven't added sulfite and really don't plan to since i am not planning on aging more than a year.
Vin-O-Meters are notoriously unreliable. Go by SG/Brix
He would definitely be proud.
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Give them a quick stir every couple days- don't wait two weeks. Not critical, but it speeds it up as the mlb uses some oxygen so by stirring it up, you mix the bacteria with the left over lees for food and also introduce the little oxygen needed by them to speed up it's work.
Great thanks for the info. I went with what my local wine shop had.
He recommended Lallemand's ENOFERM ALPHA which invokes "Security and mouthfeel, adapted to high alcohol wines" whatever that means
Basically followed directions to hydrate and divided it up amoungst the 5 carboys after of course racking the gross lees. Boy those gross lees were indeed gross.
Well I am off to a few days of hunting but when I get back on Sunday I will for sure mix up the wine.
Pick of today's racking
He recommended Lallemand's ENOFERM ALPHA which invokes "Security and mouthfeel, adapted to high alcohol wines" whatever that means
Basically followed directions to hydrate and divided it up amoungst the 5 carboys after of course racking the gross lees. Boy those gross lees were indeed gross. Well I am off to a few days of hunting but when I get back on Sunday I will for sure mix up the wine.
Pick of today's racking
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Ducks in a row!
You might want to rethink that. This is not a kit that will be drinkable in 9 months. This was made from fresh grapes. It will take a full 12 months just to start to even taste like wine, another 6 months to start really maturing (bottle time) and then 6 more before its really ready to drink. There is a reason most wineries release their reds 2 years from when the yeast was pitched.
I agree with Mike. This won't be a quick drinker. Since you haven't added any sulfites to date, by the time it gets out of mlf, after all the riggers of stirring and racking, it will be due a dose of Kmeta. I just wouldn't risk not adjusting for sulfites, you have put lots of time and money into this wine.
I assume you are still in secondary and soon to move on to mlf. If that's the case, I noticed three of your carboys have quite a bit of head space, which is perfectly fine during secondary. Once mlf begins and thereafter, you will need to have each carboy topped off.
I know it is more bucks, but you might consider getting two 6 gallon carboys. That way during and after mlf you can top off two of those larger carboys, then fill two - 6 gallon carboys with the remainder leaving one large carboy empty. This way you won't have so much head space. Four larger carboys and two 6 gallon carboys (which are closer to 6.5 gallons each) should be just about right for the amount of wine you have.
I assume you are still in secondary and soon to move on to mlf. If that's the case, I noticed three of your carboys have quite a bit of head space, which is perfectly fine during secondary. Once mlf begins and thereafter, you will need to have each carboy topped off.
I know it is more bucks, but you might consider getting two 6 gallon carboys. That way during and after mlf you can top off two of those larger carboys, then fill two - 6 gallon carboys with the remainder leaving one large carboy empty. This way you won't have so much head space. Four larger carboys and two 6 gallon carboys (which are closer to 6.5 gallons each) should be just about right for the amount of wine you have.
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