Fresh juice question

[Wiccan_Lager]

Boatboy. How is your fermentation going. I picked up my montepulciano juice today from Harford. Do you recommend I use RC 212 or Pasteur red star? Gwand.

I used RC212 last year and Red Star Pasteur Red for this years batch.

From what I read, Pasteur Red almost NEVER stalls. It also appears to be a ferocious fermenter. I pitched it and within 24 hours I had juice spewing out my primary. Even after transferring to my secondary it was still foaming heavily. To be honest, it's been almost 2 weeks and I still see activity from my secondary. It also brings bold, heavy flavors. My father uses this in his wines and his wines are always full bodied.

I used RC212 last year. It didn't get the juice to a dryness I would have liked (I like my wines crazy dry). All my wine stopped fermenting at about .998 from an original gravity of 1.085 or so. Flavor wise, RC212 brought out real fruity flavors. The wine almost tastes like alcoholic grape jelly. Jammy and delicate.

If stalling is something you are more worried about than flavor, then I would say Red Star. If you want some nice fruitiness from your wine, then the 212 will do you solid.

 

[Vpilieci]

Can someone explain the benefits of Malolactic Fermentation?? Do you do this at the end of primary?

I make wine from juice. I'm trying to step things up this year. I see you also recommend against raisins in the secondary... why?

Thanks.

 

[novalou]

Can someone explain the benefits of Malolactic Fermentation?? Do you do this at the end of primary? I make wine from juice. I'm trying to step things up this year. I see you also recommend against raisins in the secondary... why? Thanks.

MLF in the secondary does two things:

1. Prevents MLF from spontaneously happening in the bottle.
2. MLF converts the harsh malic acid into softer lactic acid.

Raisins have a lot of sugar. Depending on how much you add and your yeast alcohol tolerance, it could make the wine sweeter or give it more alcohol.

Use raisins in the primary.