Getting the answer you want fast!

[Tom]

Yes, I had checked it with the hydrometer...it was .994 two days in a row, which I would have thought to be sufficient. I have a drill mounted whip for it and I 'whipped' it to death!! At this stage, SHOULD it be still engaging the airlock, or should the gas be pretty much out of it? As well, is it normal to still see little bubbles now? Thanks for your help!!!

When degassing you do NOT want to introduce (whip) O2.
You may be adding bubbles and a chance of oxidizing the wine
Be more gentle and have PATIENCE.

 

[WineyMe]

ok...thank you

 

[brudavis]

Yeast ? hydrate make a starter or just dump in per instuctions

Started my first wine and dont know if I should just dump yeast in or make a starter. Vinter's Harvest blackberry using VH r-56 yeast, starting SG 1.090 temp is 73. I strated it yesterday afternoon and it said to let sit overnight then add yeast. any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Bruce

 

[Tom]

rehydrate it 1st

 

[brudavis]

Ok. I thought so but instructions just say sprinkle on top. Thanks Tom.

 

[brudavis]

To back sweeten do I pull wine from bottle and mix or mix sugar with water and do I boil to dissolve sugar?

Thanks for the help

Bruce

 

[Julie]

To back sweeten do I pull wine from bottle and mix or mix sugar with water and do I boil to dissolve sugar?

Thanks for the help

Bruce

that is a personal preference. I don't want to water down my wine, so I take some wine, add the sugar and heat it up enough to dissolve the sugar. Once that has cooled down I add it back into the wine. Take a reading and do you know what reading you want to be at after backsweetening? 1.010 seems to be a popular number.

 

[brudavis]

that is a personal preference. I don't want to water down my wine, so I take some wine, add the sugar and heat it up enough to dissolve the sugar. Once that has cooled down I add it back into the wine. Take a reading and do you know what reading you want to be at after backsweetening? 1.010 seems to be a popular number.

what would adding water do to the wine? Not sure about SG. My wife likes a not dry and not sweet. Figured I would add till she said it was good.

 

[Julie]

what would adding water do to the wine? Not sure about SG. My wife likes a not dry and not sweet. Figured I would add till she said it was good.

adding water would weaken the flavor and reduce the alcohol. Sounds like she might like a semi dry to semi sweet. Backsweenten to .098 and have her taste it, I would not go over 1.000.

 

[brudavis]

adding water would weaken the flavor and reduce the alcohol. Sounds like she might like a semi dry to semi sweet. Backsweenten to .098 and have her taste it, I would not go over 1.000.

Ok thanks. Your the best.

Bruce

 

[Runningwolf]

adding water would weaken the flavor and reduce the alcohol. Sounds like she might like a semi dry to semi sweet. Backsweenten to .098 and have her taste it, I would not go over 1.000.

I agree with Julie about going to .098-1.00 and let your wife taste it. I ususally go to 1.005 but what happen the wine seems to sweeten up a bit more in the bottle over time.

 

[goatman]

I got a question this is my first wine to try to make I started it on the forth and it has stopped working can I add more sugar and fire it back up again I think I failed to put enough in when i started it Help

 

[Julie]

you should take a hydrometer reading, if you don't have one get one. making wine is very difficult without one

 

[Tom]

Ditto on hydrometer. what U making?

 

[haffy87]

Alcohol content

I am on my second try with wine concentrates. It seems that there isn't much alcohol content in the finishing product. The Sp. Gr. is showing 1.070 at the beginning and then 0.990 when it is racked. I have no clue what I am doing wrong. Anyone have an idea of what could be going wrong?

 

[jtstar]

If you had a 1.070 to start with and a 0.090 when it is racked what make you think there is something wrong with it. In my book this is what it is suppose to do at 0.090 you have a dry wine

 

[Tom]

I am on my second try with wine concentrates. It seems that there isn't much alcohol content in the finishing product. The Sp. Gr. is showing 1.070 at the beginning and then 0.990 when it is racked. I have no clue what I am doing wrong. Anyone have an idea of what could be going wrong?

1st What are you making that you get this starting gravity (1.070)?
What you ask is like going to the doctors saying "I don't feel good"
More info
Details
Recipe.
etc

 

[Wade E]

Sounds like can of Alexanders or a Mist kit. We need to know what you are making as some kits ad concentrates. Some are designed to make low alc quick drinkers while others have you add more sugar.

 

[grandwinecellar]

yes If You need an answer on wine making so please starting gravity and, amount of sulfites added and then taste wine.

 

[adams54]

First attempt at winemaking - not very technical!

Hello,
I'm attempting to make my first batch of wine from real grapes that a neighbour let me pick from her garden. I've washed and stripped the grapes from the bunches and mashed them, so they're now in a large fermenting bucket. It's my first go at using a Hydrometer. I took some of the juice and measured the starting gravity - it reads 1.060. The fermenting bucket shows 3.5 gallons of squashed grapes. To this, I've added 3.5 Campden Tablets.

First question: the yeast I'm planning on using today is Youngs Dried Active Yeast for use in Winemaking and Brewing. Is that OK? It says stir one level teaspoon per gallon into the grapes. But something else I saw said you have to make a starter first. So last night I boiled some water, cooled it till it was warm, added one tablespoon of sugar (stirring till dissolved) then added 3.5 teaspoons of the yeast then covered it with cling film. It went bonkers. There was yeast everywhere. What did I do wrong? Should I abandon the idea of making a starter and just add the yeast directly to the grapes?

Second question: I've got some Yeast Nutrient - it says it's to ensure rapid and complete fermentation and that I should add 1 teaspoon per gallon of that too. Do you think I should?

Third question: Sugar. Looking at the Hydrometer, along the line where it says 1.060, it has 1lb 9ozs sugar per gallon. Does that mean it already has that much sugar or does it mean that I need to add that much sugar per gallon?

I've looked all over the internet and have only confused myself even more - a lot of the information presumes technical ability with a Hydrometer, says add this, do this to get a certain alcohol percentage, divide by 7.36, etc. etc. and to be honest, it's all gone over my head.

Added to this, there seems to be no outlet for brewing supplies in my village. Boots the Chemist used to sell these things, but when I asked today, they stopped selling brewing supplies years ago.

So now I have 3.5 gallons of crushed grapes (think it's called must?) afraid of what to add to the bucket in case I ruin it. I bet you've never had anyone quite as dim when it comes to wine making as me!

Please could someone launch me in the right direction? I need to know what to do next as I really don't want to waste the hours it took to remove those grapes from their bunches!

Thank you for listening