Getting the answer you want fast!

[Applewineguy]

sorry new to forums so hahahaha. Ill get er figured out I think I got it down pat now hahaha. Ive never been in a forum before especially something im so passionate about I just really want reassurances I didnt mess this batch up yet

 

[Pumpkinman]

I totally understand, we are all very passionate about wine making, no worries, keep asking as many questions as you can think of.

 

[Applewineguy]

thank you I am sure I will have many more to come as I advance in this wonderful hobby. Wish you didnt need a liquor license to sell it though ugh

 

[Pumpkinman]

There is a long road from trying to figure out a recipe to getting a liquor license..LOL

 

[Applewineguy]

indeed. well it would just be nice to you know if i get a recipe down pat that i could sell to my friends and such and aquaintances

 

[phineascoates]

Welcome all wine makers! When you need an answer on wine making please be very specific as to what the recipe is, temp, starting gravity and gravity now, amount of sulfites added, Brand and exact kit being made, in other words provide us with as much info as you can otherwise we will have to answer your question with one of these questions as we dont want to give you the wrong answer. Doing this will most likely give us enough info to properly diagnose whats going on with your wine. We so want to help you get your batch of wine finished and done right because we are all one big wine making family!

During the process of making the wine you must to contain the long fermentation and also you can consider the long temperature. Moreover, how did the wine make without using the modern process of chemical?

 

[qyhcat]

This is my first batch and going through the kit, I noticed one bag named "American Medium Toasted" of about 60g in weight. The instructions from Chianti Vinter's Reserve are a bit general on the additional packages. It references that if you kit contains oak powder/chips or elderflowers to add right before yeast. The name on the bag does not match this, at least I am not familiar.
Does anyone know if this is one of those extra bags?

 

[WI_Wino]

Yes, that is a bag of oak chips. Medium toast is how toasted the chips are.

 

[qyhcat]

Thanks!, got it started and it is fermenting fast and furious!

regards

 

[qyhcat]

Meta storage

For how long can I store mixed solution of potassium metabisulphite in the fridge for sanitizing purposes?

Does powder also need to be in fridge or can be kept at 75F, how long?

thanks,
luis

 

[k47k]

Slow Ferment? D47

Sauv Blanc fresh Juice Chile
OG 1.090
Yeast: D47
Ferment vessel: airlocked carboy
2 tsp yeast nutrient (generic from wine shop)
took no acid readings and added nothing else to the juice bucket.
oxygenated with pure O2 / stone for about 1 minute 1/4 liter per minute.
pitched at 62 and let rise to about 65-68 where it stayed for 2 weeks.

after two weeks ferment appears to be finished. SG was a little over 1, no where near where i wanted it (looking for DRY). so i stirred up the yeast i and racked to new carboy and moved to 70+ degrees. fermentation kicked up again and was quite strong.

today i can still see some bubbles coming up slowly, wine is clearing. SG 1.000, still too sweet.

i am right at 1 month since pitch and the wine is not finished yet. should i be concerned? i made a Cab at the same time and that one was @ .990 in two weeks (i did the cab in a bucket, stirred every few days and kept it 70+ )

my gut tells me to just leave it be, maybe rouse the yeast now an then (i do this by twisting the carboy) My gut also tells me 1 month is too long and the wine should be finished.

 

[qyhcat]

First Time Bottling

I am ready to go through bottling. I understand that for corks (not synthetic), I can/should kmeta briefly before using, please let me know otherwise.
I also got house filter in place and ran clean, non chlorinated, water through it and also understand that it I should run some k-meta before using as well.
Please confirm if I have something incorrect or your have other advice.

As for the bottles, I have done extensive cleaning on them and plan to do a final pass soaking in one-step with brush, then spraying k-meta. The question is if I should spray k-meta right before bottling or shall I do this a few hours before to give more time to dry. If drying is important, will a heat lamp be good for this?

thanks
luis

 

[Ferial]

Hello everyone! So I've run into a bit of a problem. I started my first batch of (strawberry) wine a few days ago (the recipe is from the book Mary's Recipies and I'm using fruit not juice). My starting S.G. was about 1.092 but 3 days later when I took a reading, it the hydrometer read 1.000 (tried the reading multiple times). Does anyone have a clue as to how this could have happened and if the wine is still salvageable.

It's been around 70 to 80 degrees here the whole time and it doesn't have any off smells as far as I can detect. The yeast I used was Red Star Montrachet

Here's the Recipe: http://www.purplefootusa.com/galleryImage.asp?ID=6

I forgot to mention that I had had attached the air lock for the first five hours of primary fermentation on accident, but did remove it after.

 

[west_end]

I am about to make my first good kit wine and I don't want to make any mistakes.

The Kit is a Wine expert, Chardonnay. The instructions say to use a primary fermenter with a minimum capacity of 30 liters or 7.9 gallons. The primary fermenter bucket I have looks to be about 7 gallons, should I get a bigger bucket or will this due?

The instructions are pretty specific about the minimum size of the primary fermenter.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Runningwolf]

If it is 7 gallons or larger I think you'll be ok. It's always best to have a larger fermenter for stirring purposes and active fermentations. I really don't think you'll get a vigorous fermentation from this kit. Keep in mind you won't even be able to bump this pail as it'll be full. I suggest you have this fermenter up on a table top so when you rack from it you'll be able to just stick a hose in it and siphon into a carboy without moving it.

 

[west_end]

If it is 7 gallons or larger I think you'll be ok. It's always best to have a larger fermenter for stirring purposes and active fermentations. I really don't think you'll get a vigorous fermentation from this kit. Keep in mind you won't even be able to bump this pail as it'll be full. I suggest you have this fermenter up on a table top so when you rack from it you'll be able to just stick a hose in it and siphon into a carboy without moving it.

Thank Runningwolf

My primary fermenter bucket is 7 gallons at the most. The instructions call for a 7.9 gallons or more.


I thought besides having the extra headroom for the fermentation process and stirring, the extra room in the bucket was needed to insure there was enough oxygen to help the yeast during fermentation?

 

[Bartman]

Thank Runningwolf

My primary fermenter bucket is 7 gallons at the most. The instructions call for a 7.9 gallons or more.


I thought besides having the extra headroom for the fermentation process and stirring, the extra room in the bucket was needed to insure there was enough oxygen to help the yeast during fermentation?

Wait- what? Enough oxygen? Your primary fermenter should not be sealed when you start fermentation. I leave mine completely open, as it is indoors and not accessible to any children or pets that might disturb it. If you are concerned about insects or critters getting to it, you might put the lid on, loosely resting it on top, but not clamped down. The yeast need some oxygen, but the main benefit in my experience is to allow the release of CO2 produced during fermentation from the outset.

And I agree that the size of your fermenter bucket will be more than sufficient. The only time I have had a potential issue was when the kit came with an extra grape pack or I added more raisins or grapes - even then, it simply foamed above the top like a meringue, without overflowing.

 

[west_end]

Wait- what? Enough oxygen? Your primary fermenter should not be sealed when you start fermentation. I leave mine completely open.

Wow that's interesting. You don't even put the top on the bucket? Does everyone do this?

I have brewed a lot of beer over the years. During that process, from the time you pitch the yeast a lot of precautions are taken to keep anything away from inside the primary fermenter like wiled yeast are anything else that might like that warm sugary environment.

Beer makers always buttoned up the primary fermenter and use an airlock to vent the CO2.

Is It really ok not to put the top on the bucket?

 

[jamesngalveston]

i actually use a pillow case cut in a round, and use big rubber bands to secure it.

 

[cedarswamp]

Wow that's interesting. You don't even put the top on the bucket? Does everyone do this?

I have brewed a lot of beer over the years. During that process, from the time you pitch the yeast a lot of precautions are taken to keep anything away from inside the primary fermenter like wiled yeast are anything else that might like that warm sugary environment.

Beer makers always buttoned up the primary fermenter and use an airlock to vent the CO2.

Is It really ok not to put the top on the bucket?

There's folks in both camps, having 2 cats that get into everything, I've always locked the lid down with an airlock. Once the yeast colony has grown sufficiently oxygen is not needed for alcohol fermentation anyway. I feel from stirring twice a day early on the yeast have all the oxygen they need in the must already. IMHO