Hello

lotterbe · Apr 11, 2024

Hello - I'm a new member. Been making wine at home for the past 10 years juice and grapes and looking to expand into additional approaches. We've never measured or added So2 or kept track of pH and temperature and wondering how best to give this a try to further our skill set.
Great tp e a part of the chat.

Leo Otterbein

sour_grapes · Apr 11, 2024

Welcome aboard!

winemaker81 · Apr 11, 2024

Welcome to WMT!

Personally, add K-meta as it extends shelf life and generally may improve quality by making a hostile environment for unwanted microorganisms.

Rocky · Apr 11, 2024

Welcome to the forum, Leo.

Your recent MO reminds me of my Grandfather and how he made his wine 75 years ago. He never measured the sugar, he tasted the grapes. No sulfites, no yeast (indigenous only), equipment used from year to year, stored outside under his porch, etc. One thing that has improved for me is consistency from year to year. I recall that Pap's wine could be wonderful most years and not so in a few others.

We look forward to hearing and sharing your experiences.

cmason1957 · Apr 11, 2024

lotterbe said:
Hello - I'm a new member. Been making wine at home for the past 10 years juice and grapes and looking to expand into additional approaches. We've never measured or added So2 or kept track of pH and temperature and wondering how best to give this a try to further our skill set.
Great tp e a part of the chat.

Leo Otterbein

Welcome to WMT!! Glad you found us.

I likewise don't keep track of Ph for grape wines. I sometimes measure it at the start, just to be certain I am in a good starting level, but seldom adjust it. Anything 3.2 - 3.8 or so and the yeast are happy and will make at least decent wine. Often taste alone is my measurement tool and if there is any question, I do have a Ph meter.

Adding So2, I don't measure and shoot for any specific amount. I am of the 1/4 tsp / 6 gallons at the start with grapes and then every 3 months or so after that, until ready to bottle. Temperature is something I don't pay much attention to at all, I ferment everything in my basement, so it never gets to hot and when I do from red grapes, I just pull the fermenting buckets to my South Facing sliding glass door on warm days and let the sun heat things up naturally. Generally with the grapes I deal with (Norton and Chambourcin) I get plenty of extraction for a dark red wine.