Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and look forward to sharing information on making homemade wine.

[WineAficionado]

I’ve been making wine at home from grapes for the last 8 years. Generally, I crush about 20 cases (45 LB’s) of either Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The only measuring device that I use is the hydrometer but this year I plan on purchasing a pH Meter to monitor the pH. My method has been this:

• Crush the grapes into food grade barrels on day 1 with my manual crusher.
• An hour after the crushing is completed, I add campden tablets to kill any bacteria lingering in the grapes. I add 5 tablets per 45-LB case of grapes.
• An hour after adding the campden tablets, I add pectic enzyme powder to help with clarifying the must. I add ¼ teaspoon for every 2 cases.
• On day 2, I add Lalvin wine yeast to start off the fermentation process. I add 5 grams (one packet) for every 5 gallons or 18.927 litres. I assume a 45 LB case to provide 12 litres of must. Therefore, 20 cases will need about 13 packets.
• About an hour after adding the yeast, I add yeast nutrient. I add 1 teaspoon for every 5 gallons (or 18.927 litres).
• I wait for the fermentation process to kick in in the next day or two.

I am struggling with the amount of the chemicals I am using and I have this struggle every year. It drives me nuts but I manage to work through it. Can someone confirm whether my doses correct, or let me know if I'm way out to lunch. I hope to buy a refractometer this year to measure pH levels which I've never done. I've been able to have good wine every year but I've altered my doses every year and I want to stop doing that.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

WineAficionado

 

[Jim Welch]

It may be more economical to get a bag of potassium metabisulphite instead of using the campden tablets but not sure about that. Seems like it would be easier, no crushing just measuring or weighing.
Weighing those chemicals at that winemaking scale would help I would think but you’d have to buy an appropriate scale if you don’t have one.
I’ve only made kit wines which are acid balanced but when you get a ph meter and if you need to add acid that’ll be another chemical that needs measuring/weighing.
How do your wines turn out? If they’re good you could just keep doing what you do on the other hand, one can’t argue with success right?

 

[salcoco]

start by assuming that 12-15lbs of grapes will give you one gallon of finished wine. with this gage a 45lb lug will give you three gallons. for yeast dosage one gram per gallon is sufficient. yeast nutrient is 1.25 grams per gallon. your pectin enzyme and k-meta dosages can also be gaged against the gallon measurement. a refractometer is for measuring sugar levels. a ph meter is what is required to measure ph and acid levels. I would also suggest powdered k-meta as being more efficient, I believe dosage is 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons.

 

[winemaker81]

Overall the process is fine. I agree with @Jim Welch and @salcoco, use powdered K-meta, as it's easier and cheaper.

I'd make a couple of changes:

1) Skip the initial K-meta. It's not necessary as you're using a good commercial yeast.

2) Instead of pectic enzyme, use an extraction enzyme such as Scottzyme ColorPro. It helps greatly with color extraction and stabilization. Add during crush. [There are other enzymes folks use, I like this one best.]

3) Add shredded fermentation oak after crush to boost color and tannin levels.

4) Use a yeast starter (if you're not) to boost the yeast colony before inoculating. I'd add the nutrient concurrent with the yeast.

 

[WineAficionado]

It may be more economical to get a bag of potassium metabisulphite instead of using the campden tablets but not sure about that. Seems like it would be easier, no crushing just measuring or weighing.
Weighing those chemicals at that winemaking scale would help I would think but you’d have to buy an appropriate scale if you don’t have one.
I’ve only made kit wines which are acid balanced but when you get a ph meter and if you need to add acid that’ll be another chemical that needs measuring/weighing.
How do your wines turn out? If they’re good you could just keep doing what you do on the other hand, one can’t argue with success right?

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the powdered sulfite this year as I'm tired of crushing the campden tablets. Cheers!

 

[WineAficionado]

start by assuming that 12-15lbs of grapes will give you one gallon of finished wine. with this gage a 45lb lug will give you three gallons. for yeast dosage one gram per gallon is sufficient. yeast nutrient is 1.25 grams per gallon. your pectin enzyme and k-meta dosages can also be gaged against the gallon measurement. a refractometer is for measuring sugar levels. a ph meter is what is required to measure ph and acid levels. I would also suggest powdered k-meta as being more efficient, I believe dosage is 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons.

Thanks for the doses of the chemicals and for the great information. Even tough I've been doing this for 8 years, I still feel that there is a lot more to learn. Cheers!

 

[WineAficionado]

Overall the process is fine. I agree with @Jim Welch and @salcoco, use powdered K-meta, as it's easier and cheaper.

I'd make a couple of changes:

1) Skip the initial K-meta. It's not necessary as you're using a good commercial yeast.

2) Instead of pectic enzyme, use an extraction enzyme such as Scottzyme ColorPro. It helps greatly with color extraction and stabilization. Add during crush. [There are other enzymes folks use, I like this one best.]

3) Add shredded fermentation oak after crush to boost color and tannin levels.

4) Use a yeast starter (if you're not) to boost the yeast colony before inoculating. I'd add the nutrient concurrent with the yeast.

You've given me a lot to think about. I will look into the extraction enzymes and I love the idea of adding oak. I've seen it being sold in my neck of the woods but I've never tried it. Thanks for the suggestions. Cheers!