Other island mist

[Boatboy24]

I'm of the thinking that if you have to choose a few days less or more in secondary, always go more. That was much easier said than done when I was new in this, but there is no harm in going even an extra week or two in secondary - particularly if you are topped up (which you pretty well are).

 

[jgmann67]

I have family coming out in early June, so I'd like a little buffer to sweeten it a little more if necessary. I'll give it a taste in a week or two. What's left of the FPac is sealed up in the fridge.

 

[ceeaton]

Jim,

I did an OB Green Apple Gwerztraminer starting on 3/22. Racked per directions at day 10 since it was at .992 for three days, did the Kmeta/Sorbate/degass/clarifying stages after racking. Let it sit till last Sunday and racked again. Very little sediment over the last week so I hope to bottle today after I do a Dad thing (Little League consession stands, oh boy). So I did go a little long on the stabilizing and clearing stage, but I'm glad I did.

Used 1/2 of the f-pack at the end of the ferment (mine has sorbate in it, didn't want to chance it at the beginning and get a stuck ferment) and put the other 1/2 in after the Kmeta and Sorbate. I topped with organic apple juice since I knew I was gonna let it sit for a month, and my final gravity was around 1.008 (will verify when I bottle).

 

[jgmann67]

It's clearing nicely. The top third is pretty clear right now.

What does Sorbate do to a fermentation?

 

[sour_grapes]

What does Sorbate do to a fermentation?

Potassium sorbate prevents yeasts from budding (reproducing). It does not kill them. Thus, sorbate cannot stop an active fermentation, which already has lots of yeasties, but it prevents a small population of yeast from becoming a large population of yeast. In that way, it can prevent refermentation of a cleared-but-backsweetened wine.

 

[jgmann67]

Cleared about half way now... settling very nicely. Going to thief a little taste this weekend and see what my substantially better half thinks. Hope she likes it.

With all that I've read here, KSorbate also adds a funky flavor to the wine over time, though - I've heard it described as bubblegum, artificial pineapple and the most likely culprit for KT. I honestly don't know if any of that is true. Since my wines have all been dry wines so far, I've fought the urge to use the KSorbate and just stuck with the KMeta to deplete the O2 in the wine and starve those little bacteria (to the extent that any may exist in the wine) to death.

 

[ceeaton]

My SBH (substantially better half) has actually preferred the wines drier than I ever imagined. I'm pretty sure she isn't just being nice since she just completed her math final up at HACC (working towards her RN and my retirement) and had little extra brain power to concoct any type of scheme to use her niceness to capture some other personal goal.

I just re-degassed a Niagara/Peach I made back in January and gave her a sample and she wanted more to my surprise. Jim, I think we need to give ourselves more credit for making good wine, even if we haven't been doing it all that long. Just let her know you are making it for her, even if you aren't.

Honesty is always the best policy.

 

[jgmann67]

She knows. And, she's okay with this hobby. Need to turn out something good, though.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Some people appear to be more sensitive to the taste of sorbic acid, which is actually what prevents yeast growth rather than the sorbate. We only use the potassium salt because it is more soluble in water than sorbic acid. Others do not notice it in the taste of their wine, though. If your wine is dry, has cleared and bulk aged for an extended period of time, or has been sterile filtered, you do not need to add any potassium sorbate. I doubt it is responsible for all cases of 'kit taste'. People have complained about it even without potassium sorbate being used.

 

[jgmann67]

Update: my SBH tasted and liked the wine as-is. Crisp and just a little sweet.

It's nearly clear. The top half is completely clear, while the lower half is just a little hazy. Another week and it should be completely clear, too. I'm going to grab a case of 1.5 L bottles. Most will go into blue burgundy 750ml bottle. But, 3 or 4 will into the 1.5's.

I shorted the FPac pour in the secondary by a cup.

 

[jgmann67]

Days later and the haze line is still in the same spot. I'm wondering if it's just on the glass and not suspended in the wine. Is that even possible?

 

[richmke]

Days later and the haze line is still in the same spot. I'm wondering if it's just on the glass and not suspended in the wine. Is that even possible?

Possible. You should be able to tell the difference. Can you look down at an angle and see a haze line across the wine? Or, is it clear, and hazy at the edge?

 

[jgmann67]

Possible. You should be able to tell the difference. Can you look down at an angle and see a haze line across the wine? Or, is it clear, and hazy at the edge?

It seems just hazy at the edge, but it's hard to tell. Maybe I'll rack the wine and letting it settle... Just to be sure.

 

[geek]

I started one of these cheapo kits so I can gift by the middle of summer.
Island Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay.

Bumped SG using simple syrup and 2 cans of Welch's white grape juice. Also added a tiny bit of the fpack in primary.
Also added some golden raisins and checked SG just now and it went up to 1.090

Let's see how this cheapo turns out...at least it smells NICE..

.

 

[scram]

I'll be expecting my green apple Riesling on my door step tomorrow. Arriving with it will be 3lbs corn sugar and a liter of white grape concentrate. Hoping for a quick drinker to slurp down this summer...

 

[ceeaton]

I'll be expecting my green apple Riesling on my door step tomorrow. Arriving with it will be 3lbs corn sugar and a liter of white grape concentrate. Hoping for a quick drinker to slurp down this summer...

I did the Orchard Breezin Green Apple. It's been in the bottle for two whole weeks and it's definitely drinkable, way too drinkable. (started I think at 1.075 at the end of March)

 

[scram]

Haha too drinkable is what I'm hoping for! Have a bunch if reds piling up that need a lot more time and a quick drinker will be nice...

 

[jgmann67]

I started one of these cheapo kits so I can gift by the middle of summer.
Island Mist Peach Apricot Chardonnay.

Bumped SG using simple syrup and 2 cans of Welch's white grape juice. Also added a tiny bit of the fpack in primary.
Also added some golden raisins and checked SG just now and it went up to 1.090

Let's see how this cheapo turns out...at least it smells NICE..

.

Wow. Sounds like you turned this one up to 11. I only pushed mine to 1.072 (I think) for fear of it being too much. Will be interested to read how this turns out.

 

[geek]

I think it will be a higher ABV, but fine with me as it will compensate with the remainder of the fpack for sweetness.

 

[GaDawg]

It's been in the bottle for two whole weeks and it's definitely drinkable, way too drinkable. (started I think at 1.075 at the end of March)

You should have a label "vintage date 2 weeks"