Other island mist

[freqflyer]

I usually tell people that March was a good year.

 

[scram]

OK. Just pitched the yeast into my green apple Riesling. Added 3 pounds of corn sugar, a liter of white grape concentrate and about 3/4 of the fpack. May or may not add the remainder of the fpack later as I'm not a fan of sweet wine...

 

[jgmann67]

Things I learned today...

1. Fill sanitized bottles.
2. Cork with sanitized corks.
3. Put capsule on top of bottle... AND THEN,
4. Put labels on bottles.

In that order. Otherwise, your labels will pucker and look kinda crappy. I may have to do them over. Dang it.

On the bright side, I have three 1.5L's and just about 2 cases in 750ml's of my peach mango chard. Waiting a few days then laying them on their sides. How long till I pop a cork? Dunno. At least a week.

 

[scram]

I put labels on my very first batch which was made from blackberries. I despise removing labels therefore I doubt I'll label another bottle as long as I live

 

[jgmann67]

A day in the wine room yields some results. Happy with the taste, hoping it mellows just a bit in the next couple of weeks.

 

[scram]

Looking great!!!

 

[ceeaton]

Very nice. Assume the corker worked well?

 

[jgmann67]

Very nice. Assume the corker worked well?

The corker was outstanding! Seriously, I got through the corking process quickly with no accidents.

Anyone want a hand-corker? I doubt I'll ever use it.

 

[GaDawg]

Keep the hand corker for 187 ml bottles

 

[Dhaynes]

Just won a bronze with this kit in the Winemaker Magazine Competition

 

[cthompson116]

Does anyone besides me like the apple Riesling unsweetened? I just bottled a patch with 3# of sugar and 1/4 of the f-pack. Decided not to sweeten since I prefer dry wine.

If others are indulging in my wine, and like it sweet, couldn't they sweeten just before drinking? Is there an advantage to sweetening before bottling?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[richmke]

I just bottled a patch with 3# of sugar and 1/4 of the f-pack. Decided not to sweeten since I prefer dry wine.

Why not the entire f-pack and less sugar?

 

[cthompson116]

Good question. Next time I will, I wasn't sure how it would taste dry.

 

[scram]

I added 3 pounds sugar and 3/4 fpack, fermented dry then added the rest of the fpack after stabilization... Clearing nice now. I'll report back in a week or so after I get a lil taste

 

[GaDawg]

It seams to me that adding the entire f pack at fermentation will diminish the sweetness and the flavor. If I wanted to do that I believe I would be better off with a Vintners Reserve type of kit. I may be entirely wrong, does adding the f pack to the fermentation take away the peach, watermelon or whatever flavor?

 

[scram]

That's a good question and one I'm not able to answer. My first time with an fpack. I don't enjoy sweet wines but I'm hoping the flavor will still shine through. I'll definitely report my results...

 

[cthompson116]

I can certainly taste the apple in my dry apple Riesling. Is the apple in the f-pack and the concentrate? Maybe the f-pack is just simple syrup and the apple is in the concentrate.

 

[GaDawg]

The wine in by watermelon does not taste like watermelon before the f pack.

 

[scram]

The apple is in the fpack BIGTIME!!!

 

[scram]

Cthompson116 ... What did you do with the remaining 3/4's of your fpack???