LE 2021 double Noir

[highmileSly]

This is my 3rd wine kit (lodi cab sauv with skin pac, chilian sauv blanc that I added peaches to, and now the double Noir) . So far so good. I did notice all (most) of the granular oak got left on the sides the bucket at the high kreusen mark. Smells delicious! Just degassed

SG: 1.088
FG: 0.994

Just for kicks I grabbed the wife's breast pump... it has a sterile filter, but sadly it didn't fit my two bungs.

Going for a bumper crop of cherries this year... anyone have a good cherry wine recipe?

 

[Arne]

Sweet or sour cherries?

 

[Arne]

If pie cherries, use at least 6 lbs per gal. I have an ancient pitter and pit them. If the pits are left in it will be bitter after fermenting, but If it is aged for a year or two the bitterness tends to go out of it. I don't know if they have pectin in them, but I hit the must with pectic enzime, let it sit for 12 hrs or so, adjust the sugar to the a.b.v. you desire. I also ferment them in a bag so removing the skins is much easier. Also add some bentinite at the begining. Add both yeast nutrient and energizer, add half up front, the other half when it ferments down to 1.060 or so. Add this stuff according to the pkg for the amount. If you like you can add some tannin. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the must, do the fermenting in a bucket so you can stir things up every day and makes it easy to remove the skins. Let it ferment down, degas (I just leave it alone til it is degassed) stabalize with k-meta and sorbate after it is clear. I usually just leave things alone til they clear. Sweeten to taste and enjoy. Usually gets better if you age it for a while but I tend to drink it whenever I feel like it. Forgot after the pectic I hit it with a dose of k-meta. Then wait for a day or so and pitch the yeast. If you like you can check the ph and adjust it. I usually don't. Arne.

 

[highmileSly]

Sour

 

[Arne]

Well that is the wine that got me into winemaking. The old tree out in the yard had a bumper crop, picked all Kathy wanted for pies and jelly and bunches left over. Started picking and made a batch of wine. It was drinkable but thought it could be better. Went hunting on the net, found some ideas and learned to make some pretty good stuff. Almost sure to need sweetening. But, just sweeten to your taste, when you find where you like it you can use that s.g. number to sweeten the next batch. Or experiment with the sweetness. Gives you a chance to taste some more. Arne.