Muscadine, Wild Yeast, first time fresh grape

[sevenal]

Well here we go
Fresh grape from old vine, 65% Red Muscadine 35% big ol Bronze.
I actually picked three times and the further out we got from that week long rain event here the sweeter they got. They tasted so good I got carried away and picked 100 lbs.
The 30 gallon drum marked it at 20 gallons in the whole form.
After 3 hours of paint mixer, potato masher, and a mild case of carpal tunnel from hand mashing, yield was around 13.5 gallons of must.
Added water = 3 gallons. Whoops then added 8 tsp Pectin, shudda been visa versa. SG at this point was 1.03, added 12 lbs of sugar SG now 1.082
Ok it should be 1.085 to 1.09 ( thanks Sirs )
Anyway here is the part that gets interesting to me.
46 hours later I decide I am going to add some sugar to compensate for the low SG. Very little if any foaming, no cap, more concentrate of skins on top.
Now it marks around 18.5 gallons in the drum. I added 3 lbs of sugar but I checked the SG first. Surprise! SG was 1.072
It did not even look like it had even really started. I have read about low foaming yeast but did not expect this.
The room it is in is around 71 to 72 degrees. Maybe it will get cranked up
and start rolling and foaming or something?
Until then I'll just be observing and posting status.
If it don't get cranked up I'll probably have some question and ask for further advice.

 

[Sirs]

on some of the muscadines there isn't a lot of foaming there is a lot of movement in the must but because of the way the skins are being so thick it seems like the fermentation is going slow but it is actually going pretty good, the skins will look like their just floating to the top with nothing going on but there is and it goes pretty good on most so just keep a good eye on them and bust the ones that pop up on top that haven't been popped yet it will surprise you at how quick they go once they get warmed up good
my must is staying right at 84 degrees on its on even with cool nights in the 50's here in the house.

 

[Sirs]

if the skins are pushing up top then their fermenting, otherwise they'd just sit like when you left them last

 

[sevenal]

now getting a cap of skins


In the am and after work I am getting a thick crust several inches thick of skins and seed.
I am pushing it back down and stirring twice a day.
Will read SG tonight after work

 

[Sirs]

good knew it would come around and start going good just got to be patient

 

[Ernest T Bass]

Just finished a muscadine run, or should I say 3 runs. First run was great, on the second run on the must I had to add a F-Pack and it turned out great, I have the 3rd run under air lock and settling. I'm not sure how the 3rd run is going to come out, but soo far it looks pretty good. After the 2nd run, I opened up all the hulls to try to get more color and flavor, the muscadines still had a lot of color but I thought that may give it more. The first run was 5 gallons, second was 3 gallons and the 3rd was 2 gallons. I too had to look close to see any bubbles, but it was working under the hulls. Also, I started out with 25 pounds of muscadines (5 gallons). All three batches are a little low on alcohol, my starting SpGr was 1.085, next time I'm going a little higher.
Good luck

Semper Fi

 

[sevenal]

SG now 1.07 day four

Reviewing
I thought I had too little sugar in the original must at 1.082
On day two I added three more lbs of sugar to compensate.
Today, day four it is 1.07
Looks like this wild yeast is going to work slow.
No problem, have plenty of wine from the cran grape.
I must confess I am am beer drinker at heart and have been enjoying some seasonal favorites.
Actually I have in mind a 14% after racking three times and having a nice clear blush color. No idea what style you would call this?
I'm thinking at least two 6 gallon carboys of secondary.
I'll keep a couple gallons out to mix with 96 oz of cranberry wine In the works as well. May even mix that to an entire 5 gallons.
I always fast for the month of Feb. So it looks like a March consumable.

 

[Julie]

Just finished a muscadine run, or should I say 3 runs. First run was great, on the second run on the must I had to add a F-Pack and it turned out great, I have the 3rd run under air lock and settling. I'm not sure how the 3rd run is going to come out, but soo far it looks pretty good. After the 2nd run, I opened up all the hulls to try to get more color and flavor, the muscadines still had a lot of color but I thought that may give it more. The first run was 5 gallons, second was 3 gallons and the 3rd was 2 gallons. I too had to look close to see any bubbles, but it was working under the hulls. Also, I started out with 25 pounds of muscadines (5 gallons). All three batches are a little low on alcohol, my starting SpGr was 1.085, next time I'm going a little higher.
Good luck

Semper Fi

Bud, what is wrong with 1.085? You know that is going to give you ABV of 11 - 11.5%, lol, you don't need any more than that!

 

[sevenal]

Dito

I thought that was where I needed to be as well.
While blending the sugar two lbs at a time to the large batch I was getting like .002 thus the three lb decision. Post fermentation start.
Could always do the double fermentation trick? Might with gallon jug?
Or add grain alcohol. Lol


Kidding

 

[Sirs]

Bud, what is wrong with 1.085? You know that is going to give you ABV of 11 - 11.5%, lol, you don't need any more than that!

LOL no not if your wanting to drink grape juice some of us like to have a little alcohol with our juice Julie........

 

[pwrose]

and some of us like a little grape juice with our alcohol

 

[sevenal]

Too Much

Not the alcohol
You Sirs
I am absolutely intrigued by this rocket fuel approach to your method.
I gotta try your double dip take a trip fermentation technique.
I'll be in touch for a little hand holding when I get that far along.
The trial process will advance my wine making abilities and keep my interest.
Thanks for all the feedback here folks, you make the process much more than it would otherwise be just reading instructions.

 

[ffemt128]

Not the alcohol
You Sirs
I am absolutely intrigued by this rocket fuel approach to your method.
I gotta try your double dip take a trip fermentation technique.
I'll be in touch for a little hand holding when I get that far along.
The trial process will advance my wine making abilities and keep my interest.
Thanks for all the feedback here folks, you make the process much more than it would otherwise be just reading instructions.

I can attest that Eddie make wonerful wine. BTW, my hip lives on hay 101 not far from moorehead city.

 

[sevenal]

Lol

Hip lives on hay
??
I know you refer to Hwy 101 Cherry Pt to Beaufort
Right?

 

[Sirs]

It's not rocket fuel you gotta distill it to make that but it does have enough ABV to make it where it is sipping wine not gulping

 

[ffemt128]

Hip lives on hay
??
I know you refer to Hwy 101 Cherry Pt to Beaufort
Right?

That's the wonderful aut correct on the HTC phone, should have been BIL on HWY. I corrected it above. He lives right next door to the hotel/bed and breakfast that is/was there. Have seen him in years.

 

[Julie]

It's not rocket fuel you gotta distill it to make that but it does have enough ABV to make it where it is sipping wine not gulping

Eddie, it is jet fuel, mighty fine tasting jet fuel, your fortified was rocket fuel

 

[sevenal]

Drops further

Mid day SG reading 1.064
5 days in and getting dryer
It is comforting to read others stay in the primary for up to two weeks.
I have never tried anything like this. Fresh grape and a nearly 20 gallon batch.
So far so good Oh and it smells fresh and tastes good. Juicy!

 

[Sirs]

yeah 14 days is as far as I let any go in the primary but have left them for that long before and never had any trouble

 

[sevenal]

Hope to get to secondary by the weekend

With any luck it will be dry by Sat. the 15th that will be day 11.
Getting the wine into the secondaries will have the majority of the work behind me. No hurry though.