My first try with juice

[rawlus]

doesn't look all that brown to me in the pic. final color is hard to discern in a full carboy - most white wines look like apple cider or caramel in a carboy but can come out like light golden straw in the glass.

how does the cab look in a glass against a white sheet of paper? is there a rustiness in the meniscus at the edge?

more importantly, does the cab color look remarkably different from when you started?

 

[Omerta]

the one in the pic is the one that doesn't have the brownish tint. I'll be ready to rack that one in a few days. This one actually has a nice color so far.

 

[Chateau Joe]

The carboy in the pic looks great to me!

 

[Omerta]

yeah its looking pretty good. waiting for the other fella's sg to come down a bit more. once that one is in a carboy i'll post a pic.

 

[Omerta]

My one Cab is pretty much done. It went from 1.092 to 1.000. That makes it about 12.3%ABV. Is it safe to call this one dry?

 

[rawlus]

i would not say 1.000 is done. two or three days in a row of the same SG will be a better guide. some wines will ferment down to 0992 even. 0998 is usually the highest i'll be and still be "done".

 

[Omerta]

It been at 1.000 for a week. Try a ton of things to get it going again. Nothing worked. Energizer. Nutrient.

 

[strowheim]

It been at 1.000 for a week. Try a ton of things to get it going again. Nothing worked. Energizer. Nutrient.

have you tested your hydrometer in a cup of 60degree water? does it read 1.000 or something higher? consider checking that to make sure your hydro is calibrated correctly...

 

[Lurker]

I did the Cal. Cab last year and will do it again this year. It was great. As to your's, at 1.000 I would put it in the carboy and leave it. If its done good, if it's not done that's ok too, as long as it is under an air lock. I got mine from Geno's and like I said, it was very good. I'll get 2 buckets this year. I also, use the buckets for my primary but with a screened cover. The screen keeps the bugs out and no lock needed.

 

[Omerta]

Not even sure if this is worth bottling. Its drinkable but nothing to be proud of. Might just put it one gallon jugs. Lesson learned... don't wait too long in the season to pick up your juice buckets.

 

[ffemt128]

Not even sure if this is worth bottling. Its drinkable but nothing to be proud of. Might just put it one gallon jugs. Lesson learned... don't wait too long in the season to pick up your juice buckets.

How's it taste? Have you tried any clarifiers to get it to clear more?

 

[Omerta]

The taste isn't bad its just nothing to right home about. Weak body. Bad color. It's totally my fault. I waited too long and took a gamble on what must was left at Corrado's. This is the batch that was started when I picked it up. I just rode it out to see how it would come along. Didn't have high hope from the beginning.
This is the Cab that's been Malo'd. I wanted to compare this to the batch that wasn't. Not a fair comparison being that the musts where so different.
Just gave it a dose of Super Kleer. Then I'll run some pectic enzyme through it.
This will be my second string batch. Once folks are feeling good from my good stuff I'll sneak this in to keep the buzz going

 

[Omerta]

This is the problem wine from Corrado's as seen in the racking hose. Actually looks like iced tea...

 

[Wade E]

Wow, thats not a good looking red wine! Very sorry about this but its what I expect on 1/2 the juice buckets out there and one reason that I dont do them, there are good ones out there but too many bad ones in beween.

 

[Omerta]

Ain't dat da troot!

 

[hawkhuntr172]

Just gave it a dose of Super Kleer. Then I'll run some pectic enzyme through it.

wow not to sound cynical but what do you folks make here? wine or something that tastes like wine made from your chemistry set?.

I used to watch my old italian grandfather make wine from grapes in his basement. he never used any chemicals to make it clear or give it enzymes, it was good old fashioned wine made from grapes and it was strong enough to melt your fat away and his gallons stayed good for years to come. I make my wine from juice, no chemicals, no sanitizers, no clarifiers, no disinfectants. I sterilize with hot water, baking soda and a sulfur stick. Every old timer i talked to when i first started to make wine laughed at me when i asked about adding all this crap you guys talk about in these forums. I would personally be afraid to drink some of these chemicals. I bought a bottle of star san recently to clean my SS tank with and after reading all the warning labels on the bottle - changed my mind about using it. Anything that is giving you instructions to dispose of in the manner of pesticide and actually has that in print is not something want near my food products

did anyone try making wine here without the use of all these additives and taste the difference.

good luck