My first try with juice

[Omerta]

Picked up a bucket of Cab-Sauv from Corrado's. Brand on bucket says Cry Baby 100% California grape juice. I already have a name for this batch and will label it accordingly. Flat Tire. Due to the fact that I got a flat tire on the way home. No jack. No lug wrench. Freezing cold. 5mph ride to the nearest gas station. All in the name of wine.

Waiting for the juice to warm up a bit to take the first SG reading.

 

[Omerta]

tony guerriero fruit co in Cali

 

[KFo]

Good luck with your Cab.Sauv.
I'd love to get my hands on a couple of buckets of good California Cab.

I made Cab. from 3 vineyards in Virginia this year, but all of the grapes had ripening problems or rot (really disappointing), so I'm not expecting too much. I may end up with some blendable wine, time will tell.

My Merlot and Chardonnay have worked out well so its not all bad, but I'd still love some good Cab.

kfo

 

[Omerta]

While the must is cold I added 1/4 tsp Kmeta, 1/2 tsp energizer, 3 tsp nutrients. Transferred form storage bucket to a primary. Stirred vigorously.

There is basically zero head room in my primary. Should I make room before pitching the yeast? I have no small vessels for anything I must remove. Hate to have to toss it.

 

[outdoorsmadness]

pour out your milk and use the jug, it would be better than tossing it and if you pitch the yeast you will definitly have it running over.you could then use it for topping off later if needed.

 

[Wade E]

Before I tossed that I would but a 1 gallon jug of Carlo Rossi and toss that!

 

[Omerta]

Do I wait till its inoculated then store some in a gallon container? What the best way to hold on to my precious?

 

[Wade E]

I would get at 7.9 gallon primary bucket myself. Why did you go buy this juice without having a vessel to ferment it in? The buckets they come with are not fermenting buckets, just holding buckets. They usually do have a built airlock but thats just in case it does start to ferment in the cold room like they usually do. Yiu wouldnt want a 6 gallon bucket to explode!

 

[Omerta]

I used the same buckets I've used to do 6 gallon kits. The bucket I bought the juice in is the same exact size. They are closer to 7 gallons when full. This bucket was fuuuulllll. I'll have to find a 7.9 somewhere quickly.

 

[Omerta]

are the 7.9 buckets the slightly short squat looking ones?

 

[rawlus]

alternately you could get a 10 gal rubbermaid brute trash barrel (grey, yellow,white are food grade)

 

[Omerta]

thanks for the idea but I'm working with minimal space.

 

[bryano]

this is the 8 gallon from brewcraft, it's got the volume marks on it , notice it's sitting on top a 5 gallon for size comparison.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/album.php?albumid=79&pictureid=372



i also use this one, it's 12 gallon with a loose fitting snap lid

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/album.php?albumid=79&pictureid=374

 

[rawlus]

a 10 gal brute is pretty small, slightly larger than a 7.9 pail. thing is, with some of the grapeskin kits, even a 7.9gal can run the risk of overflow due to the violent activity of the yeast combined with the increased volume of oak and grapeskins.

 

[Omerta]

I've noticed a bit of a difference in the smell of fermentation of kit vs. bucket. The bucket smells much more pleasant. Not as sulfery as the kit. Its a clean, thick, sweet smell. Actually very appetizing. It makes me hungry

 

[ugh]

I have always one the primary fermenting in the bucket that it comes in and haven't had any issues yet. I just stir it up good and let it go.

 

[Chateau Joe]

I have always one the primary fermenting in the bucket that it comes in and haven't had any issues yet. I just stir it up good and let it go.

I've done it also but I have had some that blew right through the air lock. Very messy!

 

[Omerta]

took sg readings

took SG readings today....

The Cab-Sauv (aka. Flat Tire) that started at 1.094 on 12/29/09 is now at 1.005. Its a nice ruby red. Nothing terribly off in the taste. (1/4tsp Kmeta/RC212/Nutrients/Energizer/Med toast American Oak)

The Cab-Sauv (aka. Spilt Grapes) that started at 1.030 on 01/03/10 is now at 1.025. This has a slight brownish tint to the otherwise ruby color. Taste is okay with a stronger green apple taste. Very sweet still. (Pasteur Red/Nutrients/Energizer/Tannins/Med toast American Oak/no extra Kmeta).

Could the browner color of Spilt Grapes be due to the addition of tannins?

 

[Omerta]

In the process of racking Flat Tire

 

[Omerta]

Flat Tire
Cab-Sauv