MY FIRST WINE FOR 2008

[myway22]

Did I read that right, 42 lbs. of muscadines for a six gallon batch?

 

[Waldo]

Did I read that right, 42 lbs. of muscadines for a six gallon batch?

Yes myway, you read correctly. I typically use 6lbs per gallon but this batch got a few extra just for good luck.

 

[Waldo]

And it is fermenting beautifully.........

 

[NorthernWinos]

Waldo....That's a very brilliant color.....interesting.

 

[Waldo]

Thanks NW...Almost a dark Pepto color isn't it.
I squeezed all the goodies I could from the strainer bags this evening and incorporated the two batches back into one.

 

[Waldo]

Fermentation continues at "Full Tilt Boogie" on this batch.

 

[joeswine]

WALDO you got a steady hand not to get any on the floor,my wife would kill me if I didn't have protection under it

:

 

[NorthernWinos]

Waldo works on his wines at 2:00AM and has the mess cleaned up by the time his wife gets up....

 

[joeswine]

NW<NOW I UNDERSTAND

 

[Waldo]

I have had to clean up my share of "oops". My worst was a racking where I forgot to close the spigot on my bottling bucket I was racking into.

 

[smokegrub]

And I thought I was the only one who had left the spigot open and I have done it more than once!

Great looking wine. Its early stages looked a lot like my cranberry which is underway. Now, however, my fermentation is slow but steady.

 

[jobe05]

Hey Waldo...........

I may re-think the whole crushing, juicing, bagging goodies to ferment on the skins.

I was talking to an old guy who picks his Muscadines, throws them in a bucket, doesn't even wash them, adds 5# of sugar (dry) adds water to cover and throws in a package of yeast...............

His wine is fantastic! Awesome color, just the right flavor versus acid, sweetness............... Are we over complicating muscadine wine?

I may try it with my next batch.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Day 19 of the year 2008 and I finally got my first wine of the year started.....


Another ChokeCherry wine using the same recipe as always....It should turn out as the last batches have.


However.....This time I might use Red StarMontrachet Yeast instead of Lalvin BOURGOVIN RC 212...I have more of the Red Star on hand so thought I would try that....I have till tomorrow to decide....I also have some Red Star Pasteur Red.....Decisions...Decisions...Maybe I should just go with what I always use and not complicate things.


Has anyone compared these yeasts???? With what results????


I want the wine to finish dry.

 

[Waldo]

I really like the Montachret with my fruits NW...Might give it a try and see how it does.

 

[Waldo]

Alright, I am in need of some counsel on my Muscadine. I am trying something I have never done before and I figure I have a couple of hours before I reach the point of no return. I racked my 6 gallons into two three gallon carboys, degassed them and then I added about 2 ozs of Acidex Super-K Tartaric Acid reduction powder to one of the carboys and put it in my chest freezer to cold stabilize. Is it too cold in there? Not cold enough? How long do I leave it it there? Oh yes, I used a solid bung in lieu of an airlock too.

Plans are to let the Acidex do its work. rack the wine off the crystals and then blend it back with the untreated 3 gallon and hopefully it will be just right.

 

[jobe05]

I think it'll be to cold Waldo.

If your outdoor temps don't go below 32 at night and highs of 50 ish durring the day (although that has no bearing on it), I would just put it outside for a week or so. 45 degree's or so is good, 55 is OK...... 33 is best but you probably couldn't hold that temp outside.

I did this on a scuppernong and noticed a huge difference right away in the taste.

 

[NorthernWinos]

How cold is it in there????


The volume [mass] of the wine will reduce the temperature of the freezer....Plus opening the door to check on it also reduces the temperature.

 

[grapeman]

Too cold- A freezer is usually in the 0 range. For cold stabilization you want about 25-35 degrees for a couple weeks or so.How warm is it down there now? Can you set it in a shaded area that stays cold during the day and night?

 

[Waldo]

Thanks all......How bout in a refrigator then? Would that work ok?

 

[K&GB]

I tried the same thing with my sauv blac Waldo, and it began to freeze after a few hours, so I took it out.