Racking day. Experienced opinions. Please!

[Jusatele]

Vinny
My first wine, and it has been decades, was a banana wine
I knew nothing and just kept on racking and waiting
It was a year before that wine was actually what you could call good
Age helps a lot
During that time I learned a lot by discovering my mistakes and was making other wines
They took less time
Now saying that
Yesterday I took a 3 week old wine and racked it into a carboy, it taste green, no I would not drink it now. HOWEVER, it is not a taste that I can identify as bad, it is a taste that tells me to just be patient, come back in a month, and rack and taste again. Wines need time, weather it is alcohol, tannins, or what ever, wines need time to blend, settle and mellow.

 

[vinny]

Always with the be patient. It would be a lot easier if I had WINE!

 

[mainshipfred]

Always with the be patient. It would be a lot easier if I had WINE!

Your right, always easier said than done until you build inventory.

 

[Raptor99]

I usually use acid blend, but with some fruits I use the primary acid present in that fruit:
* Grapes or elderberries: tartaric
* Hard cider or apple wine: malic
* Blueberries: citric

For my most recent batch of Elderberry, I used about half acid blend and half tartaric. The different types of acid definitely have a different flavor.

I haven't done it yet, but I want to run an experiment: Mix the same amount of each acid (by weight) in water, then taste to see the difference. Maybe add a small amount of sugar and taste again.

 

[Raptor99]

Just to explain further, malic acid helps the apples to taste more "appley." Citric acid helps bring out the blueberry flavor. Using tartaric acid with blueberries would be just weird. It might be good, as a sort of fake grape wine, but it wouldn't taste like blueberries.

 

[vinny]

Just to explain further, malic acid helps the apples to taste more "appley." Citric acid helps bring out the blueberry flavor. Using tartaric acid with blueberries would be just weird. It might be good, as a sort of fake grape wine, but it wouldn't taste like blueberries.

This is why I asked, different in a good way? I really like a tart Pinot Grigio/Riesling with citrus and apple NOTES. I don't want to add a hint of Jolly Rancher (fake green apple candy).

I like Bryan's idea. I have a Dragon's blood in my second 3 gallon carboy. It'll be ready to bottle in a few days. At that point I can split the batch and try tartaric vs the blend. The third blend of both together down the road will be interesting.

I like your idea of a little taste test of the acid powders in a glass. I think I will try this beforehand.

I have tartaric and citric powders. I might try to find some Malic acid so I can control the blend ratio as well, depending on how the taste test goes I suppose.

 

[winemaker81]

I've recently thought one of my wines could use a bit more acid. I like the testing idea. No experience here - and I know everyone's mouth is different - but what's a good starting point? 1/4 tsp acid per gallon? Less? I don't want to mess something up with the very first dose.

I might go less. I make mostly 5/6 gallon batches, and start with 1/2 tsp. It's easy to add more, somewhat difficult to take some out.

I've done the acid yo-yo, adding and decreasing. It never ends well, hence my caution.

 

[winemaker81]

Always with the be patient. It would be a lot easier if I had WINE!

Carlo Rossi Burgundy is $18 USD locally. You'll have wine to drink AND have another 4 liter jug for the winery.

 

[winemaker81]

Meaning it will blend and fill out more with time and I can add a little more later, or it is a very fine line between almost there and too far gone?

Both. Acid can take time to integrate and meld into the wine. If you impatiently add too much, the wine will become sharp.

Yup, that "p" word again ..... Grasshopper.

 

[Raptor99]

I like your idea of a little taste test of the acid powders in a glass. I think I will try this beforehand.

Or you could stir a small amount into a glass of your wine to taste it. As @winemaker81 said, acid takes time to integrate. So you won't be tasting the final flavor, but at least it can give you an idea of the taste imparted by the different types of acid. Experiment! Taste things!

 

[vinny]

Carlo Rossi Burgundy is $18 USD locally. You'll have wine to drink AND have another 4 liter jug for the winery.

I haven't gone without, and I'm doing pretty alright waiting. I of course want to taste mine, but I just got 2 more kits. A Grillo Pinot Grigio and and a Mystic blend. I let myself be talked into it just cause it was different and she made it sound interesting.

I'm trying to make sure once I get over the waiting hump I will have a surplus and as new ones come online I will have leftovers from the current batch to stretch out and play the bottle ageing game. In a few years I can open a 2022 to compare to current offerings.

Yup, that "p" word again ..... Grasshopper.

I was asked the other day as we were buying some wine, 'Shouldn't some of yours be ready soon?'. 'You keep making more and more. You make a batch and drag it off to your room, never to be seen again. I don't get it. What's your game, is it just a big tease?'.

'Patience...', was all I could say.