Regina Juice 5.3 Gal and MLF

[SlayerXL095]

Hi all,

I'm new to site and have been making wine for the past 3 years with the wife (all wine kits). WineXpert. For the past year I've been apart of a local wine club and have head about Juice buckets from various regions of the world and had an interest in trying them because I heard it was a bit cheaper than kits but a bit more advanced to work with. So I'm giving it a shot.

I purchased 2 buckets of Regina Juice last Thursday:
Petite Syrah- starting SG 1.085 or so (appeared to be fermenting already when i made the trip home. Some foam on top of the juice)
Barbera - starting SG 1.090
Sorry no, i didnt test pH, acid, and that stuff. (dont have the equipment) but i hear that these things are pretty balanced. I added 3 tsp of Fermax Yeast nutrient to each of them and added RC212 yeast this past Friday. Stirred them once a day. Today my must are currently at 1.002 (Petite) and 1.004 (Barbera) These peaked at 77 degrees or so and now steady 72 degrees

Someone from the wine club that i'm in suggested that i do MLF and they gave me a container of some that was already pre-weighed. Sorry I don't know what kind it is. Kind of tannish with the addition of some yeast nutrient incorporated in it. He said that i should take some of the wine mix it up with the MLB and distribute it between the two batches.

Now for the question. At what SG should I rack the wines and add the MLB culture?

Thanks for any assistance.

 

[wineutopia]

Congrats on "moving up" from kits. After you get the itch to experiment with juice and grapes, kits just seem sub par.

As far as racking and MLF first check the manufactures instructions/website. I use White Labs and rack at 1.020 or 5 brix then add MLF.

 

[Tom]

If you do MLF DO NOT add sorbate!

 

[SlayerXL095]

If you do MLF DO NOT add sorbate!

Ever? Or just during the addition?

 

[SlayerXL095]

Just racked (i did a tiny bit of splash racking) added bentonite and started Malo. Carboys are topped off. Is this ok? Should i have left more head space? I'm seeing some foam in the neck of Barbera.



From what I was told the MLB is called Oeni-something.

 

[SlayerXL095]

The foaming has subsided.

 

[robie]

Ever? Or just during the addition?

Never! Sorbate and MLF result in a very unpleasant taste.

 

[robie]

Congrats on "moving up" from kits. After you get the itch to experiment with juice and grapes, kits just seem sub par.

Sub par?

For lots of folks on here, the only thing they have opportunity to make are kit wines, so don't knock it.

 

[Tom]

Also give a geranium flavor

 

[robie]

The foaming has subsided.

MLF produces less activity than an alcohol fermentation. Generally, much less, if any, foam. You will see very tiny bubbles sort of fizzing up.

You really need a method for measuring the completion of the MLF. This is done with either test strips or a chromatography kit.

Temperature is very important during MLF.

 

[SlayerXL095]

You really need a method for measuring the completion of the MLF. This is done with either test strips or a chromatography kit.

Temperature is very important during MLF.

A buddy of mine has a chromatography kit and told me to bring a sample of the wines in 5 weeks to check their progress .

What temp is ideal? They were 72 degrees before I racked them. Now they are sitting in glass.

 

[wineutopia]

Sub par?

For lots of folks on here, the only thing they have opportunity to make are kit wines, so don't knock it.

Wow I wasn't knocking it. I was merely saying congrats and that once you make wines from juice and grapes wine kits take a second stage. I think this is common sense. There was no malice intended here.

 

[supplex]

Never! Sorbate and MLF result in a very unpleasant taste.

Sorbate is only effective against yeasts. If you have mlf bacteria or any indigenous strain of lactic acid bacteria, they can metabolize te sorbic acid yielding a very unpleasant geranium taste. If you are very clean and filter very tight, you can probably use sorbate with good success if you are bottling wines with ferment able sugar

 

[SlayerXL095]

Sorbate is only effective against yeasts. If you have mlf bacteria or any indigenous strain of lactic acid bacteria, they can metabolize te sorbic acid yielding a very unpleasant geranium taste. If you are very clean and filter very tight, you can probably use sorbate with good success if you are bottling wines with ferment able sugar

Whats the alternative to sorbate? And to make Mlf stop and not have to worry about renewed fermentation in a bottle?

 

[Tom]

When doing MLF it can takes months. I do juice alot and for my reds I age them for a year. There is no need for sorbate as the wine will be dry and you will not back sweeten a red.
Oh.dont forget to add oak chips

 

[SlayerXL095]

When doing MLF it can takes months. I do juice alot and for my reds I age them for a year. There is no need for sorbate as the wine will be dry and you will not back sweeten a red.
Oh.dont forget to add oak chips

When is ideal time to add oak chips? Now?

 

[Tom]

Yes. I MLF usually for 3 months with oak.

(sounds dirty)

 

[SlayerXL095]

Yes. I MLF usually for 3 months with oak.

(sounds dirty)

Which oak do you recommend? Light med heavy? I'm working with a Barbera and a petite syrah. And what temp is ideal for Mlf? As colder weather is approaching. My wine is in my basement.

 

[kashew201]

Oak is all personal taste. I personally do med to heavy toasted french cubes since I dont have an oak barrel. As for MLF 70° F. Until its done then rack and k-meta then into the cold it goes to drop the rest of the TA.. by that time its spring and ready to bottle or bulk long term.

 

[SlayerXL095]

Yes I know it's been a while malo has finally finished on one of the wines. I had PH and acid checked and according to a buddy of mine the suggested that I raise acid up from 3.4 to 3.8 and that I would need tartaric acid.

Question, how much tartaric acid would I need to raise it .4 yes 4/10's in a 5 gallon batch?

Thanks