Tasting Wine

[jm75979]

I am making my first batch of wine: a Merlot from Master Vintner. I have a newbie question. I have just done my first racking and have a 12.88% ABV. I am starting the 12-day period whereby I allow the concoction to continue to ferment. I sipped a sample and it tastes almost as good as what I would get from a $8 to $10 wine. My question has to do with ingesting live yeast. Is there any problem doing this? It would seem that 98.6 would be the idea temp for yeast to continue to grow. I don't want to pickle my insides. lol Should I wait until after I have stopped the yeast from growing? Will I turn into a 180 lb yeast monster?

 

[JohnT]

I am making my first batch of wine: a Merlot from Master Vintner. I have a newbie question. I have just done my first racking and have a 12.88% ABV. I am starting the 12-day period whereby I allow the concoction to continue to ferment. I sipped a sample and it tastes almost as good as what I would get from a $8 to $10 wine. My question has to do with ingesting live yeast. Is there any problem doing this? It would seem that 98.6 would be the idea temp for yeast to continue to grow. I don't want to pickle my insides. lol Should I wait until after I have stopped the yeast from growing? Will I turn into a 180 lb yeast monster?

You should be fine. The acid in your stomach should kill any live yeast.

 

[Scooter68]

Should be no problem - I've used the lees from one of my peach wine batches on ice cream. The yeast flavor didn't bother me at all. B U R R R R P !

 

[Mismost]

Well, I have found live yeast makes me fart like a brown bear.....LOUD.

Or maybe it just improves my hearing??

 

[danr]

Well, I have found live yeast makes me fart like a brown bear.....LOUD.

Or maybe it just improves my hearing??

Never heard a bear fart-but I'll trust you on this one!!

 

[NeufeldMB]

We had a really yeasty taste and smell, i didn't care for it at all , so racked it and back in the carboy for awhile.

 

[jm75979]

Mind did, too. I expected it since it had not finished fermenting. Should be completely done on 3/20/17.

 

[jswordy]

Great wines are not all about beakers and measurements.

Please, taste your wine at every single stage. It will not hurt you. But you will gain so many insights into the flavors and nuances of the must as it transforms.

It truly is a window into the art of the craft, and I highly recommend it to any new winemaker.

What you learn over a lifetime of taking very small samples all along in the processes will hone your skill, trust me. It will enable you to have a more perfect knowledge about where the wine is at any stage, and to arrive at more exacting and reproducible results. Enjoy.

 

[PhilDarby]

Have to agree with @ jswordy

 

[DoctorCAD]

Oh, and it will be done when it is done. Yeast can't read a calender.

My guess is that you have 9 months until its done.

 

[Whitehrs]

Yep, I've done a couple kits, and several just trying stuff. I'm only a year in, so I'm a newbe also.. Here's what I have seen in my 1st year. Taste it. It ain't gonna hurt you. It might taste like A$$ but it won't make you sick. time is your friend. I have bottled wine, before I knew to let it bulk age for a minimum of 6 months (let it set a year or so. the longer in bulk the better on your tongue) that tasted so bad I didn't want to waste labels on it. and 7 months in the bottle and BAM! it was really good.

The timeline on the kit is guide, not law. It will be ready when it's ready.. relax and have a drink...

There ya go, I'm probably wrong on most of that but my experience as a newbe, and still a newbe is that..

 

[Scooter68]

The equipment at the disposal of the average home wine maker will not tell you that your wine has a problem but your nose and tongue will sound the alarm loud and clear. Even if you are aware of the cause you will know something is off. Likewise, it's part of the fun smelling and tasting along the way.

After a pH test or SG check I'll drop an 1/8 or 1/4 oz into a shot glass and taste it. I figure it's all part of the learning process.

After I finish a racking I often take the lees and put them in a jar, in the fridge for a few days and then taste the cleared wine at the top. It's not a finished wine but you get an idea of how things are going.

 

[bionerd]

Residual yeast wont hurt you at all. The strains used for wine making are not pathogenic. Your stomach is really acidic and the small intestines are basic (and have lots of immune hubs). The only downside is a yeast flavor and haze. I usually have more than just a little taste after fermentation as a lady, i will not comment on the "gas" lol

 

[JohnT]

In Germany (federweiss) and Austria (sturm) are quite popular. Both are wine that is sold and consumed while still fermenting. At the right time of year, you can almost purchase it on any street corner. At pressing, I almost have to fight off all of my German/Austrian/Swiss friends who love to take a glass right off the press.

Some years, I go so far as to take wine when it hits about 8 to 6 brix, place the wine in a korny keg, and place it into my beer cooler (32 degrees). I find that I can keep it for about two weeks.. YUM!