Thinking outside the box

[rob]

Very nice post! One of the best I have seen

 

[joeswine]

Splitting the batch

HERES THE PLAN,MAKE THE WINE IN IT'S ENTIRETY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ADDING THE FPAC,AT THAT POINT SPLIT YOUR WINE ADD ONLY 1/2 THE FPAC ( OR TO TASTE)TO ONE PORTION AND DRIED ELDERBERRY TO THE OTHER. Chardonnay makes the best wine for flora essence if you make it fruit forward .

 

[Jericurl]

Oh interesting, I hadn't thought of doing that.
I'll do some reading up on elderberries today!
I've still got some time before my primary bucket will be empty.

 

[RCGoodin]

Lori,

Great posting. Thank you for all your extra effort. Anyone, getting started, will really appreciate your thoroughness.

Please explain the melting capsule procedure. Are those standard capsules dipped in very hot water, or are they special capsules? I've seen where wax was used for sealing the corks, but unfamiliar with melting.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Lori,

Great posting. Thank you for all your extra effort. Anyone, getting started, will really appreciate your thoroughness.

Please explain the melting capsule procedure. Are those standard capsules dipped in very hot water, or are they special capsules? I've seen where wax was used for sealing the corks, but unfamiliar with melting.

They are standard capsules made of PVC. From Portugal. I had bought some others that were solid black and thicker, but they didn't melt, or shrink in a very clean way. They also had a rather large seam on the side so I went with the decorated ones.
The process is just putting the cap on and holding it on with something while you dip in in simmering water. I used a coat hanger, but there is a tool you can buy that holds it on and also opens the wine juice bags. See Joe's posts on Sangiovese. There's a picture there. When you dip it in the water, it shrinks to fit the bottle. Only take a few seconds and wan-la!

 

[joeswine]

Sealing bottles

THERE are other methods but this is what we use.

 

[RCGoodin]

I like it....................

 

[LoneStarLori]

Joe, did you pre-heat the bottle in the water before you added the hat. Then dip it again with the hat on? If so, that might be why my thicker ones didn't shrink nicely.

 

[joeswine]

putting on the seal

YES,THE WATER SHOULD BE AT A ROLLING BOIL WHILE IN USE........................THE ALMOND WINE IS ON IT'S WAY ENJOY ,LET ME KNOW WHEN IT ARRIVES..............REMEMBER IT'S DESERT WINE.

 

[LoneStarLori]

I'm looking forward to it. I will even make a special dinner just so I can have desert.

 

[Jericurl]

Ok, the elderberries are on the way.
I just have to order two 3 gal carboys and then I will be ready to make this.
I'm so excited!
Any other suggestions?

 

[joeswine]

base wine

What is going to be your base wine?

 

[Jericurl]

The mezza luna white kit

 

[joeswine]

Wine base

That should be adequate to do the job , that come's with an fpac, if so add the elderberries after you've added the pack and cleared, be preprepared to rack a third time before bottling have an extra package of super clear around, got it! However if you want the elderberries to take the lead in the mix at the elderberries in the secondary then clear then flavor package, okay

 

[LoneStarLori]

Here we go again!
I started a World Vineyard Sangiovese kit and wanted to follow Joeswine raisin tweak again. When I'm done, I will send him a bottle so he can compare to his. I started the kit on Sept 13. here are a few pictures of the process of staring the kit. I did not top it all the way to 6 gals with water, I stopped at 5 1/2 gallons. I use only spring water in my kits because I have read the minerals help the yeast with fermentation.

(9-14-13): Added the bentonite, grape juice, 2 packages of oak. Stirred well and covered the fermenter with a cotton cloth. Starting SG 1.104 with temp correction. Yikes!
(9-19-13): SG .102, Added raisins and 3 TBL of wine tannin. Now for some reason, i decided to do this without racking. Thinking I could finish it up in the bucket. Then age in the carboy. (turned out to be a mistake)
(9-24-13: SG .994 Had to leave town for a few days so I snapped the lid and an airlock on the primary.
(9-27-13): SG .994 Since the SG is holding I decided to rack to a carboy. While tasting during the rack, I wasn't getting the fullness of the raisins that I had in the Mezza Luna White. So I decided it was time to message Joe and he reminded me that this is not a 4 week kit. The raisins needed more time to work. So, I added a fresh batch of raisins. I did not add anymore tannin. It's still in there doing it's thing. But I did add a handful of Hungarian oak cubes.
(10-3-13) The raisins are very, very slowly rising to the top. Even thought the SG is holding steady, I am not going to start the clearing process until I am sure the raisins have given there all. As Joe put it, "ALL WILL BE GOOD IN THE END,IF IT'S NOT GOOD RIGHT NOW THAT MEANS IT'S NOT THE END YET!"

 

[LoneStarLori]

Update on the Sangiovese. The joy of tweaking.

10-14-13 (SG 1.002) The SG has increased from the new raisins but fermentation has stopped. Since I added the new raisins after racking when the wine was almost dry, they did not rise to the top like they have in the past. They remained suspended throughout the liquid. Not on top and not on bottom. Strange. This caused a problem when racking. I kept getting raisins stuck in my auto syphon causing it to draw lots of air, I added a piece of cheesecloth to pre-filter it.
I let this sit for a few weeks because I was traveling and it really paid off. While tasting the thief's share, I was shocked. This had turned into an amazing wine since the addition of the second batch of raisins and the short period of aging. Joe was right again. It was so drinkable! Smooth, velvety mouthfeel and just the right amount of body and dryness. Just sweet enough, no fpac required. It doesn't need a thing. I almost didn't want to bother clearing it was so good. I can't wait to see how this is in 3 months.

 

[RCGoodin]

Lori,

Thank you for sharing and it looks like you're doing a fantastic job.

Question: In the future, if you made a white, would you add white raisins, tannins and oak in addition to the manufacturers ingredients? Do you think it would have the same effect by adding more body and mouth feel?

 

[LoneStarLori]

Lori,

Thank you for sharing and it looks like you're doing a fantastic job.

Question: In the future, if you made a white, would you add white raisins, tannins and oak in addition to the manufacturers ingredients? Do you think it would have the same effect by adding more body and mouth feel?

Thanks RC. I did a WE Mezza Luna White a couple of months ago using the same techniques and white raisins. It's on this thread starting here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f61/almond-wine-9155/index21.html#post445464

I bottled it 3 weeks ago and opened one last night because I needed some to top off another white. I was surprised at how it has changed in three weeks. It has lost it's young tang and has a really great mouthfeel, plenty enough body for me and a noticeable fruit finish. I can't wait to share it with my family at Thanksgiving. I won't hesitate to give a few bottles away at Christmas along with the Sangiovese either. That's gonna knock their socks off.

 

[CastleWines]

I have made small batches of this and found that if you add almond extract when final clearing it adds a lot of flavor. About 2-3 table spoons per gallon.

 

[joeswine]

do you know when and where?

Remembering the differences
Capitalization, is the process of adding sugar unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique was developed by the French chemist John Antoine Claude CHAPTAL, for whom it was named contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wines sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in capitalized wine cannot be tasted.

Potassium metabolic sulfate, wine, or must additive, where informed sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as protective antioxidants, protecting both the color, and a delicate flavor typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate from 6 gallon bucket of must. Winemaking equipment to sanitize by sprang with a 1% solution or two tables teaspoons potassium metabolic sulfate per liter solution.

Potassium sorbate, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to the wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is rack for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. when a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent from re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfate. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clearly after fining.

Do you remember these? Do You know how to use these? What you should do is copy this now this whole thread and post in your work. As a reference point as I do.

.......... until it becomes memory.

Last edited by joeswine; 10-17-2013 at 04:36 PM.

Remembering the differences
Capitalization, is the process of adding sugar unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique was developed by the French chemist John Antoine Claude CHAPTAL, for whom it was named contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wines sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in capitalized wine cannot be tasted.

Potassium metabolic sulfate, wine, or must additive, where informed sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as protective antioxidants, protecting both the color, and a delicate flavor typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate from 6 gallon bucket of must. Winemaking equipment to sanitize by sprang with a 1% solution or two tables teaspoons potassium metabolic sulfate per liter solution.

Potassium sorbate, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to the wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is rack for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. when a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent from re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfate. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clearly after fining.

Do you remember these? Do You know how to use these? What you should do is copy this now this whole thread and post in your work. As a reference point as I do.

.......... until it becomes memory.

Last edited by joeswine; 10-17-2013 at 04:36 PM.