What R you doing today?

[Runningwolf]

Incidentally Phil, I penty of port similar to that bottled at home with a different twist. If you liked that you'll love what I got. I am also selling that 59 gallon American Oak barrel that the port was in for $150 if anyone is interested. It's a great nuetural barrel that had 19% abv port in it for the last year.

 

[ffemt128]

Between yesterday and today I racked and oaked the Chilean wine to clean glass. Today I need to start clearing a spot near the freezer so that I can make room for the fridge we bought yesterday. Amazing, for years we had only the fridge in the kitchen and that seemed to suffice, but lately there never seems to be enough room. Oh well. Picked up an 18.2 CF fridge for the cellar. I now have a place to keep my keg full of carbonated skeeter pee.

I may need to start another batch soon.

 

[pjd]

I just racked a Catawba, Lambrusca, Fredonia and Isabella-Blackberry. Between those 4 caboys I must have rinsed out a couple cups of acid crystals! Wow, I am not used to handling such high acid wines. I really don't know what to do with them. Obviously all will need to be sweetened but I sure could use some advice! I have 12 gallons of Fredonia, 6 Gallons of Steuban, 6 Gallons of Catawba, 6 Lambrusca, 6 Isabella-Blackberry. I also have 15 gallons of Elderberry that could use a little acid. Does any have any advice?
I did try blending some Fredonia with Elderberry and it seemed to be quite nice.
I really need to empty out those carboys! I am out of room.

 

[pjd]

Incidentally Phil, I penty of port similar to that bottled at home with a different twist. If you liked that you'll love what I got. I am also selling that 59 gallon American Oak barrel that the port was in for $150 if anyone is interested. It's a great nuetural barrel that had 19% abv port in it for the last year.

Dan, I am going to have to pick your brain sometime. I am interested in ports but really don't have a clue on how to make a good one.

 

[Runningwolf]

Phil we can get together in person or phone on the port. The Catawba I would try blending a small amount of fredonia with (max 25%) and sweeten to 4-6% rs. Do trails with 100Ml of wine for easy calculations. The sheet is set up for 50-100-187 or 375 samples. I have attached my spreadsheet for you to determine exactly how much sugar to add to each sample in grams. I can't get into it right now but another day we can get into more detail.

View attachment Sugar additions for bench tests 001.xls.pdf

 

[Hokapsig]

Dan, you're gonna have to explain that one to me some day....

Racked 9 gallons of Skeeter Pee out of the demijohn and going to bottle a 3 gallon test batch of Apple Cherry wine....

 

[Hokapsig]

The skeeter Pee has been backsweetened and is now being Sparkleoided in preparation for bottling. I also backsweetened the Seyval blanc and I'm still perplexed as what to do with the following wines:

Concord - 5 gal unsweetened
Stueben - 5 gal unsweetened
Cayuga - 5 gal unsweetened
Niagara - 5 gal sweetened
Traminette - 3 gal sweetened

Anyone have a blending mix and final SG for any of these wines???

 

[Runningwolf]

Traminette is good all by itself. Blend Niagara and concord. Stueban is good by itself also. Cayuga and Niagara are also a good blend. Forget trying to go by someone elses numbers for ratio's and sugar content. Go by taste and keep track of what you are sampling. I posted my spreadsheet a few posts back to make easy calculations using 100 ml samples.

 

[ffemt128]

Went to the brew store and picked up some caps and a capper for when the Mojito Skeeter Pee is ready. While there we picked up a Twisted Mist Lime Margarita kit. It was on sale for $64.99 and looked interesting. Also picked up an Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet kit. My daughter who is expecting asked me to make it for her since she liked it in the past. What dad can say no to their daughter, especially when I get to make wine.

Did have a question on the Margarita kit. Looking through the previous posts it was stated this is a split kit, but both f-pacs say Lime Margarita. THe picture on the box shows a green drink and a red drink (pink lemonaide was mentioned in other posts) Should I be using both fpacs in the 6 gallon kit or should this be split into 2 3 gallon and one be a pink lemonaid and one a margarita?

 

[Runningwolf]

Also picked up an Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet kit. My daughter who is expecting asked me to make it for her since she liked it in the past. What dad can say no to their daughter, especially when I get to make wine.

Doug, this was the very first wine I ever made. It was the curse to this obsession! This kit could certainly use additional sugar upfront and less f-pack in the back half.

 

[ffemt128]

Also picked up an Island Mist Blackberry Cabernet kit. My daughter who is expecting asked me to make it for her since she liked it in the past. What dad can say no to their daughter, especially when I get to make wine.

Doug, this was the very first wine I ever made. It was the curse to this obsession! This kit could certainly use additional sugar upfront and less f-pack in the back half.

I've always taken this to about 1.075-1.080 starting sg and I agree, only part of the fpac on the back end.

 

[ffemt128]

Heading to church this am with my wife and daughter then afterwards when they go to visit with the MIL, I'm hoping to bottle 5 gallons of skeeter pee. Part will go into wine bottles and part will get capped in beer bottles. The little buggers look so cute lined up in the fridge. lol

 

[jamesngalveston]

No work today..
Finnishing up my bottle filling tool, and my corker, making room in freezer for figs and mustang grapes which are about to get ripe..

 

[Boatboy24]

Bottled the Red Mountain Cabernet this morning and now headed to church. This afternoon, I'll start my EP Amarone, and whip up something tasty on the grill.

 

[roblloyd]

Well it's been quite a while - maybe over a year of bulk aging? I have to check my notes.
Bottled - chardonnay, a white (again, note fell off the carboy but it's in the computer) and a merlot. Might drink the merlot tonight with dinner.

Now I need to finish cleaning everything and helping get the house and kids clean before the rest of the family comes over.

At least I got some bottling done! I need to get more bottles cleaned, delabeled and ready for the other 3 carboys. But that won't be today. I'm starting to think it's better to buy new clean, cases of bottles as needed instead of taking up space.

Happy Fathers Day to everyone!

 

[Hokapsig]

Stuck working in Ohio today, but for the most part, I get peace and quiet which is what I want for Father's Day...

 

[tatud4life]

Heading to Boone, NC tomorrow morning for an short anniversary trip with the wife. No kids, work, or yards to mow for 4 whole days!!!!

Oh yeah. My newest batch of cherry limeade will be ready to rack when I get back! Will have to start another batch or 2 of it and of the strawberry. My latest batch of strawberry is better than the first and the first batch was a gold medal winner. Will have to save a bottle for competition this year.

 

[FABulousWines]

Watermelon White Merlot was clear so I racked it off. We had a little taste. My wife exclaimed in a louder than normal voice, "D*mn that is good!" Priceless.

I will let it sit until the weekend and then we will filter and bottle...

 

[tatud4life]

Went to the Banner Elk Winery today. Very nice place and some very good wines!! Will be back in the future.

 

[Boatboy24]

Preparing my new camping wine glasses for this weekend: