What R you doing today?

[Christopher Anderson]

I got the Grenacha/Carignan racked today. SG was 1.018 which may have been a little high because I am getting a lot of bubble through in the airlocks. Hopefully, that will fix itself in a day or two.

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I am slightly encouraged with the Trebbiano/Riesling because I am seeing a light colored sediment on the bottom. Perhaps after I hit the wine with Kieselsol and Chitosan, it may clear (or is that wishful thinking?).

View attachment 120070View attachment 120071

Lastly, I noticed something today that I had never seen before. On the carboys where I was getting "bubble through," wine was leaking up the stem of the airlock from the stopper. I attribute this to a more pronounced parting line from the molding process. I plan to file off any parting line on the stems of my airlocks. I don't think it would be a major issue but I does not help having the leak.

Patience. I had a terrible tasting Pinot after 3 months in the carboy. Transfered to another. After 3 more months. Better but... 6 months later. Much nicer. May let it sit another 6 months, then bottle. Some of my first wines are much better after 2 years.

 

[sour_grapes]

Today? Hmm....

Fly, Eagles, fly!

 

[ibglowin]

When you specifically went to another Costco because they have the new V4 Kirkland Signature golf balls listed as "in stock" and you get there only to find the old V3's version are on the bottom floor and the new V4 is on the very top......... LOL



They were actually very nice about it! LOL

 

[cmason1957]

When you specifically went to another Costco because they have the new V4 Kirkland Signature golf balls listed as "in stock" and you get there only to find the old V3's version are on the bottom floor and the new V4 is on the very top......... LOL

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They were actually very nice about it! LOL

I have always found the Costco staff very accommodating when something isn't on the easily accessible shelving. Always cheerful, I think they just like driving that forklift.

 

[sour_grapes]

It appears that I will be shoveling later today....

 

[Neb Farmer]

It appears that I will be shoveling later today....

Hopefully snow

 

[Rice_Guy]

Hopefully snow

Well I have backed up to Dad’s barn and filled the bed with rhubarb fertilizer, , , , I would much sooner shovel fertilizer than have to deal with snow.

 

[sour_grapes]

Hopefully snow

Yes, indeed. There was a fair amount of it (8"), but it was light and fluffy. No big deal.

 

[Rocky]

I have been playing with a batch of Trebbiano-Riesling, which was very brown when I started it (the kit was at least 3 years old). I decided to go ahead with it and see what happens (not much more to lose). I had followed the kit protocol up to the point of adding Kieselsol, Chitosan, K-meta, K-Sorbate and the "flavor pack." I deviated slightly from that this morning. I had added all the chemicals but not the flavor pack yet. The SG is a very low 0.990, so even though I had not planned on using the flavor pack, I will use some portion of it, maybe all. The color is still way off, so in addition to adding the K and C, I added a dose of Bentonite (2 t. Bentonite in 1/2 C. water). After stirring everything it, here is an updated shot of the wine, still not clear but encouraging:



Note how much sediment has dropped out in an hour or two.

 

[winemaker81]

I have been playing with a batch of Trebbiano-Riesling, which was very brown when I started it (the kit was at least 3 years old). I decided to go ahead with it and see what happens (not much more to lose). I had followed the kit protocol up to the point of adding Kieselsol, Chitosan, K-meta, K-Sorbate and the "flavor pack." I deviated slightly from that this morning. I had added all the chemicals but not the flavor pack yet. The SG is a very low 0.990, so even though I had not planned on using the flavor pack, I will use some portion of it, maybe all. The color is still way off, so in addition to adding the K and C, I added a dose of Bentonite (2 t. Bentonite in 1/2 C. water). After stirring everything it, here is an updated shot of the wine, still not clear but encouraging:

what does it taste like?

 

[winemaker81]

I'm ramping up for dinner -- my son's girlfriend had her birthday last week, and we're making a belated dinner for her. A few years back we made lobster ravioli in a limoncello-cream sauce, and my son wants to make that, so I purchased all the ingredients. Additionally I purchased NY Strip at Costco this morning (surf-n-turf, don't ya know!), puff pastry (have Brie unopened from Christmas, gonna bake it), baked squash, and olives.

We don't eat like this all the time -- mostly Mrs. WM81 & I eat simply ... but her birthday is a great reason to splurge.

 

[Ohio Bob]

I added a dose of Bentonite (2 t. Bentonite in 1/2 C. water). After stirring everything it, here is an updated shot of the wine, still not clear but encouraging

You may be interested in IOC QI’UP XCTM from Scott Labs. The write up says it aids in compaction of bentonite lees.

FWIW, I see a lot of new enzymes, yeasts, and fining agents in the 2024 Scott handbook. I’ve updated many pages of my wine makers notebook.

https://scottlab.com/content/files/documents/handbooks/scott labs 2024 winemaking handbook.pdf

 

[Rocky]

You may be interested in IOC QI’UP XCTM from Scott Labs. The write up says it aids in compaction of bentonite lees.

FWIW, I see a lot of new enzymes, yeasts, and fining agents in the 2024 Scott handbook. I’ve updated many pages of my wine makers notebook.

https://scottlab.com/content/files/documents/handbooks/scott labs 2024 winemaking handbook.pdf

Thanks, Bob. Great reference. I have it in my "favorites" now.

 

[Rocky]

what does it taste like?

I have not tried a taste as yet but the aroma is not too shabby.

 

[winemaker81]

I have not tried a taste as yet but the aroma is not too shabby.

That is a great sign. Your nose knows.

 

[Rocky]

Overnight it really cleared:

 

[ibglowin]

Goooooooooooooood Morning Kauai!

 

[winemaker81]

What I'm NOT doing today or yesterday, and probably not tomorrow? Leaving the house. The Raleigh area received 1" to 3", but it is enough to cause havoc.

It's been noted that the first snow of a year has the most accidents, as folks have temporarily lost their "snow reflexes", e.g., they forget how to drive on snow. Meaning they don't slow down enough or allow enough stopping room. Yesterday's accident in Durham NC was really ugly.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/ch...lement-weather-conditions-create-road-madness

One year (many moons ago) I commuted 26 miles to college. The first snow of the year, I left home at 6:30 AM, and noted there were 26 cars in the ditch. Thankfully I wasn't one of them.

A week later there was another heavy snowfall, and there were about 12 cars in the ditch. A week later, another snowfall? Maybe one car in the ditch.

 

[Boatboy24]

Watching USA vs Canada hockey game.

 

[Shurt1073]

Trying to stay warm today ..... we are in South Florida in January and North Florida in February. Big 40 degrees this morning.