Wine Logs

[jackl]

Just wondering how everyone tracks their yearly wine making activities. Are there apps out there?

I started making wine from my own grapes around 10 years ago. I decided I should keep a log book so I could take advantage of lessons learned from previous years as well as track each batch through its journey from grapes to wine.

Since I grow grapes, I also track vineyard maintenance to include weather, initial pruning/trellising (I use VSP), vine and leaf pruning and spraying. I’ve always used a spreadsheet for this so I can track the growth stages and spraying by the date the event was observed and date sprayed. I choose disease resistant grapes suitable to my area. I try not to overspray and my regiment includes fungicides and insecticides (primarily for Japanese beetles). I actually use Cornell’s Network for Environment and Weather Applications website as it predicts susceptibility to disease events based on the weather.

Since I just retired from a career in engineering and I now have more time, I created a spreadsheet for my wine making and transferred all of my hard copy notes to it. I’ve added formulas to do some of the basic calculations and conversions. I track event date, duration, SPG, pH, brix, tartaric acid, sulfuric acid, additives and notes. Now I can generate charts so I can watch things like pH as it changes over the fermentation process. I have tabs for red wine, white wine, apple wine and plum wine. Still a work in progress, but it fun!

 

[MarcOlivetti]

I am using EnoFile (Home Wine Making App | EnoFile by Brew Ventures) to keep track of batches and every detail. It will allow you to track each aspect, ingredient, and reading you care to track. It also interacts with your calendar app to keep you on track with reminders. I’m enjoying it, but being new to this adventure, I would like to see what others are using.

 

[Obbnw]

Scribbles in a notepad. Each year gets longer. Half on growing and half on making the wine. I should probably write more down, I definitely do the "I don't need to write that down, I'll remember" then I forget. So it goes.

One of the not necessarily obvious records I have is pictures. I send pictures of the "vineyard" to my sister. I was wondering about timing of a few things that "I thought I would remember" this summer but couldn't remember, I found the info I was looking for by going back through the pictures I sent the previous year.

 

[Neb Farmer]

I keep a small notebook in which I write my date of harvest, yield, Brix and pH . Each entry after that is dated and then commented on what has been done...crush/destemmed, pressed, yeast and other additives used, temperatures, racking, bottling, and anything I feel is pertinent at the time. This method has worked well for me for the last several years, and I do like having the ability to check my notes right where I do my wine making work.

 

[cmason1957]

I print out a sheet of paper with whatever kind of recipe I am using for each wine. Into a sheet protector with a piece of twine in a loop. That goes around the carboy, usually with a color dot that goes on other carboys of the same kind. Everything i do to that wine gets written down on that sheet of paper, dated, and tasting notes. It works for me.

 

[MarcOlivetti]

I like it That’s much better than my painters tape and sharpie to keep the carboys straight.

 

[WBW61]

I've been using an app called "Homebrew Logbook". Very easy to use and helpful in tracking information through every stage of wine, beer, cider and mead making. Also provides an area to save notes during each racking. Also supplies an ABV calculator and provides recipes.

 

[DonnyDarko19]

I use a combination of a wine making journal and Tilt Hydrometers. All my notes go in the journal and the hydrometers track and automatically log the fermentation process to a spreadsheet via wifi. I can look back at the fermentation data to see how yeasts perform and track fermentation temperatures so I know if I need to make adjustments on future batches.

Wine Journal
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016AX19NC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_7Dd4FbBSBDQZ8
Tilt Hydrometers
https://www.northernbrewer.com/prod...do75DrKo4Sc0xl-aCxkl1n22C39Hi5HkaAoCYEALw_wcB

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I came up with the reusable carboy tags for this exact reason. I would loose the painters tape or forget to write it down - this way I have all the information and I can transfer it to the next carboy between racking's.
https://www.allinonewinepump.com/product/reusable-carboy-tags/

 

[winemaker81]

I started out writing everything in a notebook.



The picture is the first wine recorded in my notebook in '85. I know I didn't record anything on the '81 to '83 wines, purchased my hydrometer in January '84 (still use it), but cannot find notes on the '84 wines.

These days I keep notebook paper in the wine area and write notes as I go. Periodically, I transcribe the notes to a log on my web site (see my sig).

I do some statistical-like analysis in Excel, but that's me looking at trends and it doesn't contain any wine making information.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just the good ol notebook. And I use a metallic sharpie for my carboys & demijohns. Washes off easily yet doesnt rub off accidentally. And I keep a tag, similar to what @vacuumpumpman just posted, on the barrels- logging the date and action taken (top up, sulphite, empty/fill)

attempted to use an app called Evernote. Great app. Just was a pain to keep up with. In 6 months I defaulted back to the good ol notebook. Organized in timeline fashion-and just write down whatever wines I’m working on that day. Unfortunately I’m always rushing when writing so it’s never too thorough and my handwriting can get incredibly sloppy! Lol

 

[David Violante]

I have to say... at first I thought there was an actual fireplace log made out of the remnants of a pressing or something and couldn't wait to find out where I could buy one or make one... and then I realized what it actually was... LOL

These are great ideas - I love the metallic sharpie on the carboy, I'm using tape at the moment. I too use a book, it's just easier for me to go back to, flip through, etc... I'm a very visual person so I remember how I wrote a note about something in the margins because of something that worked well (or not so well as is sometimes goes). The online log is amazing but it just wouldn't work well for me.

Try each method and use a combination of what works best for you ~ these are all great examples!

 

[Snafflebit]

I have a spreadsheet in Google Sheets

 

[Old Corker]

I have only done kits (so far) and keep my notes in a surveyor's field book. I got in the habit of pulling the label off the box and sticking it to the top of the first page of notes. I assign a number to each kit (I'm on #31 now) and write that on the carboy with a dry erase marker to keep track of what's where. I do like to have racking dates handy too. I got a couple of Steve's tags with my AIO and made a couple of my own but really only note the racking dates on them. All the other notes are in the book. I just started my first Master Vintners kit and it did not have the pealable label so I cut the flap off the box with the label on it and hung that on the carboy. it provides ample room for the dates. I'm not apposed to using an app and do like Google Sheets. I'm just haven't made the effort to switch my process. I think my note taking would be more consistent if it were more like a checklist.

 

[JustJoe]

Has anyone used "enofile"? This is an app that runs on Apple gear and I was thinking of trying it. My logs are just word files and that is getting clumsy now that I have so many of them.

 

[Darrell Hawley]

Has anyone used "enofile"? This is an app that runs on Apple gear and I was thinking of trying it. My logs are just word files and that is getting clumsy now that I have so many of them.

I just got that app this week and will start as soon as I move into our new house the end of January. Six kits in the back room ready to go once I move in. Probably will takes notes along with the app for awhile in case the app doesn't work out as planned.

 

[winemaker81]

I just got that app this week and will start as soon as I move into our new house the end of January. Six kits in the back room ready to go once I move in. Probably will takes notes along with the app for awhile in case the app doesn't work out as planned.

One problem with software is it often saves the information in a proprietary format, which can't be read with anything except their software. I suggest you look at the export options and when a batch is done, export the data if that is possible.

 

[balatonwine]

Although I have an IT company, when it comes to my vineyard notes, it is all analog: Paper and pencil.

My winery notes were more sporadic, I admit. Mainly because I think that most of the "real wine making" I wanted to do was done in the vineyards, not in the winery. But there were still things I needed to keep track of, such as when I racked what and when. As I get older, I realized I can not keep it all in my head anymore, so I have started to scribe everything I do onto aluminum tags** that are placed on each tank or demijohn. Scribing because the wine cellar is damp, and paper would just deteriorate. And I plan to store the tags for later reference (i.e. what I did last year that went so well, or so horribly wrong....)

** My aluminum tags are just beer cans, cut up into strips.... Gives me an excuse to try the latest locally made IPA....

 

[Darrell Hawley]

Although I have an IT company, when it comes to my vineyard notes, it is all analog: Paper and pencil.

My winery notes were more sporadic, I admit. Mainly because I think that most of the "real wine making" I wanted to do was done in the vineyards, not in the winery. But there were still things I needed to keep track of, such as when I racked what and when. As I get older, I realized I can not keep it all in my head anymore, so I have started to scribe everything I do onto aluminum tags** that are placed on each tank or demijohn. Scribing because the wine cellar is damp, and paper would just deteriorate. And I plan to store the tags for later reference (i.e. what I did last year that went so well, or so horribly wrong....)

** My aluminum tags are just beer cans, cut up into strips.... Gives me an excuse to try the latest locally made IPA....

It's a tough JOB, but somebody got to do it.

 

[MarcOlivetti]

I’m using EnoFile to track my batches. After you download App (I’m using an iPad) the first thing you do is to setup your Name/Winery and profile. Bill & Susan will start sending you emails with hints and tutorials (Biggest tip is to hit “return” when done with an input to save).

Starting a batch is quite simple, the App has many data points, with prompts to complete the data point. You have to manually setup each step in your process, they don’t have a template available to use. I used the WE instructions for each step. You need to know what date you plan to do each step and when you want to be reminded to complete (the reminder syncs with your calendar). It will also calculate cost per bottle and potential %ABV for the batch.

There’s a section within each step to add ingredients (type, amount, and unit of measurement). There’s also a shopping cart for you to reorder ingredient.

Next section, you can add your readings (make adjustments); a section for notes (I would like to use bullets and or paragraphs, but only allows a continuous sentences), and a place to add photos (can be glitchy). Again you have to do each data point manually.

You can invite people to review their thoughts and impressions for a virtual testing which could be fun.

It doesn’t allow to export, so WineMaker81 is correct when you’ll be tied to each batch and the App use only, forever. Since I am new to wine making (only 2 wine kits so far) this is working for me, not knowing, what I don’t know. I’m planning on building templates in excel so I can save, export/share, and analyze over time; perhaps link workbooks by varietal, not sure yet again just starting. Well this turned out to be long winded...

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa brought me a Sour Cherry Port Kit, yea!