Zelix Wine Adventures...Beginner Gearing up.

[zelix]

So last night I took a reading. 0.992. I racked it, degassed, added the clearing agents according to the instructions. Now it's a waiting game for it to clear.

I started a batch of Dragons Blood. It didn't seem like it was fermenting. I though the yeast might not have worked. I added a second package of yeast after two days. It's good and pissed off now. It's rolling like a freight train.

 

[hounddawg]

So last night I took a reading. 0.992. I racked it, degassed, added the clearing agents according to the instructions. Now it's a waiting game for it to clear.

I started a batch of Dragons Blood. It didn't seem like it was fermenting. I though the yeast might not have worked. I added a second package of yeast after two days. It's good and pissed off now. It's rolling like a freight train.

shut the door i'm scared of pissed dragons, lol
dawg

 

[zelix]

I bottled the Pinot Nior. That Portuguese corker worked nicely. I'm completely happy with it.

I racked the dragons blood and added clearing agents.

 

[zelix]

Bottled the Dragon's Blood. I got some custom labels made. I'm really happy with this. I'm going to make another batch real soon.

Mixed the dragons blood with some club soda and a few berries. Really refreshing little beverage.

 

[zelix]

So I bought a tropical bliss kit. I put all the ingredients in the 6 gallon fermintor. filled up the water a bit and realised that it was a 1 gallon kit. I was so pissT at myself. So What to do? Well all I could think of was to add more sugar. I put in about 5 lbs. The SG reading was: 1.092.

We have reached experimental territory now.

It has volcanoed over several times. What a mess. Luckily I keep the fermintor in a oil pan.

When it got to the SG reading of 1.02 I racked into a secondary.

So at this point I'm not sure if it's any good or not. I'm going to continue on with this experiment.
Not sure if it will taste watered down or not.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I figure If all else fails I can farm it out to a pal of mine that makes brandy.

 

[iridium]

Unfortunately it will taste watery. I would look for the thread “tweaking cheap kits” for how to rescue it. You can add some flavor packs (fpacs) to primary or add in secondary as well.

I also started kits as they are a great introduction to wine making. With your next kits I would let them age several months before bottling. When you bottled the Pinot noir, did you confirm that all co2 was out so you don’t have any bottle bombs? I know you said you degassed but you really don’t want extra co2 I the wine.

Thank you for sharing your journey.

 

[hounddawg]

you could reach out to @joeswine he is the one that i know that tweaks kits, i only do country wines so no experience with kits or grapes, but he does,
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

* For where you are now the quick and dirty is to add a “NO SUGAR/ UNSWEETENED” juice from the grocery store. The two I have in hand are Ocean Spray Cranberry and Stanton Tart Cherry Concentrate. In essence your task is to balance the flavors. 16 oz of Stanton says it makes one gallon, so add about 4 bottles. Ocean spray is a liter at 100% juice, without digging in my note book diluting 1/10 should get the acid flavor (Titratable acidity) in range therefore two bottles. There are commercial versions of all juices which are unsweetened but I can’t guess what your grocery will stock. ,,,,,, your goal is to get to normal which is a TA of about 0.6 to 0.7% and a microbial safe pH of 3.3 to 3.6 and enough “dirt” to provide flavor/ minerals. ,,,, ie look for flavor with high enough acid that you want to spit it out ,,, or add sugar.
* Option two if you don’t have “no sugar“ juice, is to add a frozen concentrated juice to make something like dragons blood. This will ferment so it will need to be under air lock.
* Option three is to add chemicals, ie acid blend to get pH and TA, yeast energizer, dap, glycerine or gum Arabic (for body) and KoolAid

I put all the ingredients in the 6 gallon fermintor. filled up the water a bit and realised that it was a 1 gallon kit. . . We have reached experimental territory now. . . So at this point I'm not sure if it's any good or not. I'm going to continue on with this experiment. . . Not sure if it will taste watered down or not.
Anyone have any suggestions?

a fun learning curve, when finished you will be able to call yourself a food formulator.

 

[joeswine]

If you think all has failed , try adding an acholo based extraction from ( Olive Nation) that will give your acholo base a decent flavor and over time work for you. Really

 

[wood1954]

I’ve gone to screw cap bottles, much easier and faster

 

[hounddawg]

I’ve gone to screw cap bottles, much easier and faster

i tried 28 mm caps a few years ago, they work, but do not allow for micro oxygen, and the poly cone 28 mm caps were expensive, i did Flor corks, but had to be stacked so cork was in contact with cork, now using monacroc select 900 #9 x 1 3/4, now i have found where to buy nomacroc resereva good for 25 years, so once i have burned through the 400 plus i have on hand,,, i'm going back with both Flor cork and nomacrock reserva,,,,
Dawg

 

[Terryfirma]

I love country wine-making! My Grandparents used Balloon fermentation.
Wine making has happened for thousands of years, without all the equipment and devices and kits
There are better yeasts out there- but the old methods work too. Kits are good for a controlled product- but it you are adventuresome and have access to fruits, you can expand your fun.