How many wine makers do we have here?

[kuntrygirl]

I unearthed my dandelion wine today, that I started last April. It's interesting, I'll say that. It's clear, fairly dry and VERY strong. Someone said wine can't go above 18%. This has to be 50%, lol. It's tasty though and has lingering notes of herbs. I'll have to mix it with something because I simply can't drink wine that strong. It's a sipper. I can't even drink what's in that glass straight, maybe with an ice cube.

VERY nice pic! That pic looks like it should be on a greeting card. So it's THAT strong? WOW! I have never had dandelion wine before.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I read the directions on the wine yeast and I'm confused. I need to do more reading.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I should add, on the topic of yeast types, that I used cotes-du-rhone yeast on the dandelion wine. I personally do not trust bread yeast. My sister got severely sick on a dandelion wine once that I suspect was made with bread yeast. You see a lot of pictures of dandelion wine that is finished and milky-colored, looks like cloudy honey. Foraging for wine and going all rustic and out-of-the-cupboard is all well and good but you have to be careful.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I should add, on the topic of yeast types, that I used cotes-du-rhone yeast on the dandelion wine.  I personally do not trust bread yeast.  My sister got severely sick on a dandelion wine once that I suspect was made with bread yeast.  You see a lot of pictures of dandelion wine that is finished and milky-colored, looks like cloudy honey.   Foraging for wine and going all rustic and out-of-the-cupboard is all well and good but you have to be careful. 

True. That's why I'm researching and learning more about the wine yeasts. I have a batch of strawberry waiting but I have to do some more reading on how to mix and when to add the wine yeast. I don't want to mess up this 5 gallon bucket.

With the active yeast, I simply added in 3 packs with the sugar and rest of the mixture and stirred. It looks like with the wine yeast you have to do all kinds of other stuff, so I will have to be sure when to put it in. :/

 

[Totalcolour]

but you can also get super tolerant yeast that can hold out to 21%+ if feed enough nutriants..

I've never heard of wine going that high without fortification. Even added nutrients won't do it. 18 is about as high as it will go. And that's plenty for most folk

I unearthed my dandelion wine today, that I started last April. It's interesting, I'll say that. It's clear, fairly dry and VERY strong. Someone said wine can't go above 18%. This has to be 50%, lol. It's tasty though and has lingering notes of herbs. I'll have to mix it with something because I simply can't drink wine that strong. It's a sipper. I can't even drink what's in that glass straight, maybe with an ice cube.

You can only get that high an alcohol content with either fortification, or distillation. Wine yeasts are alcohol intolerant - some yeasts die at lower tolerance than others. A typical Prise de Mousse can go to about 16-18 if you are lucky and you make the right offerings to the wine god!

Seriously, yeast is very touchy. Here's a link to a good place to find out all the sensory effects, and alcohol tolerances of wine yeast, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff.
http://www.lallemandwine.us/products/yeast_chart.php

Gorgeous photo BTW!

True. That's why I'm researching and learning more about the wine yeasts. I have a batch of strawberry waiting but I have to do some more reading on how to mix and when to add the wine yeast. I don't want to mess up this 5 gallon bucket.

With the active yeast, I simply added in 3 packs with the sugar and rest of the mixture and stirred. It looks like with the wine yeast you have to do all kinds of other stuff, so I will have to be sure when to put it in.

It's often a good idea to rehydrate your yeast before use. Just add it to a 100 ml or so of dilute orange juice and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then pitch as usual. Oh, and if you use K-meta or Campden, pitch your yeast the day AFTER you ad the Campden tabs.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I've never heard of wine going that high without fortification. Even added nutrients won't do it. 18 is about as high as it will go. And that's plenty for most folk

You can only get that high an alcohol content with either fortification, or distillation. Wine yeasts are alcohol intolerant - some yeasts die at lower tolerance than others. A typical Prise de Mousse can go to about 16-18 if you are lucky and you make the right offerings to the wine god!

Seriously, yeast is very touchy. Here's a link to a good place to find out all the sensory effects, and alcohol tolerances of wine yeast, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff.
http://www.lallemandwine.us/products/yeast_chart.php

Gorgeous photo BTW!
It's often a good idea to rehydrate your yeast before use. Just add it to a 100 ml or so of dilute orange juice and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then pitch as usual. Oh, and if you use K-meta or Campden, pitch your yeast the day AFTER you ad the Campden tabs.

I was being facetious, sorry. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor that doesn't translate over the internet.

 

[gmendoza]

well my wine I used:

frozen grape juice, the kind in those cardboard canny things in the frozen isle.
brown sugar
yeast, preferrably wine yeast, but regular yeast works as well

Git one empty gallon milk jug and wash thuroughly, then git a mess ( about a 1/4 cup) of brown sugar and pour sugar into the milk jug with an old oil funnel. *the most important thing to remember..wipe and wash out all that oil from the funnel!!

Next, git another mess ( 1/4 cup) of brown sugar into a bowl and then git a deal (a teaspoon) full of yeast and pour on top of sugar in bowl. add warm water to bowl and let set for a spell ( approx 1/2 hour)

when that stuff has foamed after a spell (1/2 hour) then git yer but up and put that bowl stuff into the gallon jug with that oil funnel.

now go to the freezer and git out 3-4 of those cardboard canny grape juice deals, or if you got yer own grapes, then mash with feets and straign with an old wife beaters shirt, or an old used but kleen snotty hankerchief ( hopefully its wershed.)

then pour all straigned juice into gallon jug. when gallon jug filled, then grab ahold of jug,cap jug ( i learned this the hard way after being purple for a day or two) and shake jug.

then you need to have an air valve. either you can git a baloon with some duct tape to seal it on the top of the jug,without cap. or you can go to wally-world and go down the fish ilse and by an air valvefor 3 dollars or so. then git back home and puncture a hole big enough to fit that valve stem in.

when done, tuck jug under shelf in the dark corner in the back and wait 30 days. open, sniff first, then drink.

if not tasty, dont toss. just use this mash to make moonshine. if you have an electric stove (not gas,and no gas burners), and a teapot, and some copperwire, and a large ice thermos, youre almost red-eye to make moonshine indoors!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

well my wine I used:

frozen grape juice, the kind in those cardboard canny things in the frozen isle.
brown sugar
yeast, preferrably wine yeast, but regular yeast works as well

Git one empty gallon milk jug and wash thuroughly, then git a mess ( about a 1/4 cup) of brown sugar and pour sugar into the milk jug with an old oil funnel. *the most important thing to remember..wipe and wash out all that oil from the funnel!!

Next, git another mess ( 1/4 cup) of brown sugar into a bowl and then git a deal (a teaspoon) full of yeast and pour on top of sugar in bowl. add warm water to bowl and let set for a spell ( approx 1/2 hour)

when that stuff has foamed after a spell (1/2 hour) then git yer but up and put that bowl stuff into the gallon jug with that oil funnel.

now go to the freezer and git out 3-4 of those cardboard canny grape juice deals, or if you got yer own grapes, then mash with feets and straign with an old wife beaters shirt, or an old used but kleen snotty hankerchief ( hopefully its wershed.)

then pour all straigned juice into gallon jug. when gallon jug filled, then grab ahold of jug,cap jug ( i learned this the hard way after being purple for a day or two) and shake jug.

then you need to have an air valve. either you can git a baloon with some duct tape to seal it on the top of the jug,without cap. or you can go to wally-world and go down the fish ilse and by an air valvefor 3 dollars or so. then git back home and puncture a hole big enough to fit that valve stem in.

when done, tuck jug under shelf in the dark corner in the back and wait 30 days. open, sniff first, then drink.

if not tasty, dont toss. just use this mash to make moonshine. if you have an electric stove (not gas,and no gas burners), and a teapot, and some copperwire, and a large ice thermos, youre almost red-eye to make moonshine indoors!!!

Hey you. I haven't see you for a while. How ya been? Good to see you.

I have been watching you tube videos and have read that people use grape juice and I want to try that next. Thanks for posting.

 

[Totalcolour]

I was being facetious, sorry. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor that doesn't translate over the internet.

Oops , my mistake! Your description of it makes it sound really delicious.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Anyone make muscadine wine?