How many wine makers do we have here?

[Totalcolour]

Oh, and feeding, for those who asked. The bottles have a malolactic starter to ensure that the grape wines undergo malolactic fermentation. This isn't necessary for fruit wines. But we ALWAYS use nutrients in our wines.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Someone was selling a crusher on Craigslist in my area but it was too expensive. I have been using my juicer to juice the fruit and then I pour the juice and the pulp in my bucket.


How long does it take vines to produce grapes? I bought some vines this year but I know it won't be for another 2 years that I see grapes. :/

If you freeze your fruit first, then thaw it and crush (squish) you will get more juice from it. When "things' are frozen, the water in them, especially fruit, expands and breaks the cell wall. So then when you thaw it out, the juice is more readily expelled.

Thank you for thay tip!!! I will try that next time.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Who all has a wine rack(s)?

Gotta have a wine rack! We make ten gallon batches so we need a lot of room for storage. This is some we did. Fruit wines in background and Cabernet in buckets Bottle tree and bottling gadget.

I'm in love!!!!!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Oh, and feeding, for those who asked. The bottles have a malolactic starter to ensure that the grape wines undergo malolactic fermentation. This isn't necessary for fruit wines. But we ALWAYS use nutrients in our wines.

Awesome! Thank you for posting everything!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I make wine from the combined fruit that I grow on my place.  My first attempt was a few years back with concord grapes.  Initially it tasted like pooh, but after a couple years in the bottle, it was exceptionally smooth and fruity.  I made a Chardonnay 2 years ago for my oldest daughters wedding, and still have a bottle or 2 left.  I also make mead from my own honey, as well as brew beer from grains.  The chickens love the spent beer grains.  It is a win win all around. 

I bet that was delicious. I wish that I could keep a bottle thay long. Lol

 

[Canieldonrad]

Well I believe my first mead has become stuck... but it tasted pretty nasty with all of the acid/tannin I put in. Good news is my second batch, with the Brood/Pollen/Honey Comb included is down to 1.000 already.


Looks pretty nasty, I'm guessing no amount of clarification will clear this one up

It looks a lot A LOT like orange juice. With hefty amount of pulp.

I have a feeling the brood were juiced after being in there that long. So the milky color my stay forever.

 

[Totalcolour]

Well I believe my first mead has become stuck... but it tasted pretty nasty with all of the acid/tannin I put in. Good news is my second batch, with the Brood/Pollen/Honey Comb included is down to 1.000 already.


Looks pretty nasty, I'm guessing no amount of clarification will clear this one up

It looks a lot A LOT like orange juice. With hefty amount of pulp.

I have a feeling the brood were juiced after being in there that long. So the milky color my stay forever.

Not impossible. Can you get hold of some Sparkaloid? I have used it to good account on several "impossible" wines and ended up with some nice clear wines. Or try Bentonite, although that does leave a "big" sediment and you'd lose quite a bit of wine. With Bentonite, you don't need to filter, and although it says you should with Sparkaloid, I've bottled it without filtration.

We have a "filtering machine" which can can go from rough to sterile with different pads. It's the way we go now since we make a lot of wine.

Finally, let it sit. You may be surprised at how clear it will become after months (or even years) go by. It will have to be racked, but they often do clear. Even if it does not become completely clear, it would be drinkable. Lots of people in my country (England) drink it cloudy and some even win awards (based on taste!)

Good luck

 

[Canieldonrad]

Not impossible. Can you get hold of some Sparkaloid? I have used it to good account on several "impossible" wines and ended up with some nice clear wines. Or try Bentonite, although that does leave a "big" sediment and you'd lose quite a bit of wine. With Bentonite, you don't need to filter, and although it says you should with Sparkaloid, I've bottled it without filtration.

We have a "filtering machine" which can can go from rough to sterile with different pads. It's the way we go now since we make a lot of wine.

Finally, let it sit. You may be surprised at how clear it will become after months (or even years) go by. It will have to be racked, but they often do clear. Even if it does not become completely clear, it would be drinkable. Lots of people in my country (England) drink it cloudy and some even win awards (based on taste!)

Good luck

You are lucky, I can't seem to find any of the good English Meads anymore. Lurgashall is by and far my favorite. Haven't seen it for over a year here. But I guess its the price to pay now that we get most English and French Ciders here.


I use Liquor Quik Super Kleer. Just not sure how well it will do at filtering out brood juice. Never really had to clear out brood juice. haha

 

[Totalcolour]

You are lucky, I can't seem to find any of the good English Meads anymore. Lurgashall is by and far my favorite. Haven't seen it for over a year here. But I guess its the price to pay now that we get most English and French Ciders here.


I use Liquor Quik Super Kleer. Just not sure how well it will do at filtering out brood juice. Never really had to clear out brood juice. haha

I'm not in England anymore. Sigh. I've only made mead from honey we have purchased in gallon buckets, so don't know about brood juice. It sounds painful!

 

[Canieldonrad]

I'm not in England anymore. Sigh. I've only made mead from honey we have purchased in gallon buckets, so don't know about brood juice. It sounds painful!

Well not a lot of people do what I did. Me and my dad have read books published on beekeeping in ancient civilizations. Just about every culture that has raised bees and made alcohol did so with honey. Often times with the entire hive, bees and larva included. I decided I wanted to try that method. So I cut sections of our comb out to get brood, pollen and capped honey(which I uncapped). The brood and pollen where the majority of what I used. And the drone brood was extra juicy when I added them(some were hatching as I cut them out).

But you never know, its hard to imagine that pectin can ever be released but it can be very easily.

I'm kind of glad we are beekeepers, using 6 full quart jars of honey of the quality I used would easily set me back $120.