How many wine makers do we have here?

[Totalcolour]

When in the primary, (white bucket) i leave my lid loose after pitching the yeast. i stir it very gently every day for a week. Then rack into the secondary, that is when you need the airlock. I have done it that way for a long time and never had a problem. When I started making wine, that is the way my instructions read and I have been doing it like that ever since. Most of my wine sartsw from juice. I finished a batch of strawberry wine last year, from fruit, that turned out excellent. I know everyone has different methods. Good luck with your batch. There is a good website, www.how-to-make-wine.net, he will want you to join. I never did join but I get some very informative emails from him.

Umm, actually his occupation is "REALTOR".
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mike_Carraway

I'm not saying he doesn't know how to make homemade wine, but he is NOT a "PROFESSIONAL" winemaker.

You are right, everyone has their own methods, even different countries vary in their methods and standards. So, if your method is working for you, go for it.

I add posts so that people new to the winemaking hobby would get off to a good start, before venturing out into "experimentation" or trying a method that is not an industry standard. (At least by this country's standards)

My only credentials are these:

I worked in a premium winery in the Napa valley for several years, and was Married to the V.P and winemaker of that winery for over 15 years. I have been making wine for many years myself, and although I don't consider myself a "PROFESSIONAL" winemaker (yet), I do know a quite a bit about winemaking. (Our "winery" is still in the planning stages

)

This award was for a Dry Nectarine Wine


There were for Orange, Peach, Pear, Melon and Nectarine

Best of luck to EVERYONE in their wine-making endeavours!
​

Some good winemaking books for the novice:
This is free and downloadable
http://www.4shared.com/document/XquJUZE6/First_Steps_in_Winemaking.html

And these additional sources: these are my "go-to" books for all things wine.
Amerine and Singleton, "Wine, an introduction for Americans". University of California Press.

"Winemaking Basics" C.S. Ough, DSc, MS (Dr. Ough was a faculty member of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of Califonia at Davis for 41 years.

"The Complete Handbook of Winemaking" - the American Wine Society

 

[ladyrsanti]

I'm a winemaker!

The tradition goes way back in my family on the Italian side. My great grandfather used to make wine and possibly stronger (though it was never discussed) during the prohibition and would cater to the local law enforcement. My grandfather and mother were both winemakers as well. I started by collecting my grandfather's extra grapes (about two bushels per year) and making wine out of that. Then I planted my own grapes and had a loaded peach tree and used those but now that we recently moved (again) and have no access to bushels of grapes I made some dandelion and will probably buy some concentrate this fall to keep my carboys filled. An empty carboy is a sad carboy.

 

[Totalcolour]

I hope that anyone who read my last post is not offended, because that certainly wasn't my intent.

The issue here, is, that anyone can put up a website and make claims about anything they like, as long as it isn't regulated by the Government; for example, doctors and lawyers.

So, anyone can make a site, write books (most are self published or from a "vanity" presses) and claim to be experts, all the while collecting money form people who believe their claims. As a designer, I could make a site and make those same claims myself.

So, I would encourage anyone who visits a site, to check into the credentials of that person making those claims. All I had to do to find out about Mike Carraway, was to type in the words "Mike Carraway winemaker" into my Google search and I immediately found out who he was. I'm sure he is very good at what he does. He may be incredibly knowledgeable about wine-making, but for myself, I prefer to trust those whose living "DEPENDS" on their expertise, i.e., professional winemakers.

I would not go to a plumber for advice about medical issues, nor go to a chef and ask about divorce matters.

Find a good source for your information, and as my "Most Glorious Spousal Unit" always tells me

"TRUST, BUT VERIFY"

​

 

[Totalcolour]

I'm a winemaker!

. . . but now that we recently moved (again) and have no access to bushels of grapes I made some dandelion and will probably buy some concentrate this fall to keep my carboys filled. An empty carboy is a sad carboy.

Go for it "wine-maker"

You are right, an empty carboy is a very sad thing. I have too many sitting here. So, I think I must make farewells and hit the farmers market (we raise livestock and poultry, so no veggies and fruit) for some stuff to make wine.

Apart from being "less expensive" (we NEVER use the word "cheap") than commercial wine, there's something so satisfying about making one's own wine. Sort of like baking from scratch. The smell of homemade bread drifting from the kitchen - oooh!

Any when ever we have company, they always ask about the heavenly smell that is the fermenting wine.

Carpe Vinum!​

 

[codechicken1]

You certainly have the knowledge! I am fairly new at it, so I will ask your advice. My wine has been a bit strong, even after sitting for a few months.again, my process is first to add the nutrient and Campdne tabs, wait at least 24 hours then pitch the yeast. Stir gently for a week, transfer to secondary with airlock. let site fo rthree weeks, rack, let sit for five weeks then bottle. I have a hard time waiting but even after several months the alcohol smell is pretty strong. any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Totalcolour]

You certainly have the knowledge! I am fairly new at it, so I will ask your advice. My wine has been a bit strong, even after sitting for a few months.again, my process is first to add the nutrient and Campdne tabs, wait at least 24 hours then pitch the yeast. Stir gently for a week, transfer to secondary with airlock. let site fo rthree weeks, rack, let sit for five weeks then bottle. I have a hard time waiting but even after several months the alcohol smell is pretty strong. any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Well, it's really hard to say without actually smelling/tasting it. So, how does it make you feel when you drink it? Do you get giddy faster than drinking commercial wines? If so, then you are making a stronger wine.

From your method, I would hazard a guess that the fermentation isn't quite complete. You can't really stick to a timetable like the one you describe, since there are so many variables. Sometimes, if the weather is a bit warmer, the wine will ferment faster, slower if it's cooler. Different yeast act differentlty. The first racking should only take place after fermentation is complete. Sometimes it's longer than 3 weeks, sometimes only ten days.

Also, if the sugar hasn't been completely consumed, you could end up with a secondary fermentation sometime much later, causing a different smell.


There are only a couple of possibilities that spring to mind.

• It could be that you are using too much sugar, and actually making a very strong wine. Remember though, that even the best yeast can't make anything stronger than 18 % alcohol (the yeast die when the alcohol level gets that high).

• It may be that there are other flavours/smells that are similar to the alcohol smell and making it seem like it's very strong. Remember, the yeast smell may make you think the wine is very strong.

Also too, if you are using a very large amount of fruit per gallon, you may be finding the wine itself is strong and heavy and that wouldn't really be high alcohol; or it could be a combination of high fruit and high alcohol.

For most fruit (other than grape) you need to ameliorate the must. Typically, I use about 3-4 lbs of fruit per gallon of must. The stronger the fruit, the less I use. For raspberry, which is a very intense fruit (apart from being expensive) I use much less, and usually mix it with something like pear (which doesn't disguise the raspberry flavour) or use a honey/sugar combination for added complexity.

How are you measuring the sugar that you are adding to the must? It could also be that you actually prefer, lower alcohol wines, so perhaps you should adjust your sugar. Perhaps try a small batch with less sugar.

Finally, sometimes one racking isn't enough. I usually only rack once, and wait for 2-3 months. If the wine still isn't clear (rare, since I use a pectic enzyme for most fruits) I filter. Since I have a plate filter, I can get a really brilliant wine with very little in the way of lees. Then more waiting, and finally bottling. BTW, filtration also can help get rid of some off favours. In fact, too much filtration can strip a wine of some really nice aromas and tastes.

I don't know how much help this is; it's so hard without being able to smell/taste the wine in question.

In an earlier post, I recommended a downloadable book, and it's free. It's one of the first ones I used. It's a bit stuffy, but very helpful.

Also, the one published by the Wine Institute is really excellent.

It sounds like you are really into winemaking, so I would encourage you to get either one or both of these books.

Good luck, and keep going with it. It's really worth doing!

 

[codechicken1]

Thanks for the info. I will definitely download the book. Most of the batches I have made have been from the ready-to-go 6 gallon juice buckets. Last year, I made a batch of Strawberry from scratch, just followed the recipe, it had a slight kick. I am going to make another batch of Strawberry as we realy enjoyed it, might try adjusting the sugar as you suggested.

I talked to the local wine guy tonight from where I buy my supplies. He seems to think that I am not letting it age long enough (its too hard to let it sit). I do watch it closely as it ferments, and I wait until I no longer see any bubbles, after the recommended time. It does make us giddy much faster than commercial wine, almost has a slight burning affect when you take that first gulp (sip).

I take hydrometer readings prior to bottling. They are always at or below 1.00. I have a batch of Merlot and a batch of Syrah ready to bottle. I actually tried some of the Syrah last night, it was pretty good. The Merlot has the much stronger smell. Do you think waiting might be some of the answer? I don't want to sound like a lush, but I usually finish the batch within 4 months of bottling. (don't know why I am wasting money on corks). I guess I need to let it mellow with age.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Totalcolour]

Thanks for the info. I will definitely download the book. Most of the batches I have made have been from the ready-to-go 6 gallon juice buckets. Last year, I made a batch of Strawberry from scratch, just followed the recipe, it had a slight kick. I am going to make another batch of Strawberry as we realy enjoyed it, might try adjusting the sugar as you suggested.

I talked to the local wine guy tonight from where I buy my supplies. He seems to think that I am not letting it age long enough

Quote:

(its too hard to let it sit). I do watch it closely as it ferments, and I wait until I no longer see any bubbles, after the recommended time. It does make us giddy much faster than commercial wine, almost has a slight burning affect

Quote:
That burning effect can also be the result of young wine.

when you take that first gulp (sip).

I take hydrometer readings prior to bottling. They are always at or below 1.00. I have a batch of Merlot and a batch of Syrah ready to bottle. I actually tried some of the Syrah last night, it was pretty good. The Merlot has the much stronger smell. Do you think waiting might be some of the answer? I don't want to sound like a lush, but I usually finish the batch within 4 months of bottling. (don't know why I am wasting money on corks). I guess I need to let it mellow with age.

Thanks again for your help.

Quote:
Waiting, ESPECIALLY for grape wines is the answer. Look at the wines you buy, most of the reds are at least a year old, and more often than not, they are two years old before they go on the shelf. So drinking yours at only a few months is going to give you a pretty rough ride.

One thing you could do, if you want something to drink young, is to make a "low alcohol" type wine. Make something with only 6-9% alcohol. It will ferment very quickly, and be ready to drink much sooner, and you can have some "fermented stuff" to drink while the real wine is aging. This will really help with the waiting part - I know, it's what we do

. In fact, you can't let these wines age, they don't hold up very well.

With fruit wines, if you find they are very alcoholic, or a bit rough, try doing a spritzer with them. I made a nice dry mead last year (from some California orange blossom honey), slightly higher alcohol, but when mixed with Perrier, makes a fabulous sparkling drink, especially this time of the year when you want something a bit cooling too.

And just for fun, take a look at this site, it's British, but I think you'll get the hang of it.
http://www.thewinepages.org.uk/index.html

It is very funny, totally irreverent, and will give you a new perspective on the "ART" of making and drinking wine. I couldn't stop laughing!

 

[Jenlyn9483]

OK so I made my first batch (Cherry wine from Cherry Puree) on tuesday morning. SG was 1.09. Yesterday Morning i stirred and check SG it was 1.07 it was Very fizzy and bubbly and alive. Today i stirred and checked SG. It was 1.03 ALREADY! No where near as fizzy and bubbly as yesterday. Instructions said to stir and chk SG every day until it reached 1.03 which should be 5-7 days. Is there a reason it got there so soon? Did i do something wrong?

 

[Totalcolour]

OK so I made my first batch (Cherry wine from Cherry Puree) on tuesday morning. SG was 1.09. Yesterday Morning i stirred and check SG it was 1.07 it was Very fizzy and bubbly and alive. Today i stirred and checked SG. It was 1.03 ALREADY! No where near as fizzy and bubbly as yesterday. Instructions said to stir and chk SG every day until it reached 1.03 which should be 5-7 days. Is there a reason it got there so soon? Did i do something wrong?

I'm not sure where you are getting the instructions from, but you really shouldn't stir it every day.

Ok, this is the "abridged" version:-

When you stir it, you are adding more oxygen; this means that the yeast are multiplying, a LOT!. This is the "aerobic" phase. This is good for the first 24 hours, so the yeast can multiply to the point where they can start doing their work of actual fermentation. After that, you want the yeast to go into the "ANAEROBIC" phase. This is the phase where the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide [in approximately equal ammounts], and creates a lot of other by products which contributes to the flavour/aroma of the wine. During the "AEROBIC" phase, the yeast eat the sugar, but are using it for growth instead of alcohol conversion.

You only need to agitate the "must" [that's what the juice is called before it becomes wine] IF it doesn't start to ferment [fiz] pretty soon. Sometimes a ferment will be lazy to start with, or there are too few yeast cells, so agitation adds the oxygen needed to get it going. But after that, all you are doing, is letting the yeast eat the sugar, and multiplying, creating CO2 but no wine. That's not what you want.

Agitation for too long a period can leave you with a stuck fermentation: a low alcohol wine with a big residual sugar. A pretty bad thing.

Do check out the post post #301 of 309 - at the bottom there is information on books for the beginner. One book is downloadable and free, and will really help you to get some fine wines with very little effort. They have some really good explanations of not just how to do something, by why, and also how to fix some problems. Mind you, not all problems with wine are fixable.

Hope this helps.