Paper Chromatography Test

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View attachment 36320
Now that's more like it

See, a bluish midnight green where the samples were dabbed, the rest a nice kelly green. Looking like you are pretty darn far along in my opinion. Eagles fans are more passionate and smarter, so these test things are just an easy exercise. Too bad they have that yellow color in there, reminds me of the other PA team, too bad it couldn't be silver or something.
 
Smarter relating to the X's and O's of football. My brothers and I split season tix since I was a teenager back at the Vet. Way up top with the cavemen. We loved it then. Sundays are sacred.
Years later ive a different perspective. Football knowledge? Yes. Draft analysis? You bet. Player's personal info for witty and knowledgeable heckling? Nobody comes close (I was known for doing research solely for heckling)
But The tailgate idiots and drunkenness are the worst. The games really bring out the worst type of fans. The stunads who only care about getting drunk. They really make it less enjoyable. We gave up our tix up around 2012. The games are better on tv anyway.
And even though I grew up seeing all types of shenanigans, I probably would not take my daughter to a game. On the other hand Phillies games have a great family atmosphere.
Steelers fans are a pain in the a** too. And that god awful accent when they say "Stillrs" or "rawtholsbrger" makes me cringe! I'm sure you deal with em a lot near Harrisburg. I do love Pittsburg tho. Spent a couple weekends there and caught ballgames. Truly a Great town
Look what you made me do! Talking malo bacteria somehow turned to football. I'm easily distracted.
I think I'll test again in a couple weeks and then stabilize with k-meta.
Btw did you check your so2 levels of the grapes or juice? I made no sulphite additions and both were right about 50 free ppm. Which tells me 2 things: Those k-meta pads on the grapes work very well. And VP-41 is a helluva culture! (The So2 levels and Also worked in spite of low pH 3.1 juice and 3.2 grape)
 
Steve what were the batches that you added ML? Your chroma paper pic lost some quality on the upload. Tough to read the bottom

The first one after the tartaric, malic, lactic,
1) merlot in a 15 gallon demi
2) merlot in a 4 gallon carboy,
3) merlot in a half gallon jug
(all the merlots were fermented together in one batch)
4) carmenere in a 6 gallon carboy and
5) last one is a chardonnay. The chardonnay i am not putting thru mlf but i
thought id throw it on there since i had the room....
 
Gotchya. Where did you find a 4 gal carboy?? I've been in the lookout for one

Oh I see what you did there. The Demi, a carboy and a jug. All for the same batch. That's a pain. The Demi is actually 14.25 gal or so right? I have the same ones 54 liter. My fall supplier works great since they sell 5 gallon juice. 6 gallon seems to throw a wrench in the gears.
I'm gonna have to figure out how many grapes I'll need to fill one in September.
 
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Smarter relating to the X's and O's of football. My brothers and I split season tix since I was a teenager back at the Vet. Way up top with the cavemen. We loved it then. Sundays are sacred.
Years later ive a different perspective. Football knowledge? Yes. Draft analysis? You bet. Player's personal info for witty and knowledgeable heckling? Nobody comes close (I was known for doing research solely for heckling)
But The tailgate idiots and drunkenness are the worst. The games really bring out the worst type of fans. The stunads who only care about getting drunk. They really make it less enjoyable. We gave up our tix up around 2012. The games are better on tv anyway.
And even though I grew up seeing all types of shenanigans, I probably would not take my daughter to a game. On the other hand Phillies games have a great family atmosphere.
Steelers fans are a pain in the a** too. And that god awful accent when they say "Stillrs" or "rawtholsbrger" makes me cringe! I'm sure you deal with em a lot near Harrisburg. I do love Pittsburg tho. Spent a couple weekends there and caught ballgames. Truly a Great town
Look what you made me do! Talking malo bacteria somehow turned to football. I'm easily distracted.
I think I'll test again in a couple weeks and then stabilize with k-meta.
Btw did you check your so2 levels of the grapes or juice? I made no sulphite additions and both were right about 50 free ppm. Which tells me 2 things: Those k-meta pads on the grapes work very well. And VP-41 is a helluva culture! (The So2 levels and Also worked in spite of low pH 3.1 juice and 3.2 grape)

Sad that the atmosphere in the parking lot is that bad, would love to take my family if I had the $$. But after that witness I'd think twice about it.

Agree with P-burg fans, very prevalent in Harrisburg region. My best friend growing up was an Eagles and Phillies phanatic, rest of his family were P-burg fans (originally from Ashtabula OH). I don't know how he put up with them to be honest. There are a quite a few where I work, but there are some very savy Eagles fans which makes it kinda fun most days, especially in the Fall.

No, I didn't measure the SO2 levels, I'm cheap and haven't bought a rig yet to measure it. Will purchase one before I get a barrel since it is so important to making good wine. Amazed the levels were as high as you measured. Might be why some here had issues last Spring, even with VP-41. I think Boatboy Jim normally adds some Kmeta to his grapes before adding Lallzyme and eventually yeast. Could explain why he had issues.

I'm using CH16 (I think) and it is slowly bubbling away just fine, but I don't ever add Kmeta (except maybe my first batch in April/May 2015) up front since the grapes are usually in great condition (from the added Kmeta pads, I'm sure).
 
No, I didn't measure the SO2 levels, I'm cheap and haven't bought a rig yet to measure it. Will purchase one before I get a barrel since it is so important to making good wine. Amazed the levels were as high as you measured. .

I don't have a rig either. I know myself pretty good though, and I'm sure I'll invest in the vinmetrica 300 within a year.
I've been using the titrettes for a couple years now. Not crazy expensive, but they add up. A 10 pack I get for $18. I assume they're accurate. Individually pre-loaded with solution so all you need to do is slowly suck up a sample. At the color change you just flip it over and read the level. It tests "free ppm" not "total ppm".

IMG_0440.jpg

IMG_0441.jpg
 
Gotchya. Where did you find a 4 gal carboy?? I've been in the lookout for one

Oh I see what you did there. The Demi, a carboy and a jug. All for the same batch. That's a pain. The Demi is actually 14.25 gal or so right? I have the same ones 54 liter. My fall supplier works great since they sell 5 gallon juice. 6 gallon seems to throw a wrench in the gears.
I'm gonna have to figure out how many grapes I'll need to fill one in September.

Yes the demi is actually 54 liters or 14.25 gallons.

The 4 gallon carboy that i was referring to is a 4 gallon water bottle that is sold at sams club. It is pretty much like a better bottle with the same recycle code. I saw a post somewhere here where they mentioned them and had a bunch of them they were using for bulk storage.
 
Small world! Well northeast is huge, yet everyone ends up knowing the same people if ya play the name game long enough. Whereabouts are you from? I grew up in Holmesburg, and Bustleton (folks still there.) Then bought a house in Mayfair in 06'. Unfortunately the Neighborhoods have all changed. I've since crossed the river to south jersey, living in Suburbia, USA!
And Sea Isle City for much of the summer. Memorial Day cannot come any sooner!
 
Well, for people from the area but not from Philly, I usually say "Mayfair." To people from Philly, I usually say "Holmesburg." But not strictly. I grew up near Holme Circle, in Winchester Park. I am sitting here at my sister's house in Winchester Park as we speak!

Small world, indeed!
 
We almost walked the halls together. Just a short 20 yrs separating us! I was one neighborhood over at BVM and Judge 01'.
With this HS connection I hope you know I'll be expecting special treatment! Alas, it's been a long day for me. (Oral surgery) though I'll be picking your brain soon enough. Cheers
 
Here are the results of my second test. Looks like its moving along pretty good. What you guys think of how much longer? The first test was done May 16. The only thing i did different is that i made the samples a bit smaller than the first one and i also left out the chardonnay on the second. Here are both...

image1 (19).JPG

image1 (20).JPG
 
I just tasted all my wine and i must say i am very impressed with them all! They seem very smooth for this point! Guess the malo is working! lol. The only minor off taste is what i believe to be gas, as this wine really was not degassed fully.

My last paper chrom test, about 2 weeks ago, showed malo was near completion. Im planning on testing again at the end of this week which will bring me to 3 weeks since last test. I know some here say to wait a few more weeks to a month after the test shows complete, but is there really any harm to just moving forward if there is slight malic left? Thanks!
 
the only harm would be not converting 100% of all the malic acid. Potentially having a wine that could have tasted even better.
But I think it's common practice to run partial MLF leaving some malic on purpose if it compliments the wine.
Now knowing when and when not to do that is another story. No clue. If it tastes good and your happy with it I say go with it. Why not. It's your wine. Plus you could already be 100% done anyway.
I ran MLF for the 1st time also on 2 Chilean reds. And I'm very thrilled with how great they're tasting in just 6 weeks. Is this the wine you just oaked? The merlot?
(Bumping this thread just brought back the nightmare memory of my first chroma test. Good god).
 
the only harm would be not converting 100% of all the malic acid. Potentially having a wine that could have tasted even better.
But I think it's common practice to run partial MLF leaving some malic on purpose if it compliments the wine.
Now knowing when and when not to do that is another story. No clue. If it tastes good and your happy with it I say go with it. Why not. It's your wine. Plus you could already be 100% done anyway.
I ran MLF for the 1st time also on 2 Chilean reds. And I'm very thrilled with how great they're tasting in just 6 weeks. Is this the wine you just oaked? The merlot?
(Bumping this thread just brought back the nightmare memory of my first chroma test. Good god).

No, i have not oaked it yet, so it should get even better! I usually oak after the second rack before i put it down for bulk aging. So this batch im going to wait until im finished with mlf. I will then rack and degass with the all in one pump, add the oak spirals, and move it to basement to bulk age.

Mine is also Chilean and about 6 weeks too! 7 to be exact.
 
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What the heck? I did a test yesterday hoping it mlf would be complete since the last test on Jun 2 showed closed to finished. This test looks as if there is no improvement, in fact the one done 3 weeks ago looks better....After the last test i stopped stirring. I wonder if i should still be stirring? How about more nutrient? Here are the tests from yesterday and Jun 2. Thanks!

image1 (21).JPG

image2 (5).JPG
 

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