OK I touched on the problem in intro's (I'm new) so here is the full post. Last year I made a crab apple wine with instructions from wine store. Prior to this I had made 4 "kits" 2 red 2 white all cellar classics I believe. I am now an expert n'est pas? Here is my record.
Looking to make 5 gal.
Froze 20 lbs crab apples, thawed and mashed (still have blisters)
10 oz white grape concentrate
sugar, campden tablet, yeast nutrient, pectin enzyme power, water added everything instructed, covered waited 24 hrs @ temperature added yeast.
Stired must daily kept temp constant for 5-7 days.
Sept 28 started
Sept 29 added yeast
Oct 4 SG 1.020
Oct 8 SG 1.014 (rack to carboy)
Oct 20 SG 0.996 (added bentonite after racking)
Nov 1 rack wine (add 1 campden tablet 1/2 tsp stabilizer)
stir 3 times a day for 3 days
Add finings
Nov 16 rack to fermentor and then bottled. I suspect this was my downfall bottled way to early Instructions were very exact up to adding finings then it just said if clear add conditioner to sweeten and add antioxident. Stir well and bottle.
From what I gather here (reading posts) racking can be done monthly for 3-4 months. Rack to carboy and leave for 5-6 months then rack and bottle. Leaving about 9-10 months from start to bottling. Not my 6 week rush.
I want to do another batch this year but do not want to waste all this energy if I am going to mess it up. I can always to that again but if I know where I may have erred I can reduce my chances of screwin up.
I am OCD on sterilizing everything so do not think this is the issue.
Looking to make 5 gal.
Froze 20 lbs crab apples, thawed and mashed (still have blisters)
10 oz white grape concentrate
sugar, campden tablet, yeast nutrient, pectin enzyme power, water added everything instructed, covered waited 24 hrs @ temperature added yeast.
Stired must daily kept temp constant for 5-7 days.
Sept 28 started
Sept 29 added yeast
Oct 4 SG 1.020
Oct 8 SG 1.014 (rack to carboy)
Oct 20 SG 0.996 (added bentonite after racking)
Nov 1 rack wine (add 1 campden tablet 1/2 tsp stabilizer)
stir 3 times a day for 3 days
Add finings
Nov 16 rack to fermentor and then bottled. I suspect this was my downfall bottled way to early Instructions were very exact up to adding finings then it just said if clear add conditioner to sweeten and add antioxident. Stir well and bottle.
From what I gather here (reading posts) racking can be done monthly for 3-4 months. Rack to carboy and leave for 5-6 months then rack and bottle. Leaving about 9-10 months from start to bottling. Not my 6 week rush.
I want to do another batch this year but do not want to waste all this energy if I am going to mess it up. I can always to that again but if I know where I may have erred I can reduce my chances of screwin up.
I am OCD on sterilizing everything so do not think this is the issue.