Recent content by SDO

Can you update us on your decision to add raisins for nutrients, how did that work out? Did you SNA with FermK/O and/or DAP and if so what intervals and how much? What did the mead taste like in the end, and also after bottling, aging? Any left, photos? Hope you had fun and learned, every...

Take a hydrometer/refractometer reading and compare to your last reading. If not, check lock/bung/lid for seal. Check 'expir' date on yeast, for a clue if its old. I generally over pitch (15 g total for 6 gal batches), use GoFerm, do SNA at 1,2,3 and 5-7 days, and use Lalvin 5g dry packs.

So many grapes/wines from all over the world. I often think in the northern hemisphere, particularly where some or most of the FWK is sourced and sold.

I have a rather good tasting syrah based port batch @ 35% brix going, now down to 18% brix after about 6 days. Pitch was dual, 212 10 g and 1118 10 g, all at 85 F and kept there for 3 days. Then let to cool for more smoothness, less complexity and now at 70 (room temp) F. Degassing and punch...

I have found to lower filter use/costs with the vino filter pumps, swap out the courser (upline in the filter pad sequence) while applying more clamps as well (c-type or small short slide-type) to help avoid product loss. When I do polish, I do it because I'm in a hurry. Otherwise...

Without knowing about this forum's membership, I'll go with a huge lull in spring and summer months for the average kit consumer. as for future products, Dolcetto cause it sounds so Italiano and heavy dark.

35+ years ago, made my first sparkling mead (raspberry) with some german students. ~60 years ago made my first Hires root beer with family. Past few years, kit testing, kit design in meads, supply side/industry reading, and working with fun folks. Have learned a lot, so much more to learn and...

Random searches for books, articles, research and then forums eventually. Nice tone to the forum, hope to learn a lot more from reading threads on specific topics. Tombs or large books put me to sleep :)

Other than SOP for sani and handling, your setup or others will vary. *Dry* sani corks is a biggy, and degassing via filler or transfers without O2 introduction for wines, meads not so much a matter of issue unless veggies involved. The attached image is my bottling and age racking, and...

Cold crashing helps, and is often free in the winter months in most of the world. Protect from freezing, sunlight, and then rack to 2nd-ary, topping with CO2 or Argon (food grade), sit for 6-12 months, bottle, and gift those cloudy last bottles if any to your neighbors :) Meads can be made...

I'm new, so please be gentle :) Pretty sure LP knows their market. I'm into heavy dark ports and traditional wines, some experimental too. However, I'm going to try out a couple of these new 'instant session wines' for giggles. Cheaper, fast, fills a Spring/Summer niche, more customer...