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If I order several of the fresh juice kits is it possible to refreeze some of them upon receipt so I can make them one at a time? James

I purchased a Vinebrite filter earlier in the year. I'm just starting to use it on the MM Limited Edition kits I started in Jan. and Feb. My wine appears to be clear but I filter about 1/3 of the carboy and it justquits. I assume i am stopping up the pad. Is that normal? Do ya'll normally...

Is there any reason the LaBodega Port should not be filtered before bottling? I have never filtered but I have wanted to start for some time. The MM Amarone kit directions recommend it (filtering)but it is not mentioned in the LaBodega directions. I didn't know if the addition of the F pack had...

Are potassium meta and sodium meta completely interchangable in wine making and sanitizing? James

I've always enjoyed the quotes that many of you have at the bottom of your posts ("Adopt the pace of nature..."). I received a book for Christmas, "Wine Accross America", a photographic road trip by Charles O'Rear. I ran accross this poem that I thought was particularly good. Back of this Wine...

I'm sure if I needed to be doing certain tests on the kit wine I've been making then these tests would be part of the instructions. However, I amcurious if testing sulfite levels before bottlling to get it just right is a good idea? There seem to be variables on the addition of k meta depending...

Started my first port kit last night (MM La Bodega). Any specialtricks for this kit to make it better or at least as good as possible? Also, do you who have done Port before bottle it in 750ml bottles or in smaller bottles? When you open a bottle of Port, does it go "bad" as quickly as wine...

Could anyone recommend a web site(s) for general wine research/knowledge. Some of the wine kits I have ordered - Barolo,Valpolacelli,Sangiovese - are not very familiar to me. I would love to know a little about the vintage so when I share it with friends and family I can act like I know...

I have always followed kit instructions when adding sulfites. Lately I have picked up on posts saying that if you bulk age your wine over 2 months then you should add more sulfite. I am on a 4 month turn with my wine. I bulk age for two months, rack, then bulk age for two more months, then...

MM Meglioli LE Cabernet sel Veneto Pitched the yeast per instructions exactly one week a go. Recorded SG at 1.092 and must temp about 73 degrees F. It took a full 2 days before there were any signs of fermentation and then when it did start it was slow/ not very active. Now at day 7 SG is...

Has anyone had any experience with figs? There many around here in south Alabama and they are ripe. I read a post sometime a go about adding bananas during fermintation to give the wine body. I was thinking figs would be an excellent "twang" ingredient.Figs aresweet andtheir flavors are very...

I met a retired Dr. from Mobile this weekend. He purchased land in this area and built a house and lake on it. He heard from common friends that I made wine and he informed me that he had planted several vines of grapes and they would be ripe soon and we needed to make wine. I tried to tell him...

Have not posted in a while so just thought I would update my wine making activities. Started my first MM Masters Edition Sun. (Pinot Grigio). I had fermentation starting 12 hours after pitching the yeast. Now it is really smokin' (figure of speech) and the raisons are plump and floating...

How many of you much more experienced wine makers filter your wine before bottling? If you do, when do you do it,what proceedure do you follow, and what equipment do you use? Generally, what are the pros and cons. Thanks, James

Does anyone ever, at some point in the wine making process, step down to the 5 gal carboy as oppossed to topping up or adding marbles? Marbles work of course though I'll soon need a wheel barrow to keep them in, and they are just one more thing to clean. Waste is a factor also with the 5 gal...

I started MM Old Vines Zin Sat. am. as per directions. As of lunch today I have almost no fermentation. Other kits have been fairly active by this time. With this kit I put the yeast in warm water per instructions so I thought this might get kicked off a little quicker. Temp when I started was...

I have had my Australian Gren/Mouv. in the secondary for 19 days. A little long I know but I thought it was OK. I stirred and added sorbate, meta, and chitosen as per directions. SG was stable at .998. It was moderately foamy when I stirred. Topped up and air locked. Checked this morning before...

This recipe is adopted from a recipe for salt water catfish. Put about half the styrofoam peanuts from a kit shipment in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle liberally with soy sauce, and some cajun seasoning. Mix well and while this is marinating, start a fire on the grill. Take a cedar...

When racking wine, should I let the hose go to the bottom of the carboy and let the carboy fill up from the botttom so it doesn't splash? I have kept the hose out of the carboy on purpose, barely inserting it through the top and letting the wine splash in. What's the best way?

I just added oak to kit I am bulk aging(Crushindo Syrah). When I remove the oak spiral in a few weeks, is it necessary to rack the wine again at that time or can I just let it be? I plan on aging this one in the carboy for several more months and I always rack to my primary for bottling.