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So my latest batch was the RJS Double Down white blend, that came with a f-pack (put the whole thing in per the instructions.) I'm about to bottle, and out of curiosity, I decided to check the abv..... 20.64%. It's a honey color, too. The OG was 1.165 and the FG (checked today) is 1.010. I did...

I'm bottling my next wine on Sunday using Balto (port) bottles for my latest wine. I bought the foil capsules, and they're just the tiniest bit too small to fit over the bottle. I can't seem to find any online or in the LBHS. Are there any specialty foil capsules or am I looking at potentially...

I've made two red kits, both from RJS. One was the Sangiovese Merlot blend, and the other was the Chilean Trio (Malbec, Cab, Carmenere.) I popped a bottle from my first batch I made (2018) last night. It tasted great but there was a weird faint aftertaste. If I could compare it to something, I'd...

I started a new batch today. I went through all the motions and had thought it was a six gallon kit, so I measured out as such. Well, it turned out to be a three gallon kit. So I dumped six gallon measurement worth of yeast into a three gallon batch. This is a lost cause, isn't it?

I always see nutrient demand and temperature tolerance listed on the spec page for yeasts. For instance, I'm about to make a white blend using the BA-11 strain. The nutrient demand is high, and the temperature tolerance is from 50-77 degrees Fahrenheit. This may sound like a dumb question (I've...

I'm thinking about going through MLF on my next batch of white (I've never conducted it before). I've been doing some research and I've seen some discrepancy when it comes to WHEN to begin. Some say start at 0 brix, others say to start at 5 to 8. Is there a hard and fast rule as to when to...

I'm curious. Is there a huge difference between the two? It seems as if the wine conditioner is an "all-in-one" back sweetening solution but 99% of the time, I just see SS with sorbate. Is there a certain amount where one is better over the other or does it just come down to personal...

So while I'm waiting to start my next batch of wine, I've decided to try my hand at making some Apfelwein. I plan on making a 5-gallon batch, but can't seem to find much info about the bottling. I see some people use beer or grolsch bottles, while others use growlers. Depending on if you've...

I've been thinking about my next white, and came across the Double Down White Blend. Looks like it also includes a finishing blend (which I assume is an F-pac). Has anyone taken a crack at this one?

Kinda curious to see if anyone has used red wine yeast (D254) in mead before. I know that Scottlabs mentions it's good to use with Chardonnay, but was curious how/if the higher sugar content in honey would present any challenges.

I'm thinking about moving from kits to fresh fruits (making wine, ciders, fruit wines) and building my own fruit press. There's a local business which lets you use their materials and tools for free, which easily keeps the cost down. Has anyone built their own press or have any schematics? I...

What do you call a nun that sleep walks? A roamin' Catholic.

As a foreword: I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very patient and am guilty of bottling after three or four months of bulk-aging. While those came out 'alright', I wasn't happy with the final product. My current wine, the RJS Chilean Trio has been bulk-aging for eight months now, and has...

My friend is making me a 3-gallon clay pot for me to age some wine in, but needed some dimensions; particularly for the mouth so I can fit the standard 6.5 bung. I've been seeing conflicting measurements, from 1" up to 1.5". Could I just average it and tell him to get the mouth to 1.25"?

Okay, this is a weird one. One of my coworkers asked if I ever made wine like the Greeks or Romans (clay pots). When I said no, he offered to make me a three gallon clay vessel in the shape of a carboy to try. Has anyone ever tried aging in clay pots before? If so, are there any pitfalls I...

I tasted the wine which has been bulk-aging for four months for the first time the other night. It's been aging with 4 oz of bourbon-soaked M+ Hungarian oak cubes. While I get a very slight hint of oak, it tastes like a very diluted Cab Sauv. I did have some issues with fermentation as seen in...

I just received an e-mail from MoreWine saying that they now sell FermStart and FermFed, which I've never heard of. Has anyone used these before? Based on their descriptions it sounds like they're "ramped up" versions of GoFerm and Fermaid.

I'm going on a week long vacation in a few weeks. I do have the carboy in a carboy cooling bag and place some frozen two liter soda bottles to keep it cool. However, the house gets pretty warm (no AC unfortunately, but there are ceiling fans). Once the ice melts, the bag starts smelling if you...

I typically degas then add my clarifying agents, campden, and sulfite. Today, I had a total brain fart and added everything then degassed. Did I just make a whoopsie?

Short back story: I'm originally from near the Finger Lakes region of NYS, and also lived in the NOVA wine region (boatboy represent! ;) ). They both have hybrid varietals that I absolutely love (Norton, Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc) so I want to move on from kits (mainly due to cost). Anywhoozles...