Chardonnay frozen crushed grapes

[Treeman]

I would add 1.9 gallons (7.2 L) of water without acid to get your brix and TA adjusted.

So these are the numbers that I used to make this estimate.

12 gal x3.785L/gal= 45.4 L juice

Added 4tsp (~20g ) tartaric acid so 20g/45.4L =0.44 g/L so TA is now ~0.84 g/L

I like to use brix to calc sugar dilutions. 1.108 =25.5 brix to dilute to 22 brix need to add 7.2 L of water. If you just add water, then your TA would drop to 0.73.

 

[ibglowin]

Now is the time to add it. Add 1/2 to a bucket, stir well, check SG. Add the other half as needed to bring it down to 13-13.5% ABV.

 

[geek]

Thank you guys..!!
Rushing out to buy 2gal of spring water....
What you think about the color??

 

[Treeman]

Color is fine. Once you get it adjusted probably want to get it under airlock so the color doesn't continue to brown. it will look much worse once the yeast get going and then should clear up once the yeast drop at the end of fermentation.

It seems like you have enough to do a barrel fermentation on half and do the remainder in glass carboys.

 

[geek]

Added less than a gallon to both batches, SG is now around 1.098.
If the final SG comes to .998, the final ABV would be in the 13.x% based on my math.

Correct? If so I think I am leaving it as is.....since I don't know what the final SG will be, is 1.098 a good starting point?

I also wonder if I should split another D47 packet for the 2 containers, they're now over 6gal, and yet no signs of yeast activity....hmmm

EDIT: based on TA measurement just done, used ~5.4ml of nao .2 solution, assume this was close I then added 1tsp of tartaric to each container and the PH is now 3.28 (it had risen a bit due to water addition).

Leaving alone.....just waiting or fermentation to show some signs so I can place into my new barrel, waiting full of water waiting....

.

 

[Treeman]

What is your Temp? Did you use goferm when rehydrating?

Might want to start another batch of yeast as a starter. after rehydrating add equal volume of juice, then 30 min later add yeast to 1-2 L of juice at 60-70 F. 24 hrs later split the 2L between your 2 fermentors. Chances are by the time you finish making the starter, your other yeast will have kicked in, but if they don't you have a backup with the starter.

 

[geek]

I pitched directly, didn't hydrate this time.

The juice temp is ~62F in the bigger container and about 66F in the other.
So put brew belt on one and placed the other close to pellet stove.

 

[geek]

Last night, used another packet of D47 and rehydrated, then pitched half and hal to the 2 buckets.

This morning fermentation finally shows that it took off.

Stirred and then transferred some into 23l new barrel and top it almost to the top (hoping D47 is not a big foam creator).

Thanks all for the assistance.

Will report how it goes in a day or two.

 

[geek]

I had divided the batch in two.
First one racked yesterday. After a day I racked again into 6gal Italian carboy..,perfect match for about 6.5gal. SG came down to ~0.994
Added MLB.

2nd batch in 23l barrel around 1.006 and still going slowly and nicely.
I kept room temp in the 50s and 60s for a longer ferment. Will add MLB to this other batch this weekend.

BTW-this is my first barrel and had some wine foam spill....I will be putting an Amarone after and assume it is fine to give it a nice wash in/out to make it look nicer and cleaner outside.

 

[Boatboy24]

BTW-this is my first barrel and had some wine foam spill....I will be putting an Amarone after and assume it is fine to give it a nice wash in/out to make it look nicer and cleaner outside.

A spritz of KMeta will take care of those stains on the outside.

In between batches, I just rinse a couple times with very hot water. Every so often, I'll throw some Kmeta in there with a solid bung for an hour.

 

[Rocky]

You are doing great, Varis. The only thing I would advise is to clean off the area around the bung hole on a regular basis with a towel dampened with hot water and then wipe some K-meta solution on the surface. I know that it is sacrilegious in come circles to have the skins in the barrel but do your own thing. You may get feedback from a number of self-styled wine making "experts" telling you are doing it all wrong. Do it your way. There is no international standard regarding what a Chardonnay must taste like. If you like it, it is good wine.

 

[geek]

I want to clarify that the batch in the barrel is only pressed juice...all the skins were discarded when I pressed.

 

[Rocky]

I want to clarify that the batch in the barrel is only pressed juice...all the skins were discarded when I pressed.

I thought I saw skins in the pictures of the barrels. Sorry.

When we made our wine at home long ago we mixed and co-fermented Zinfandel and Muscat, so the skins of both grapes went into the wine. It resulted in a really nice wine. When I lived in New York, I made a wine from Delaware (white) grapes and let the wine ferment on the skins. It was also a good wine and although I made it in the mid-1990's I still have three bottles of it in my cellar. I only use it for cooking at this point.

 

[Buonissimo]

Definitely needs a little acid, according to the numbers.

Congrats on your first press!

Boatboy,

Where can i find the numbers pH TA for various wines. I know it comes down to taste ultimately. But to have some rough guidelines for the numbers would be helpful.

thank you very much!

 

[geek]

No problem Rocky, thanks for always chiming in.

 

[seth8530]

I have not had much luck on finding an uber chart for all wine types, but I generally have good luck searching out the desired TA and PH range by searching on a grape by grape or wine style by style basis... But once again, guidelines....

 

[geek]

Seth, how is that Chard batch you were recently making?

 

[Boatboy24]

Boatboy,

Where can i find the numbers pH TA for various wines. I know it comes down to taste ultimately. But to have some rough guidelines for the numbers would be helpful.

thank you very much!

I'm usually trying to hit pH of 3.45-3.6 on my reds and 3.2-3.4 on whites. Reds I target TA of .65 or so. You may find more info in Morewinemaking's guide to red or white wine making though.

As Seth mentioned, that will vary based on type of grape and, of course, your own taste.

 

[seth8530]

Seth, how is that Chard batch you were recently making?

It is doing pretty well, I think I accidentally bumped the abv up too high by measuring the SG before all the sugars were fully dissolved since it still taste kind of hot. I might try blending with a lower alcohol wine or perhaps see if a little bit of acidulated water will help it.

But, to be honest, I did not use the highest quality juice for the wine, so I am not sure if it ever will be great. That being said, I think it still has the potential to be a good wine in its own regard. If I remember correctly, it is coming up on 18 months old right now.

 

[geek]

2nd batch racked from barrel into glass carboy, SG around 0.998 and it was still fizzing, I'm sure it would end up around 0.994 like the other batch.

Pitched MLB.

Had to use a hose and clean barrel really well, lots of goo stuff in the walls.

Anyhow, both batches well going under MLF.