First Batch

[tatud4life]

Thanks buddy!! How long have yours been fermenting?

 

[southlake333]

Since Thursday night 7/5. However, I added some sugar when I racked to the secondary to boost the abv a bit so mine it taking a little longer. I'm fermenting at 74 degrees.

 

[tatud4life]

That's about the same time I started mine and I didn't add any extra sugar yet. I still have mine in the primary.

 

[tatud4life]

Checked my batch today and the S.G. is at 1.005. It should be ready in a couple of days.

 

[tatud4life]

Checked the batch today and the S.G. was .999. Someone PLEASE tell me that is good to go on to the next step!!!!!!

 

[oldwhiskers]

To ensure it is completed you will need a steady reading about 3 days in a row maybe even up to a week. Remember the tree P's, you're almost there.

 

[tatud4life]

Ok. Lol. What's up with the tree Ps?

 

[oldwhiskers]

OOPS, three P's, patience, patience, patience.

 

[tatud4life]

Lol. I get it now!! Patience is usually not one of my virtues, but I'm working on it.

 

[tatud4life]

I do have a question though. I've noticed a smell coming from my pee. It doesn't smell like sulfur or eggs, but it is a distinct smell. Is that from the yeast working?

 

[Boatboy24]

Dave's recipe said to rack and stabilize once it gets below 1.000, so that's what I did with mine. I'm sure it would have fermented further, but I was following orders. Nothing bad happened - I don't know if that's science or dumb luck.

Smell? All of my wines have had a smell during ferment. I have an especially stinky peach from fresh fruit going now.

 

[tatud4life]

Thanks boatboy!! I'm hoping the smell is just from the yeast working. I'm going to check the specific gravity today and if it is still below 1.000 I'm racking it and going onto the next step. Then, a batch of triple berry will get started!!!

 

[tatud4life]

Racked my batch into the secondary and added the kmeta, sorbate, and sparklloid. Hopefully it will be clear in 2 weeks!! The packet said to dissolve 1 tbsp in hot water for 5 minutes. I didn't boil the water since my water is almost boiling when it comes out of the faucet. I hope this doesn't affect anything. Here is a pic of what it looks like now.

 

[tatud4life]

Just out of curiosity, how long should it take for the sparklloid to start working. I'm not being impatient. I know that I have at least 2 weeks to wait. Just wondering how long before I start to see any difference.

 

[southlake333]

Just out of curiosity, how long should it take for the sparklloid to start working. I'm not being impatient. I know that I have at least 2 weeks to wait. Just wondering how long before I start to see any difference.

Measured mine this afternoon and both were .990 so I went ahead and racked with campden, sorbate and sparkolloid.

Per my notes from last time, it took 9 days to fully clear. I assume we wil both be bottling by next Sunday (and I'll be updating my test thread with the results).

 

[tatud4life]

Cool!! Good job!!! Hopefully, we will be drinking it before too long. Mine hasn't started clearing yet, but it has only been 2 days.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just out of curiosity, how long should it take for the sparklloid to start working. I'm not being impatient. I know that I have at least 2 weeks to wait. Just wondering how long before I start to see any difference.

My triple berry took almost a week before it really started moving. But once it started, I was clear in about another 6 days.

 

[tatud4life]

Thanks boatboy!!! I'm starting my triple berry in 2 days!!!!

 

[southlake333]

I picked up the stuff to try another round of the berry pee as well (quad berry). This time I'll be cutting back on the lemon (per Dave's suggestion) as well as not using bentonite (per Dave's comparison experiment).

 

[tatud4life]

Mine will be quad berry also since the grocery store didn't have any 3 berry blends. I'm going to go by Dave's easy peesy recipe for my first attempt.