Urgent_makeshift job with chokecherry and saskatoon wine

[brendathebrewer]

I have started my wine with approx. little less than a gallon of cooked chokecherry pulp, skins and pits and a half gallon of mashed fresh frozen saskatoons. a gallon and 3/4 of water and 5 pounds of sugar. my hydrometer went from 1010 to 1075 5 hours after adding the sugar this morning.

I now have some lalvin Ec-118 (1 pkg)
Acid Blend
Pectin Enzyme

haven't got the enzyme nutrient yet but will on Monday (if its not too late and suggested)

I heard that Saskatoon needs the acid blend but chokecherry doesn't. I am not sure what quantity to use and am unsure if pectin enzyme should be added at 1/2 tsp per gallon. Also unsure if I should add the whole lalvin 118 or not, I have approx. 3 1/2 gallons in total.

Can, should, I add all of these additives at the same time?

I have a thermometer coming to measure the temperature, likely its about right though.

Help....!?

I have decided to risk it and not use campden.

any suggestions on how to proceed....

Thanks so much!!

 

[brendathebrewer]

Saskatoon and chokecherry wine

I have started my wine with approx. little less than a gallon of cooked chokecherry pulp, skins and pits and a half gallon of mashed fresh frozen saskatoons. a gallon and 3/4 of water and 5 pounds of sugar. my hydrometer went from 1010 to 1075 5 hours after adding the sugar this morning.

I now have some lalvin Ec-118 (1 pkg)
Acid Blend
Pectin Enzyme

haven't got the enzyme nutrient yet but will on Monday (if its not too late and suggested)

I heard that Saskatoon needs the acid blend but chokecherry doesn't. I am not sure what quantity to use and am unsure if pectin enzyme should be added at 1/2 tsp per gallon. Also unsure if I should add the whole lalvin 118 or not, I have approx. 3 1/2 gallons in total.

Can, should, I add all of these additives at the same time? what would you do?

I have a thermometer coming to measure the temperature, likely its about right though.

Help....!?

I have decided to risk it and not use campden.

any suggestions on how to proceed....

Thanks so much!!

 

[Arne]

The campden at the beginning of the winemaking process helps to hold down bacteria and takes care of wild yeast. Use it or not at the beginning, your choice. If you use it, wait 12 hrs or more, then add the pectic enzime according to its package. Wait another 12 hours or a bit more and add your yeast. If you can't check the acid, I would taste the must and see how acidic it is by taste. Then if it needs it, I would add it in. If you don't know what you are looking for in the acid, I would just leave it out for now. When the nutrient and energizer get here, I would add it in. Start with half the amount called for on the bottles, and add the other half at 1.050 or so. If you don't get the nutrient and energizer til it is down that far, I would just start out adding half the amount and probably forget about the other half. You want the temp. about 70 to 75 degrees, lower will slow the ferment, but will still be ok. Higher can cause the ferment to be fast and you mite get some blowoff of flavors and such. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[jamesngalveston]

you need to add more sugar to your hydrometer is around 1.095.
if the lalvin yeast is in a small packet yes..use it all....each packet is good for 1 to 5 gallons...use all of it.

 

[Julie]

Use the whole packet of yeast, add the pectic enzyme and you really should test the acid before adding any. And why do you not want to add sulfites? Is this just at the beginning or not at all?

 

[Arne]

If you stir it up, the s.g. will probably go up some more. From what I gather, you dumped 5 lbs. into 2 gal or so. It is slowly dissolving in the must, that would be why the s.g. came up aftersitting overnight. If it stays at 1.075, it might be a little low on alcohol, but bet you are not planning on saving it very long. The alcohol will normally help preserve it if you age it for a long time. Seems like when starting out with small batches the aging process doesn't happen. A few samples and it is all gone. Bigger batches are more likely to have some left on the shelf for a long time. Some folks like their wines with not quite so much alcohol in them. They start out with a low specific gravity. Others like them with a lot of kick so they start them out with more sugar. If you get too high of a s.g. it will most likely not finish dry. Most of us like to finish dry and sweeten back to where we like the taste. If it just quits because of too much alcohol, you are stuck with a sweet wine at whatever s.g. it decides to stop at. If this is just clear as mud for you, let us know and I'll try again. Or maybe someone else will jump in and clear it up for you. Arne.

 

[jamesngalveston]

not sure what others do, but this is how i start mine.

i add the fruit to a bag, and smash..i add water to level of what ever size wine.
i add pectin enzyme and wait 24 hours.
i mash all the fruit in the bag and test sg with my hydrometer.
i add sugar to the alcohol volume i want are should get.
I add all my other ingredients except for yeast.
Yeast nutrient i add in thirds.
I wait 12 hours are so and pitch my yeast.

 

[Arne]

Looks good, James. Arne.

 

[brendathebrewer]

Thank you all so much, all excellent information!... yes, Arne the SG did go up last night, 12 hours after adding sugar. to my surprise 1090. temperature at 70. I added 1/2 tsp per gallon pectin enzyme so 1 3/4 tsp to it, now am planning on putting in the yeast today, will wait for a total of 15 hours so that when I get the nutrient and enzyme it will be approx. 10 hours later to add half of what I will use.

my temperature is now 72....and the fruit is approx. half of the bucket but not pressed down, if it was pressed or in a tight bag would be maybe 1/4 or so. it smells and tastes sweet, gorgeous actually, don't feel there is anything acidic about it at all, the chokecherries probably had little juice left in them all the skins and pulp though. will probably pick up an acid tester tomorrow but am feeling that perhaps adding 1/4 amount recommended might be a safe bet if there should be some acidity now. if I do add acid blend should I add at the same time as the yeast? its 3 1/2 gallons total must with liquid, am thinking 1 teaspoon..?

a question I have is when counting the gallons (measuring additives) does one count the total amount must that is there or the amount of wine it is meant to make?

also, is there an advantage to pitching or pre-soaking the yeast if its lalvin ec-118?

thanks again, Brenda

 

[Arne]

Right or wrong, I count the total of the must. You can either pitch it or start by rehydrating it or make a starter and dump it in. Best way is to test the acid, that being said, I do mine by taste. Will add some if I think I have to whenstarting, or wait and add it afterwards if I think it needs it. If doing the additions afterwards, I always check by bench testing to try and figure out what I need. (Besides gives me an excuse to sample, like I need it.) LOL, Arne.