Recent content by deedubbs

I want a peppery spicy flavor and the yeast that I want would help with that. Not all yeast adds the same flavor... not all yeast clear the same either.

I picked up two juice buckets today, both already fermenting, 1.060 and 1.080, respectively. They are Carnenere and Malbec from CFP in Pittsburgh. I wanted to ferment with Lavin 212... Can I add it now? I think this strain often needs nutrient, but won't I get a volcano? Amy help would be...

Update: I tried just adding Opti-Malo before racking and re-inoculating. That seems to have done it. It produced a wine volcano initially, but a few hours later my test carboy is still really, really going strong. I can't imagine that could be anything but MLF, I stirred very gently.

Yes, instructions say 4 minutes. From what I've read, I'm just going to rack gently into carboy because both batches have a ton of sediment and re-inoculate MLB with Opti-malo.

Update: after 4 minutes Accuvin quick test was dark purple, after 30 it's much lighter, would now read about 75mg/L. Which is correct?

So, I bought a pinot noir and Barbera bucket in early Sept. Both seemed fine. After fermented to dry, split one packet of VP-41 ons step, good for up to 60 gallons, followed the directions and just split the inoculated must between the two batches. I keep them on a covered radiator that has...

So, must not be much juice, huh? I feared that adding fresh grape juice might unbalance the juice.

I'm assuming that you mean just the fresh grape skins, right? Thanks!

Last May I bought my first juice buckets, two cab franc. To determine what we like, I put one through MLF and one no MLF. Oakes both on medium toast chips for about a month. Right now, still bulk aging around 55 degrees, both taste kind of bland and weak. Any hope that they get body over time?

I degassed with a brake bleeder. Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

Thanks... I did follow to the letter and degassed with a brake bleeder. Could it be a bottle issue? Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

I made 2 RJS malbec kits... One in March, one in May. Today I noticed that about 12 of the 40 left either had carbonation and lots of sediment or just carbonation. I fermented to dry, no backsweetening, used a brake bleeder to degas, cleaned bottles with starsan, then splashed and sanitized...

I've heard that I should add 1/4 tsp kmeta to juice prior to primary to kill wild yeast. Is this so much that it might affect MLF later using VP41? I don't really have an accurate way to measure Ph, so I'm just looking for a ballpark response. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

Thanks. I read it in sunlight, just took the picture inside. Is it possible that MLF is continuing even without noticeable bubbles? Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

By the two dark outer lines or pale inner line? It's been about 4 weeks with VP41 one-step... I don't see any bubbles. Ambient temp about 78 degrees. Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making