Recent content by JasonH

Like the above post stated, if it was still fermenting vigorously the wine may not have been harmed at all. Even if it wasn't, I'm sure the batch will be fine (especially if it was properly sulfited and topped up). Winemaking is pretty forgiving.

I don't do this myself, but have a great local orchard that just presses the apples, pours them into gallon jugs, and sells it just like that. This probably ties into the earlier post about not using any water. It really makes a big difference in flavor from juice.

A friend of mine recently made a batch. He used cotes de blanc with a good starter and it turned out great. Are you sure high acid is the reason it won't ferment? It should be a nonfactor if you adjusted it pre-fermentation.

You should do an acid test to determine how much acid blend you need. I have never made watermelon, but .6 - .75 should be a good starting TA. I have always preferred fruit wines on the higher end (.75).

Thanks for posting the article! Although, I'm not sure how I feel about "unscrewing" my wine.

You can always use bananas in place of golden raisins. I'm sure the figs would add plenty of body, but I wouldn't want to muck up my wine with that color and flavor unless I was making a fig wine.

I look forward to the results. Hopefully, I'll get motivated to start my blueberry soon. I just freed up a carboy, but I was hoping to save a few for CA juices in the fall. Maybe I should just buy more carboys....:b

I didn't consider the acid testing with the color change. I've been adjusting with a pH meter for so long that I forgot all about titrating with phenolphthalein.

You will probably still need to add acid to get a good TA. The only fruit wine I've made that didn't require atleast a little acid addition was grapefruit. Personally, I would make separate batches of apple and cranberry and then blend the wines to taste after they were finished. In this...

Everything looks good. I have a bunch of blueberries sitting in the freezer that I'm excited about. Did you do an acid test? And if so, what was your TA?

I agree with above. The only time I add water to a batch is if I'm using fresh or frozen fruit.

I agree with the milk crates. Also, try to use a flat surface in your vehicle. I recently moved approximately 25 gallons of wine when I moved. It wasn't as far as your trip, but I still doubt you will have any problems. I left the airlocks on.

Do you plan on sweetening the wine before bottling? If not, you can skip adding sorbate.

I would top off until the wine is above the shoulders and into the neck of your carboy. If its not quite there, you can use a similar, store-bought wine to get it there. I would oak lightly at first. You can always add more if it is not strong enough. Don't be afraid to use your taste to...

Ideally, you want to rack once the fermentation has subsided. I usually wait until the SG is 1.01 or lower. Some people like to ferment to dry (<1.00) in the primary, and that is ok too.