Recent content by jtd1216

I have an RJ Spagnols Chilean Malbec Cru Select and Gewurztraminer Cellar Classic going in the primary right now. I had some trouble keeping fermentation temperature (only about 67F) for the first couple of days with the heat belt (only about 50F in my basement). Someone suggested putting a...

I'm on my 5th kit in 3 months (yes already addicted!). I have only used RJ Spagnols kits so far. I've done Cru Select Old Vine Zin, Brunello, Chilean Malbec and Cellar Classic Barolo Bianco and Riesling. My Zin and Brunello are the oldest and are about 3 months old. I HAD to try both Zin and...

ok i understand.. so since it was left behind, i don't have them to worry about this time around, thus having difficulty with clearing?

When I degassed, i used a drill mounted whip. Per the instructions, I degassed for over 10 minutes. Isn't Bentonite a fining agent? I used that in the primary fermentation, but left it behind. Does that matter?

I didn't know this. Well, the degassing part, the wine was about 75, as it came right out of my primary which was brew belt'ed. But it has since dropped in temp since then. The instructions state that after moving to the glass carboy, to keep it in an elevated place 59-66 degrees. My last batch...

thanks for all the great information guys. Steve, I didn't know temperature had an effect on oxidation, bad or good. If so, it is sitting in my cellar at around 60-62 deg F. That OK? Again, thanks all. I can't wait until this one's done. It has some serious potential--tasted it upon racking...

OK, thanks. Here's an updated picture from this morning with the bubbles down. You think i'd be better off leaving it, rather than buying another bottle of like wine to top off?? I'd mind less if I were adding a wine I made. Do you think I made a bad choice in not heeding my LBS's advice??

I've tried looking for an answer to this, but I'm still not quite sure about my situation. Against my LBS's advice, I'm racking my 6 gal wine kits from the fermenter into 6 gal carboys. They suggested buying a 5 gal and then smaller jugs for the remained to avoid topping off with other wine.. My...

Hi all! I'm starting my third batch of wine from kits. The first two are CruSelect Zinfandel and Brunello. While those are aging, I wanted to make a white, which I heard would age much faster. After doing some research, it seems that the common theory of picking a white wine kit is to not...

I will try this before bottling. I tried something I saw online with a vacu-vin (pump to preserve an open bottle of wine). In theory, it works... I think anyways. You hook up a vacu-vin saver to your air lock (emptied of course) and you pump 10-15 times. I have two wines in carboys, one only...

OK, was not very descriptive. Along the edge of the glass IN the wine :h

Well that was a concern of mine also. However, it's not splashing around all over the place inside the carboy. I kept it controlled along the edge of the glass.

I understand. So I'm able to degas the same day/time I'm ready to bottle? I will taste again at this point, but I'm guessing the two racks didn't make a difference? Would they normally?? The wine splashing into both containers could be a form of degassing, no?

Ok, did some researching, and I couldn't find an answer to my specific situation. As mentioned, I'm doing a cru select ov zinfandel. I've been following directions exactly; it's my first wine ever, so I don't want to steer away from the directions at all. We degassed (using a drill mounted whip)...

Steve, thanks for the tips. I'm gonna pick from what he has in stock and just run with it. I'm sure it will be good. Wade, I think I was already going to rule out the Grand Cru Kit since it's about half the amount of juice included in the kit. I don't mind spending an extra $20-30 for...