Recent content by MickeyB

Am old and southern, and can tell you my palate can’t differentiate wine made from pasteurized watermelon juice vs non. Have had it both ways many times and just can’t tell the difference. I pasteurize mine at about 150 and have no spoilage nor ‘weird’ smell problems, but also prepare a yeast...

Curious how everyone’s watermelon came out. Mine’s a year old now and still in secondary, but plan on bottling this week. Sampled and back sweetened last racking and thought it was great. Topped the carboy off with some heavy raspberry I’d bottled and love the color now (can’t taste the...

Looks like a banana I have going. Busy weekend here with the winter weather setting in. Bottled red grape/niagara, heavy muscadine, and strawberry/niagara, all one gallon batch tests. Racked 3 gallons of blackberry, one gallon cherry/niagara, six gallons of niagara, and racked and sweetened a...

Haven’t done a tropical, but have only had one require more than four days to finish once the ferment started. I’d degas and rack it.

Finally bottled the muscadine/lemon. Definitely as good as the first batch. Six gallons just doesn’t last long. :)

Started a 6 gallon batch of muscadine/lemon a week ago. Been the slowest fermenter to date, but attribute it to the cooler temps. Started at 1.086 with the crushed muscadines and finally at 1.024 this morning. Should have warmed it up a bit or pulled the skins sooner. Used 13 lbs. of purples and...

Well done, Tinwakr!

Bottled one yesterday that didn’t clear in 2 weeks with Super Kleer. Had substituted orange for the lemon in primary and think this somehow changed things. Reracked it and Super Kleered a second time and cleared in 24 hrs. Not sure the difference, but think the orange was the culprit since is...

Bottled my muscadine/lemon finally...is wickedly good after only two months. Will start a six gallon batch this weekend. Used the DB recipe substituting double muscadine for the berry blend and added a tsp. of acid. So much better than the straight muscadines have had thus far.

I like ‘over-ripe’. They’re practically free at most of the stores here, and have more available sugar. Have used up to 2 lbs. per gallon just for added body and mouth feel with no banana flavor nor aroma, but do know a single banana makes a noticeable difference. Have a couple banana batches...

Back sweetening does reduce it, Rob. Will cut it completely out if you can stand it that sweet, lol. Be careful though, a little time alone will tame it fairly quickly, so stop a little short of where you like it. Have made a few different wine batches using the same technique with acid rather...

My second batch of DB is clearing, with four bottles squirreled away from the first batch. Plan on sweetening this one with some niagara concentrate. Used it to sweeten a mscadine/cherry batch and was very pleased. The sweetness doesn’t seem to layer so, if that makes any sense at all.

Have 5 gallons of watermelon that’s been in secondary for a couple months now and has cleared to a pale pink. Will try a few cherries in it next batch, scooter. Did notice a mixed cherry/muscadine batch I have going is much deeper in color than the straight muscadine.

Hi Stefan! Am new as well and a neighbor on the other side of the state. Welcome aboard!

Been packing them into the freezer for jelly and wine, and love to reach in there and grab one frozen for a snack. Sounds like an excellent idea, sugar...will try! The sg on this batch is at .990 tonight, while another heavy fruit batch is still bubbling away in secondary. Pitched Red Star...