Recent content by Retrah

There are many people here with more experience than me but I have made a lot of batches of wine with a lot of help from this forum and my own research. I think you are stressing way to much. Relax and wait. This is going to take several more months and I suspect all is going to be fine. You...

I would never bottle my wine so soon. If you let it sit it should clear by itself. I rack my wine every three months or so. That is just to keep it off the lees. (Lees is the sediment that collect on the bottom which is the cloudiness you see in the wine now) I always let my fruit wines age for...

Thanks for the info. Mystery solved. Fermenting is fun!

Not sure what happened to my post but I could not edit it. Meant to say that it appears to be a valve but I have no idea what it would be used for. Sorry about the garbled post. Fermenting is fun!

Fermenting is fun!

I checked the acid level but no way to check ph yet. Meter is on my list. I am making a five gallon batch. Will not bottle for a year at least. I am making a five gallon batch.

Update on the blueberry wine. Fermentation slowed so I checked SG. It was 1.016. Took all the berries out and crushed them with my press. Took the juice which was about one quart and added back to the must. Then racked into carboy. Put on airlock and fermentation took off like a rocket again...

Mountaneer Jack, when I talked about soapy I was referring to dishwashing soap. Greg, sure makes sense about the fruit not being clean. I of coarse wash all my fruit but certainly don't sanitize it. I will continue to be clean. I don't find that it is all that much work. When using the...

I work in a prison. They call the prison wine "spud". It is horrible smelling and that is how we find it. Got to taste horrible but they are after alcohol and that is all. Gross stuff. Cleanliness is not an issue to them. Fermenting is fun!

OK Doc. I did some reading on this site and read many of your posts. You are very knowledgable about wine making. It is so kind of you to share your wealth of knowledge so freely and willingly. I have only been involved with wine making for three years so I feel foolish saying I disagree with...

I have to disagree with you about cleanliness. I have to add a disclaimer about my two pals that did ruin some wine however. Their entire batch was not ruined but they lost several bottles. That was due to not cleaning bottles thoroughly. I will not take a chance on ruining my wine after so much...

Wow Seth. My wife is not going to be happy and I am going to blame it on you. What a serious piece of equipment. Fermenting is fun!

I like that idea. When a tool is needed it is ready to go. You sold me on that one. I like how you called it the gas chamber. Good one. Fermenting is fun!

I read about issues here that are due to carelessness with cleanliness. Here is what I do every time and all the time. If anyone has more or better suggestions they will add them. I know this process has not let me down yet. I use "1 step no rinse cleaner" manufactured by LD Carlson. It is only...

Your local wine shop will have a kit. If no shop nearby they are readily available online. The kits are very simple to use. Best to adjust levels prior to pitching the yeast in the beginning. Just read the directions. This thread has good advice about checking levels.