Recent content by SPAF

So I'm seeing this question I wrote about oxygen. Since then I realize the importance of yeast oxygenation during fermentation, chiefly to ensure a healthy yeast cell membrane culture. The stronger the yeast membranes, the more stressors the cells can withstand. Also, the ability to...

Do you mind sharing who they are? I'm in South Carolina and would love to find a grower within a 500 mile radius or so.

To clarify, I seem to have mixed up this thread with both my straight wine and my honey-wine. I'm obviously talking about the honey-wine now. Pretty much every note taken thus far has been about the melomel.

Update with latest tasting notes: I brought a bottle home to VA for my parents on Christmas. We had a little tasting event in the house before dinner with some cheeses and sausages and man did it turn out spectacular. My dad was amazed how different (pleasantly that is) this is compared to...

What style are you trying to achieve? If you add juice, ya you're ping to bring the ABV down, but you'll also get a sweeter style. If you want that, fine, but if you want something dryer then you don't want to add juice. Another question: Seth, I see on a lot of other discussions that you...

Use Red Star's Côte de Blancs yeast strain. It's very common I know, but I just used it with a blackberry/raspberry/blueberry melomel at 65°F, and I'm telling you: it ferments so cleanly and maintains the fruit integrity so well. Albeit at a lower ABV. Mine is only 11.5%.

You don't need the bentonite. After 2 months it's probably clarified just right. Check it out.

I personally am not into spiced wines (although technically oaking isn't Not a spicing, albeit one of long tradition). But sounds like a good Christmas special. And yep, just find a few articles to read in the winemaking magazine about the science behind oak aging.

Oh and my first addition of medium toast cubes were pre-toasted for me. The second addition of raw chips I toasted myself on the broiler. Each oven is different but I broiled on low heat so I could monitor the charring easier. Oh and open all your doors and windows and shut off your fire alarms...

I'd advise an oak addition if you want an extra layer. Take a look at what flavor profiles the different oak varieties will bring to the table. And then look at what each toast level brings. I chose an American for the more rough-n-ready boldness. I then chose medium toast for some slight...

The dried elderberries have awesome color extraction. regarding American oak, I live in the Lowcountry, SC, and we have an abundance of oak growing on just about everyone's property. I'm telling you the flavors of American oak are more intense than French oak, which seems to me to fit...

Wow! Cocoa, now that's thinking outside the box. I like it... I racked mine off the yeast cake at about 2 weeks I think. I don't know it's In my notes. Today is 1 month on American oak medium toast cubes. I added more oak today. I had some American oak chips that I toasted myself in the oven...

Pictures as requested.

Julie, I'll do a write up next month specifically about the elderberry's ability to blend with oaking, once I'm able to get a bit more extracted out. Last poster, the closest taste to a 'normal' euro-style grape wine I would associate this elderberry wine to would be a Pinot noir. In fact, my...

Julie, you use 4Lbs fresh? 2Lbs dried worked great. Ya I tasted it. I could see adding more but honestly the quantity I used made a very good-bodied wine.