Recent content by The_Wine_Gnat

New wine maker here. I currently plan on fermenting until I reach an SG of around 1.010 or so (depends on taste). To stop fermentation, I was going to put one 5 gallon carboy into a tub on ice and let it rest for a week or so. Afterwards, rack off into another carboy, add Sorbate and SO2...

Do you have the Allinonewinepump? I've heard it's quite good at degassing.

Ohhh good acids? Do you know what the TA/pH levels are currently? Do you plan on back sweetening to balance the acids as well? Any perceived difference between the two yeast strains at this stage?

"Paul Giamatti's Revenge" (Sideways reference) :)

When it comes to personal safety, call the company. They would know best. Also look for what ingredients are in it and check with the CDC.

One option you might consider is calling a couple of local wineries and asking them what do they do. I advise calling several as everyone has their own peculiar methods and you will be able to choose the one that works for you. Personally, I am very curious what you decide to do and the...

Thanks! I'll definitely be adding your allinonepump to my supply list. :)

Hi Steve, I know you recommend 1micro filter for whites, but woudl the vacuum pump work fine for .35micron or .50micron filters? I am debating about diving into filtering yeast out to leave a higher RS level with minimal sorbates. If it works great with those smaller filters, do you...

I just found such a chart! Didn't realize you constantly need to monitor the SO2 to make sure your wine is protected. Guess it makes sense to have a SO2 tester of some sort. Any recommendations of different ways to test SO2? Not sure if I can afford the SC-300 for my first wine making...

Riesling steals alot of folks hearts. How often are you stirring your carboys? When/if you are stirring, are you also stirring up the lees to help with the fermentation. Been reading about a couple different methods and curious which you prefer.

Hi Flaf, I believe the chap making Riesling (Deezil) in this same forum had that same a couple of days ago. He added some additional yeast nutrients (Fermaid-O) and stirred it a bunch to let out the H2S. Here's a link that addresses the issue: http://www.grapestompers.com/hydrogen_sulfide.aspx

What does 150lbs of Riesling grapes run for approximately? I have yet to figure that into my wine making budget. Still working on getting all my supplies to ferment and rack.

Venturi aerator works wonders for me. Did quite a bit of research on which aerator had the best bang for the buck and it came out on top. Have done multiple blind tastings with and without it. So far our wine tasting group is 100% correct guessing which wine the aerator was used on. Makes a...

Thanks Deezil, I'm excited to see what the difference is between both yeasts you're using and how they individually affect the qualities of the Riesling you're fermenting. Exciting stuff.

Would I still need a way to test SO2 or could I just keep accurate measurements? What are acceptable levels of SO2 and poor levels?