Recent content by Wall_of_Paul

I was able to get the calculator working on the spreadsheet provided on the website you linked and it indicates that my last SG reading and temp would put me at 0.997. I'll do a hyrometer check and see if I line up with that and then I should move to bulk aging and add the second set of toasted...

wow, I did not realize there was an ethanol effect that meant you cannot take the reading directly. I'm not sure I am strong enough in math or detailed enough in taking notes to complete that formula though. So much for not making a mess and wasting wine with the old hydrometer. Very interesting...

I picked up a refractometer a while back and have been using that. I tested with water to see if it needed calibrating per the instructions and it was spot on.

Just wondering how your kit is coming along with EM? I'm doing a double batch of this kit currently but I think my ferment might have stuck. I swapped out the yeast for BM4x4, used Opti-Red, Go-Ferm Protect and Fermaid-O but my SG is has been sitting at 1.032 for the last 2 weeks. Temp has been...

I know of a few other couples that make wine besides myself but in a city where the metro area covers close to 300k population, I figure there are a lot more out there. The two homebrew supply stores here seem to sell plenty of supplies but the people who manage it don't have any experience in...

Just curious about how many of you participate in community or local winemaking clubs and what the experience is like and how the gathering function and activities occur. I've been unable to locate or identify any such clubs in my city and I am interested in possibly trying to organize...

As others have stated here and since the time of my original post; I use a fastferment for all of my kits which I have come to appreciate for the simplicity of moving from primary to secondary. After the primary ends and I close the valve, I do not reattach the collection ball at all so all the...

My understanding is that this kit only makes 15 750ml bottles and it is known to be extremely sweet. Has anyone else here made this kit and done any variations to it? I'm wondering what I might be able to do to reduce the sweetness just a bit but the only thing I can think to do based on reading...

I made this same kit a few months back. If you can find it in the store, Barefoot brand makes a pink moscato that works really well in a similar flavor that you can use to top it up with. I used almost two bottles the first time to top mine up and it turned out great. I've since bought then AIO...

I've been eyeing that WE Sauv. Blanc Rose kit since I heard it was coming out, and then minutes ago in this thread, I discovered the Cab Sauv Rose Passport kit and I immediately purchased it from FVW. It looks too good to pass up, I might still get the WE LE kit if my local shop is able to...

I had the same issue with my first kit, I ended up picking up a superkleer kit and doing a dozen vacuumed transfers to finally degas the thing properly. I wouldn't add anything to it unless you are topping up with a similar wine (my personal opinion) but try a better clearing agent after being...

I've only done winexpert kits so far but they are ridiculous when it comes to degassing. I'm quite confident that they can't be degassed without a vacuum pump and I did buy the drill mounted whip for far longer than I'm willing to admit. The owner of my local home brew store tells me that it's...

Thank you for the welcome and reply! Thankfully the fastferment has a sample port and came with a hydrometer so I can take SG readings.i plan to take the first reading in the morning and will do another each day until the SG is constant like you advise. I'm in the polar wind-swept hell...

Hello all! I'm new to wine making and just started my first batch on Christmas Eve but I have a few questions as the instructions in my kit don't specify what to do in this situation. The kit I am making is a WineXpert Pink Moscato and I'm using a fastferment conical system that the local...