Recent content by WineYooper

Bulk ageing helps let more gas out over time and more clearing to take place. My cranberry is a fine example of sediment dropping over time, batches that I thought looked good in bulk have too many deposits in the bottle for my taste, looks actually, doesn't affect taste I've found but bottle...

The best thing to do with fruit is freeze to start, thaw, squeeze or press fruit to start for some juice, while ferment is going on stir twice a day and push fruit down, it will rise back to the top, that's not controllable. When you make a decision to start a batch you must commit to it...

I have found leaving on the gross lee's too long will spoil the must, lost one and caught the other just in time. I find about 3-4 weeks is about first racking time but I let the deposit depth tell me when. The batch I saved was starting to turn rotten smelling, after a couple rackings the smell...

Have been busy so a little late with this. I have used both the elderberry & blackberry 96 oz cans & found 5 gallon batch with elderberry is really good, five gal w/blackberry is too thin so have done 3 gal and found it to be much better. Have one of each bulk ageing now. Have 40# of...

Have been making blackberry for years and have always frozen berries first. My batches are usually 6 gal so around 30# of berries, all wild berries. I thaw in mesh bag in primary so as not to lose any juice, squeeze well when thawed and after ferment has started daily along with stirring must...

Stirring helps to release CO2 gas and allows the must/yeast to have a drink of oxygen. Normally I let my must finish fermenting in the primary which allows me to degas some before transferring to secondary and it also enables stirring in a larger opening.

Pee does take some time to ferment and it is a quick wine when finished, usually bottle mine in about 8 weeks.What yeast did u use and what is the temp of the must?

Have made from fresh apples, as I have multiple varieties on the old farmstead I bought and do not know what they are. Cored, froze, pressed then fermented and added cinnamon sticks while bulk aging and the result was very good, next time will leave the cinnamon in longer. Most people that come...

I flip mine inside out and hose them off, works pretty well and then wash in one step then hang out to dry.

Midwest Wine Supply is taking orders for California juice now and Cab/Franc is on the list. They are here in Mpls/St Paul but may have other stores, check online.

What I have done is put the extra in a small wine bottle and put in frig, if you have let it ferment to dry. This should be the heavy Lee's left behind if you racked into 1 gal bottle. Let it sit in the frig until you rack the first time and there should be enough to top up the wine from the gal...

Thanks, I did not think about expansion when I filled originally. Too far up into the neck, will keep to the bottom of it when I rack. I will have 8 gallons bottled by the end of October so will not have to worry over winter about them just the Chilean juice has to age till spring. Hope to get...

I have recently change my living conditions and do not have the luxury of bulk aging in my basement which was about a constant 60 degrees. Now my wine is sitting upstairs and seeing outside temps pretty much. The upside of this, from reading on this site is the warmer temps will help the gas...

I normally use the bottle washer with kmeta and let sit on the bottle tree till I get all set for filling then dump out last bit in bottle and fill. The little bit left in bottle will help preserve it, I usually don't touch till about a month has passed due to bottle shock and I'm working on...

Remember to stir the must as it is fermenting, needs to release co2 and feed yeast oxygen.