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Loss of color from MLF This is a known and well documented reaction, along with a rise in Ph. Search the Web re: MLF for articles. PWV, now Wines and Vines covered this a few years back.

You haven't mentioned the acreage, the orientation of the site on the compass, the terrain, the soil type or composition or your budget. Remember too that you're not likely to get a harvestable crop until at least the 3rd season. If you're in Northern Illinois reach out to Al Sommer in Bristol...

Just add a whole bunch and don't bother hydrating it first, and don't bother with testing or reserving any portion for a future adjustment. Then you can find a nice box to put it in, chill it really well and walla. 2 buck Chuck. Now, can we please terminate this thread and get back to the...

Aw yeah. Gotta get one ... free!!

I guess it comes down to scale more than anything. I'm a hobbyist like most everyone on this site but I also make around 100 US gals annually. That required an investment. If your think is kit wines that you plan to drink within a 3-5 year window then manage oxidation prevention with SO2 and...

All you're taking away is the increased risk of losing the fruits of your passion, the wines whose label says "nand made by (insert your name here)". Adding bottle sparging is cheap insurance. Check out Evergreen Midwest and invest in your passion. They offer an affordable sparging unit.

Wines & Vines is a great monthly trade journal. As to oxidation and contact with air in general, I strongly recommend that you sparge when racking, and absolutely sparge at bottling. I use a 2 bottle sparger from Evergreen Midwest. Super affordable. I added a quick connect and run a line to...

You should also give serious thought to bottle sparging with an Argon/CO2 mix to remove ambient air just before filling. I found a great and inexpensive unit from Evergreen Midwest. I sparge my carboys prior to racking and even my Letina tank. Every commercial winery sparges and I urge...

An alternative to vacuuming is sparging. I found a really affordable bottle sparger from Evergreen Midwest. I use a quick connect to my Argon /CO2 tank and sparge just prior to filling. The unit is priced affordably and replicates the sparging process of commercial fillers. I don't need to...

I'm always on the lookout for ways to elevate my process. The ambient air in bottles pre-fill becomes compressed into solution at corking. Perhaps your process involves higher SO2 levels than I'm willing to go. I believe sparging is a better alternative. There must be a reason commercial...

I make around 75 gallons of wine every year and decided it was time to invest in a sparger. I got tired of my wines going bad after just a couple years. I looked all over and the only unit I found was over $450. That's just out of reality for me. Then I found one. A small company out of...

Tartaric remains stable during MLF. And if you have issues with acetic acid you've got bigger issues than acid selection. I would include malic acid in my acid addition and will yield to Stickman and pair it with tartaric. However, I would still add both and not tartaric alone. Off flavor...

Why would you not want to add a combination of tartaric AND malic acid, or better still an acid blend? If you have plans to perform MLF you will want the malic as that's what is converted to lactic acid. Tartaric also has the weakest chemical bond of the titratable acids and as a result is...

Lodi fruit Where are you guys located and how do I get my hands on some Lodi grapes?

The fermentation is still in primary so Os are recommended +YAN. High temp will aid extraction but can also result in a premature cessation of fermentation and residual sugar. A lower temp and extended fermentation will yield a less astringent wine. A cold soak is the preferred approach as a...

O2 + YAN. The temperature is high. Get it below 80. Get an O2 line to a fish tank aerator stone going and stop pitching fermaid. Add some YAN and then don't mess with it till a wiff knocks you back. Then wait another 12 hours before you resume pump over or punch down. Less is best and...

Hey Chi town. I'm in the NW burbs looking to sync up on must and fruit purchases. Drop me a note.

MLF in small batch Any big red can benefit from MLF. It's best to innoculate in the first few days following traditional yeast fermentation and you'll need both the nutrient cocktail and the MLF strain recommended for your varietal. Remember that MLF will cause a marked reduction in malic...

floor corker Signed up for the mailing list, though I think I was already on it.

BBQ smoker. Now THAT is an excellent suggestion. Hummmm. So many spent, staves wasted. BTW they are not re-useable, nor are they designed to be ... with this exception of course.