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I would definitely give it more time. For example: I had a batch of skeeter pee I started in July and it didn't finally clear until November after adding two clearing treatments. Compared to my first batch, which only took a couple of months, it was frustrating. Just rack every four to...

Yes, I froze the whole fruit, mashed in into a pulp and strained it out so the fermentation was done just on the pulp, no skins or pits.

Hmmmm. The plums were ripe but the skins were very tart. Could be an issue. I guess time will tell.

Bile, a.k.a, vomit. Gross. You're pretty lucky if you've never tossed up the contents of your stomach. Haha!

I just racked my cherry plum wine into the secondary fermenter. We decided to take a taste and, ick, it's got a bile-like after taste. I'm assuming it's because it's so young. Smells fine. Anybody out there experienced this?:s

nonfermenting sweetener? You got my attention when you mentioned back sweetening with a non-fermentable sweetener. Are we talking Splenda? Stevia? Saccharin?

I use the dishwasher too, but.... I have a sanitizing feature in my dishwasher too and I always run my bottles through before rinsing with iodophor solution (1 capful or shy TB full per 2-1/2 gallons H20). I have been sorely tempted to skip the iodophor, though and just bottle straight from...

What a great education THAT was! That video blew my mind and got me thinking. The primary fermenter was that hollowed out log and wood is known to be naturally sanitizing (I've seen a few tests done on a couple of cooking shows regarding cutting boards and it beats plastic hands down for...

Two things I will be changing, thanks to your reply, is letting my equipment dry completely and amping down the amount of sulfite at bottling. Which brings me to my next question: I have a Titrets kit for measuring S02 in light, dry wine. How do you go about measuring the S02 in dark wines...

This certainly addresses a question I have. I've been making fruit wines for about 18 months now in 5 gallon batches (cranberry, rhubarb, one kit merlot, pineapple, blackberry and skeeter pee). With all concerned I seem to taste a bit of the sanitizer at bottling time and several months later...

Cranberry, from a canned concentrate. It was "OK" but I should have used twice the fruit.

You said you "fermented the wine on the fruit. I used a straining bag to remove the fruit solids after it was about half done". Is the "half done" part meaning halfway through fermentation or something else? If so, have you ever left the fruit in to the end of fermentation?

I was told by my local brew store guy that rhubarb wine has a tendancy to have a high sulfur problem. In my case, the wine has been going along nicely since June 13th in the carboy. I've racked it three times and it's nice and clear. Tastes good. SG started at 1.084 and is now stable at...

Thanks to everyone for your expert guidance. I did wait quite a spell (over 10 days deviation from the kit directions) while I was trying to find a good buy on another carboy. Turns out, the day before I finally found my good deal I decided to go ahead and sanitize my fermenter, rack, clean...

Yes, that's true. It's a kit wine, however, and the instructions are pretty "stickler" but I'm just gonna have to risk it. Let oxygen, the better.

I'm just a beginner myself but feel like I'm getting a decent understanding of things. (I've made one batch of cranberry and have a batch of rhubarb and merlot clearing at present). I read over your inquiry a couple of times to see if I was getting your drift. The initial (and major)...

Yes, it's in a carboy. Your suggestion makes sense. Thanks!

I might be in trouble here. I have a batch of "kit" merlot that I'm supposed to be racking for the 3rd time. The problem is, the carboy I had broke and I'm wondering if I can rack back into my plastic fermenter to get me by till I can get another carboy. Thoughts, anyone?

cpfan: Thanks for the math! I actually didn't know how to do that and I seem to have difficulty getting an accurate reading with my vinometer. Not sure why that is, it's such a simple tool. I will be utilizing your method in future. Arne, "Patience" is definitely the watch word here. I can...

I've certainly read fast fermentation doesn't make the best fruit wine. I sure wasn't expecting it to ferment so quickly! Next time, should I consider using a champagne yeast and a cooler location? It was fermenting this time at around 73 degrees. Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast (2 pkts).