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Primarily I use fresh grapes, but also fresh fruit (especially berries). I used to make wine out of juices and concentrates, but I figured I might as well go entirely "from scratch" if I am already using more than half of the time and equipment with juices as with fresh fruit.

Thanks, that's reassuring. I used an empty tin and heated on a very low heat on the gas range. Though, you have to let the tin heat up on its own, so that the coating (CAUTION: stinky) can burn off. Then put in the wax. As for the leftovers, for the softer bottling wax that I used, I emptied...

That's nice, but what about the smell? It stinks of sh*t. I don't know if all bottling wax is like that or it's only the bottling wax alternative that I bought. https://morewinemaking.com/products/bottle-wax-alternative-vintageseal-burgundy-1lb.html

Hello all, I thought I would post this here, as I found no comparable discussion on the topic. Backstory: I usually use PVC shrink capsules to decorate the bottles after bottling a batch, but this time I was experimenting with the bottling wax for the first time (actually the softer...

Quite possibly. Although I visited both places and liked both, I think I can explain my preference for Berkeley in that I am used to all sorts of big-city madness, having lived in NYC for a decade now, and I'll miss that kind of roller-coaster of a life, should I move to Seattle. Though not a...

Oh wow, cool! I'll keep it in the back of my head when I venture in that direction. Thanks!

Apparently the wind has changed direction for me as of late: no longer considering UW and Seattle (visited, loved the city and the university campus, but I don't feel it's my place). Instead, I am going to UC Berkeley. In many ways I think it is even a better deal, given its proximity to San...

Lucky you, at least your experience told you to dilute in time. My Pinot Noir batch got 15.3% this year before I knew it, so I may consider using it for disinfection when I run out of rubbing alcohol. :h

I totally share your point of view. In fact, this is the reason why I was so eager to shift focus from the pre-med track over to sociology early in college (though I finished both degrees). However, I ended up exploring the statistical side of sociology, which nowadays, unfortunately, steers...

Thank you all for your encouragements and advice. I'll be looking to buy a house around Seattle, but not in the next 2-3 years for sure, so I will probably stick with 1 gallon batches wherever possible. But then, I will rely on imports from my home cellar in New York to keep up with the demand...

Thanks, MountaineerJack, I totally hear you and that would be awesome to have my own wine for the parties there. The problem is that I will not have my own space for a while, let alone dragging all the carboys and equipment behind, since I will be moving from coast to coast. I thought that...

So, apparently the time has come: checked my mail this afternoon and there it was, my admissions offer to a doctoral program starting this Fall. While I do have my priorities straight, I think I would miss wine making now that I got used to it over the years, especially since I will be...

It is always intersting to learn how different people make this wine differently. I also make cranberry wine every year, but this year I was caught by surprise of not having the ingredients on hand, hence this thread. I start in a similar fashion, except I don't mash the berries into small...

Thanks. I'll be stirring every week or so from now on. Yes, I added the recommended dose of Opti-Malo Plus around two months ago when I pitched the MLB culture. The harshness of the environment was my original concern, which is why it probably makes sense that the progression through the MLF is...

The ambient room temperature is 69*F-70*F, but I stirred only once after the initial racking. I guess I thought stirring was more important when fermenting in barrels, but sort of optional when in glass. Would it hurt the wine if I add more of the MLB now? I am just not sure whether or not the...

MLF update: It has been 67 days since I added the CH16 MLB to this batch of 15.3% ABV Pinot Noir, but the chromatography test shows it is very much still "in progress" (stuck?). At the same time, my 13.5% ABV Sangiovese has completed the MLF on White Labs liquid MLB culture in less than 72...

Thanks, I look forward to your tasting notes!

I suppose, it wouldn't hurt to wait then. I can also agree on leaving K-meta out of the initial process because the fermentation environment is already hard enough for any random yeast/bacteria to spoil the must. Besides, in my past experimental attempts the native yeast never yelded over 7% ABV...

I stocked up on 15 lbs of cranberries to start a 5 gallon batch some time next week. I actually wanted to crush them tomorrow (Sunday), but discovered that I have no yeast and pectic enzyme left in the empty bottles (I have no idea why I kept them, if those are empty). I ordered the additional...

Congrats, Seth! So, it has been just over a year in production and now you have reached the most exciting time, the bottling and tasting. How does that ABV affect the taste? From what it looks, your wine's acidity is high and the sugar is low, so with the elevated alcohol and carbonation, I...