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I've just ordered a 32 quart stainless steel pot to use as a primary fermenter. Apparently no one sells an 8 gallon stainless steel bucket for home winemaking. Most "stock pots" and "brew buckets" are narrow and tall - but I found one that was wider than it is tall. I think I remember reading...

I've been having a problem for a couple of years now, with my wine kits producing wine with a high total acidity (TA) and low pH. It started out with TA's at 0.80%, but now I've had 2 kits end up with 0.90 - 0.93% TA, and low pH - around 3.2. They are all red wine kits from RJS (except one back...

When you degas a wine, are you doing this to remove ALL CO2 gas? Or just some of it/most of it? I've assumed all along that it was to remove ALL of it, but I ran a degassing paddle on a drill today intermittently for an hour and was still getting gas! And NO, I wasn't mixing air into it! I kept...

I was just about to bottle a Wine Expert Stags Leap Merlot - when I found that the ph was 3.55 and the TA was 0.80%. All my previous red wine kits ended up with a pH around 3.4. A pH of 3.55 isn't bad (correct me if I'm wrong), but seems a little "off". And the TA is a bit higher than I've seen...

I have an RJS Toasted Caramel Port approaching day 42 when it's supposed to be racked. I added 20 grams of medium toasted French oak on Day 1 (not per instructions), but it fermented down to an SG of 1.000 in 6 or 7 days. At this time I racked it to a 3 gallon carboy per instructions, leaving...

I've made several WineXpert Eclipse kits but only two RJS Spagnols En Primeur kits - both were Super Tuscan. They are the best wine I've ever made - so I'm ordering some more kits by RJS. But - I see that there are 2 Amarone wine kits: RJS En Primeur Winery Series Italian Amarone Wine Kit...

I made a batch of Eclipse Sauvignon Blanc back in 2017. Fermentation completed 5/20/17. Bottled 8/26/17. At the time it tasted fantastic. Final stats: SG .99, pH 3.4, Alcohol 14%, TA 0.65%, SO2 36 ppm. I drank some and gave some away, then decided to save the remaining 10 or 12 bottles for some...

Started a batch of RJS Super Tuscan (9/19/18). Starting SG: was 1.105. Re-hydrated the yeast this time, but after 48 hours, fermentation had not started. (Maybe over heated the yeast?) So I just sprinkled another package of yeast over the must (9/21/18). Same yeast - EC-1118. The next day...

Trying to pick my next red for early this fall. I'm leaning toward the "Eclipse Napa Valley Stag's Leap District Merlot (Grape Skins)". Was very happy with the Eclipse Barossa Valley Shiraz and the RJS Super Tuscan. Now looking for another varietal. Has anyone tried this one? Or a Merlot by...

Wow. Just started an Eclipse Riesling kit. Mixed up the must on 4/9/18 and pitched the yeast dry on top of the must as per instructions (Lalvin K1-V1116). Temperature 74F. Laid lid on primary loose and covered with towel. Next day (4/10/18) it was fermenting. Temperature 72F in morning. 74F...

I joined this forum recently and I'm on my 2nd batch of Dragons Blood wine. That's actually how I found this forum, by searching for more great recipes like Dragon's Blood. Anyway, I've been reading the threads and found some discussion about Dragon's Blood wine developing sediment after it was...

I'm getting ready to start a new kit (6 gallon). WineXpert Eclipse Shiraz, Barbarossa Valley, Australia. I'm thinking about deviating from the instructions a little. I came across an article named "Extended Instructions for Making Wine From Kits". These instructions take a 28 day kit and stretch...