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Yeah, thanks. My wife & I both caught an immediate buzz, and no, we aren't exactly cheap dates ;)

I guess it was moot to ask. This batch was started in 2019, then neglected in the carboy after the first (or 2nd?) rack, and we're moving in a couple weeks, so the paperwork is in the wind of totes and boxes strewn about the house. I do know that it had to be around 1.100, because I remember it...

I started a 5 gallon rhubarb wine a couple years ago, racked twice, then left for +/- a couple years--I've been busy and just left the carboy in a dark cellar closet for what seems ever. I found it today and having forgot everything I actually didn't know when I started this batch, we did a...

Long time, no bump--To update, the chokecherry wine is stupendous, still in the carboy and may stay there for some time. It's a superb burgundy color, VERY dry, and every sip packs a good punch. I have many more gallon bags of the fruit in the freezer, considering whether to make a larger batch...

4 months in the carboy, the bottle in the fridge is tasted once a month and getting just a bit more mellow with each. This may well be a wonderful wine in 5-10 years. Decided not to backsweeten, will bottle for long-term storage soon. Hey! The rhubarb is next and well out of the ground!

The electronical pH meter was finally delivered last night. The reading is 3.89. Acid test #2 will comence after the driveway is cleared of our latest 5 inches.... *edit* Ok, a kinder, gentler acid result: color change began at 6cc of hydroxide 0.2N, jet black at 9cc.

I was thinking that I'd just let it age that "few months" in the carboy it's already in. It's now in a dark 59-to-63 degree (F) room in the cellar, bubbler still attached. The wine I've been testing and tasting is from the half-gallon "topper" jug, mixed with the carboy during the last rack. I...

Happy I could entertain a bit, in another life I was a professional rock and roll star, at least until I found out that I was the only one who knew my name... I'm getting some real top shelf input here, and appreciate it. That astringent component was a concern, but I'm willing to let this age...

Yes, 0.2N. I'm pretty much here for the education, not really making too many moves without input from you veteran winemakers. I am going to give it a few days and test again, also order a meter for pH. No sweetening or de-acidifying is in my immediate future... Thanks

OK, maybe someone can help me with the chemistry here: I finally received an acid test kit and a bottle of pH test strips. The test strip was an easy read, pH is at the dark side of 4.0. The acid test spooks me a bit. I followed their instructions to the letter, 15 cc wine, 3 drops...

Definitely wine, the fruit and sweet are there, but an astringent overpowers very quickly, I have no doubt the acid I was warned against, hence the need for a test kit. Definitely going to be good once the acid is adjusted. The smell is still odd, but not offensive. Cheers!

Oh, no no no no....sorry for that. What I meant to say (and did a lousy job of) was that I'm sure ferment had ceased, being as the hydrometer read at .998 for a week. No, this is perhaps the dryest wine I've ever tasted.

Yeah, new equipment. I went ahead and racked the wine back into the 2 gallon pail (the slightest jarring had that film drop right back into the wine), washed everything twice, sanitized everything repeatedly as I went, filtered the wine through a 10X folded cheesecloth soaked in metabisulfate...

Mmm, I left out the smell....it's got a dull urine-like oder, not overpowering but definitely covering any aroma of wine. I'm afraid to taste the stuff....

I've been letting the first rack settle, it looked great, wound up with one & a half gallons, so far... It was "clear" last night, just a ring of bubbles and the airlock would burp every few minutes, then about 12 hours later I find this-- That thin white "cloud" appeared. Am I screwed or...

Good to know, thanks. And no, no adverse acidity that I can taste, and no, I did no acid test. I will say that this fruit was originally prepped for jam, which means washed/stockpot/water just to cover/simmer approx. a half hour/sieve juice/discard skin & pits. It was then frozen for some 4...

We have several suckers from a non-producing "granddaddy" plum tree that finally started making their own plums this last season. Before the decision to start making wine was made I took a 5 quart harvest and prepped it for jam, which means I have around a half gallon of frozen, unsugared...

My must read at .998 this morning, and the stuff tastes like a very dry merlot with a finish hint not unlike classic Bazooka Joe bubblegum. Tummy got very warm from just a sip, I like. I'm thinking first rack this afternoon. SG was 1.002 yesterday afternoon, it can secondary the rest of the way...

Our season was so good for wild fruit last year that I picked some 40 quarts of chokecherry and I swear I left half of them on the trees! I usually get 20 quarts in what I called a "good year". The rhubarb? Yup, wasted our share as well. No more of that!

Well, this bucket lid you'd love: it came without a gasket. So I already understood the likelihood that the seal wasn't going to be airtight. But the audible fizzing was a delight to hear. Being as I'm into day 3 I'm thinking that my primary ferment is on the wane anyhow, and the first siphon is...