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I have a question regarding a runaway fermentation that was co-inoculated with VP41 but got up to 95F, well above what is rated for the bacteria. Any chance I need to re-inoculate, or will it go the distance? On another note, prior to this first ferment (my first real attempt with grapes where...

It's been a bit since I've been on here, but ran into a similar issue with my Merlot. Dialed up the space heater in the garage to 75° (47° in Indiana, so garage has been closer to mid-50's). Must was around mid-70's when I put it to bed for the night. This morning the Merlot (D254) had shot up...

Not seeing this on ebay, are they sold?

Duh, yah, guess I was confusing pounds and gallons. but still not a bad deal if the fruit if good, and so far the results indicate it is. Just going to wait until it's really cold to place another order so it stays frozen ;-)

Sorry I've been absent from this thread for so long. Was in the process of selling my business, and now that I'm finished with that project it's time to focus on what's important: Making good wine! While the initial presentation of the merlot was a bit disappointing, I did get it to complete AF...

Like you, just getting started in winemaking. While I don't have a rose' on the radar yet I have thought about it so was interested in your question. Found this at WinemakerMag, but it sounds like if the goal is to achieve a slightly sweet wine, then the choices are to arrest fermentation or...

It stuck for a couple of days so I decided to rack and press the grapes into another carboy, then used Uvaferm 43. It’s currently going through MLF so I’ll be testing my new toy to monitor the progress. Not holding my breath, but hopefully will have a better idea in a few weeks. Thanks for asking.

Thanks for that. I wondered about oxygen penetration. What are you guys fermenting in when you do EM?

This appears headed towards .996 and have kicked around leaving it on the skins for a week before MLF but don’t want to invite bacteria. It’s in a brute 20 gal with a plastic lid. I’ve seen no kmeta since it will thwart MLF; just curious if anyone has concerns about that plan. Thanks!

Good article, some of it a repeat of what's already been said about Andy Beckstoffer and his grape kingdom. Make you wonder if or when it will make sense to ever invest in a vineyard or winemaking operation anytime soon. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/09/business/beckstoffer-wine-napa.html

Likely my rookie eyes, but the cap just appears to be lifeless. I checked the SG tonight and it's down to 1.039, so can't really say if it's the new yeast or, as you say, the original fermnation taking a break then starting back again in earnest. After watching the Eclipse come alive as it did...

Thanks, I appreciate the information and email.

I looked at WineGrapesDirect and the vineyard description was virtually identical (it's since been changed) for the grapes from my vendor, though they were $99/pail delivered (I guess you get what you pay for). The label indicated these came from Bulk Grapes / Wine - Misson Wines – Family-Owned...

I did that yesterday afternoon, along with the Opti-Red and Lallazyme. Five hours later I checked the SG. Perhaps I'm wrong about my perception, but just doesn't seem to be much going on there, but not throwing in the towel yet.

Measured it at start on Thursday at 7:00 pm and not again until Saturday when it read 1.054. You would expect that within another 12 hours it continue it's downward progress, seems to me anyway.

Followed protocol for yeast rehydration starting with 110° F for the GoFerm Protect, then at 104° slowly added the D21. Let that sit for 20 minutes, then slowly added a small amount of juice. Same thing I did for the Eclipse kit. Same protocol for the EC1118. But, like you said, got it out of...

Update: SG last night at 7 pm last night sitting at 1.054; this morning 7 am it's still sitting at 1.054. I tend to be the guy who likes to solve tough problems, though I would have preferred my first grape experience go a bit smoother. That said, seems many fermentations that get stuck this...

I'll test tomorrow morning, if for no other reason, to get an idea of how to use the darn thing and know what I'm looking for. Fortunately, given the condition of the grapes, the vendor did the right thing and has credited the order. I don't know whether this will turn out good or not, but good...

The two buckets of CS were reported damaged. That's a drag because I wanted to ferment separately and blend the two after aging. Guess I'll go to Brehms for that.

You're probably right about the oak, always easy to add later if it's not enough. Regards to the whole berries, I'm doing a deep punch, though not bottoming out, to see if I can break the berries without bursting the seeds. The number of stems is also a bit of a problem, but keep weeding them...