Search results

Hi everyone, Best Wishes to everyone on the forum for a Happy 2010. The recent threads on Sanitizing and Cleaning have made me focus on the last area of our wine making that I still feel needs improving. At present we use a bleach based cleaner (VWP). As environmental impact is one of the...

Hi, I recently acquired a load of demijohns from a guy that was retiring from the hobby. Some of the glass demijohns I got had aluminum / alloy marks left by bottle brushing (twisted wire type). Will these marks have any effect on wine put into the jars? Does anyone know if and how I should...

Hydrometers, Refractometers, Brix, SG & abv. Conversions. Hi everyone, I have been using my hydrometer and taking readings and then subtracting the finishing SG from the starting SG and dividing by 7.36 to get the abv. I have recently been toying with the idea of buying a refractometer so...

Hi everyone, Having posted a few weeks ago about my over sweet elderberry wine which eventually stopped at 16% abv. I have decided to turn most of it over to port. I tried to drink it but it is just far too sweet for my taste. What I intend to do is take 4 bottles of sweet wine and add 1 bottle...

OK. So here, after many questions to forum members, mistakes on my part and much trial and error is my settled recipe. Thanks to all those who, through advice and comment, lead me to this final version. I have now made about 50 Imp. Gallons using this recipe and am happy with the way the...

Hi everyone, I think I have a problem (what's new?). I've been bashing out my elderberry wine for a while now without any problems. Unfortunately my Batch #5 is causing me problems. I rather over did the sugar in the primary. It was unintentional - honest. I used 1.25 Kg of dried...

So, now my mind is at rest regarding my elderberry wine I have to deal with a couple of problems regarding my test gallons of ginger wine. A month or so ago I started two different gallon batches of ginger wine. I have problems with both at the moment. I would appreciate any advice anyone can...

Hi everyone, The elderberry wine saga continues... I now have three carboys full of elderberry wine. Yesterday I racked the first and second batches. I had some left over once I'd finished with the first batch so gave it a taste... quite a big taste in fact. I started this batch around...

Hi everyone, My last batch of elderberry wine went much smoother now I have a better idea of what I'm doing, thanks in the main to those pieces of help and advice i received from this forum. :) The first time I tried to rack from the primary to the secondary I was left with the problem of...

Hi everyone, Today I looked at my 6 demijohns and decided that fermentation looked pretty sluggish so I decided to rack them into my new carboy. They had been in demijohns for about 17 days. Once racked I measured the SG and found the elderberry wine had dropped from 1098 to 992. I guess...

Hi everyone, This morning I got my second batch of elderberry underway. Unfortunately I wasn't fully awake and put too much pectolase into my 6.5 Imp. Gallons of must. I should have used 16ml (3.25 Tsp) but actually used 25ml (5 Tsp) of the powder. Will this error have any implications for the...

The Elderberry has been on fine lees in the secondary and my thoughts have turned to the next racking. I have used the search feature, I have read my book, I have phoned a friend... I have been given many options but what, I want to know, is best practice? Book - Secondary "fermentation...

Hi everyone, I have now managed to get my elderberry wine through its primary fermentation. I racked into six 1 Imp. Gallon demijohns on Friday morning. While reading about the next stage for the batch I read that the wine should only sit upon the 'gross lees' for a few days to avoid...

Hi everyone, Anyone following my posts will know that I have made my Elderberry wine must using dried elderberries and raisins. Also that I made too much. So, I bought a second fermentation bin and halved the must. I now have 2 3.5 Imp. Gallon batches. Yeast and yeast nutrients will be added...

Hi, I've just made my must in a 30 liter fermentation bucket. I followed the recipe and have ended up with about 28 liters of must. The amount of space between the top of the must and the bucket lid (which has a bung hole in it but which I was only going to cover with a teatowel) is only 2...

On an earlier discussion on my planned Elderberry Wine Luc observed that I would probably only need to add citric acid to my recipe but that I may find that it is not necessary to add any at all. In preparation for starting my batch this weekend I started to go into titration and acid levels...

Hi, I am about to start the batch of Elderberry Wine which was discussed last week [See my "Intended Elderberry Recipe" post] but before I do I need to clarify issues surrounding the starting specific gravity of the must. According to the guidebook I am using (Berry, 1996 – See earlier...

Hi. I have had problems getting a reliable Elderberry Wine recipe which address all the issues which seem to need addressing when making up a batch. This is an amalgamation and best stab at a recipe I can come up with. Will it work? Elderberry Wine Recipe I am looking to make a dry to...

Hi everyone, I signed up today and just thought I'd introduce myself. I am on the verge of starting my first attempt at wine making. I have been researching the subject for a week or two and found that I kept ending up on this forum and taking advantage of all the great tips and information...