Cellar Craft 1st Post / 1st Attempt!

[Jaggz]

After reading & reading, I felt confident enough to give it a shot! Went today and picked-up a beginner's equipment package & my first kit, CC Showcase, Syrah. Everything went pretty well, just hoping that I did enough cleaning & sanitizing...paranoid that it all isn't clean enough. Anyhow, really looking forward to seeing the progress over the next few days! Thanks for all the great information here on the forum! I'll keep you posted!

Jake~

 

[TonyP]

First, welcome. It's good to focus on cleaning and sanitizing because doing so improperly leads to 90% of wine failures. Make certain you've done it properly, then don't worry about it, though. FYI, I did website article on cleaning and sanitizing you may want to have a look at.

 

[Jaggz]

First, welcome. It's good to focus on cleaning and sanitizing because doing so improperly leads to 90% of wine failures. Make certain you've done it properly, then don't worry about it, though. FYI, I did website article on cleaning and sanitizing you may want to have a look at.

Awesome, thanks Tony...I'm using the forum ipad app & can't seem to find how to search...do you have a link to the article, I'd love to read it!

 

[Rocky]

Jake, welcome to the forum. You chose a very nice kit for your first wine. I see a lot of new comers that go for a 10 or 12 liter kit and I have to wonder why. The 16 liter kits are so much better and take the same amount of work.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Cleaning and sanitation does get a lot of attention, and it is often the cause of bad wine. But if you're a bit careful, it is almost hard to spoil a wine due to uncleanliness. Just make sure you clean your equipment good when you finish a batch and it'll make sanitizing before the next batch a snap. Think of it this way: It's like your kitchen dishes. You could clean your dishes after eating or you could clean them before eating. Almost everyone cleans their dishes AFTER eating; they wash them and put them in the cupboard. They then eat off them without giving it a second thought. If you instead put the dirty dishes in the cupboard and washed them before use, you can imagine the problems you could have with bacteria and spoilage, yuck! Clean well after use and usually a quick sanitizing rinse is all you'll need.

 

[Boatboy24]

Welcome aboard! Keep us posted on your progress.

I like Lon's analogy of the dirty dishes. Clean when you're done eating, then clean and sanitize before you eat again. You can't go wrong.

 

[TonyP]

Awesome, thanks Tony...I'm using the forum ipad app & can't seem to find how to search...do you have a link to the article, I'd love to read it!

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/entries/cleaning-and-sanitizing.html

 

[Jaggz]

Thanks for the link to the article....I already noticed I forgot to sanitize one thing...the cup & spoon used to rehydrate the yeast. Ugh. I have a friend of mine that has been distilling vodka for years & warned me about how susceptible & vulnerable yeast can be to outside contaminants. Keeping my fingers-crossed that I didn't screw it up!

Speaking of yeast...is there a consensus on the best way to add yeast? The direction said to sprinkle on top of the must...but I watched a couple videos and everyone recommended rehydrate the yeast first, then adding to the must. I went with the rehydrate first method...taking lots of notes on everything that I do, just in case!

 

[robie]

Welcome to the forum. I suggest you taste the wine as it starts each new phase. This will help you better understand how the wine progresses. It will go from very sweet (before fermenting) to tart, then over several months/years, to a nice drinkable reward. You will be very surprised how it changes over time.

The advantages or hydrating the yeast are:
1) You will definitely know if the yeast is still viable without having to wait more than 3 days.
2) Everything get off to a much better, healthier, and quicker start.

 

[tonyt]

Yeast - I'm a sprinkle guy all the way now. Just about all of the kit instructions have moved to the sprinkle side now. I'm on the Texas Gulf Coast and ferment warmer than many so I never have a problem with slow fermentation starts. Downside to hydrating is that you stand a chance of killing the yeast with too hot or water.

 

[Julie]

Hi Jake,

Welcome to winemakingtalk

 

[Jaggz]

Hi Jake,

Welcome to winemakingtalk

Thanks Julie!

 

[Jaggz]

Uh-oh...I'm trying not to get too impatient as it has only been 24 hours into the fermentation stage...but I haven't seen a noticeable change in the must. Here's where I think I may have messed-up...when preparing the yeast, I added the package to 2oz of water...stirred...and then added to the must. Now I am reading that if I rehydrate the yeast, I should let it sit for 15 min or so before adding?!? Do you think my yeast is OK & will ferment still? Fingers-crossed that this didn't screw it all up!

Edited to add: if this yeast doesn't ferment, can I add additional yeast to start fermentation or will this batch be ruined?

 

[tonyt]

I think youll be fine. Give it another 12 hours. Use your hydrometer to check for fermentation as sometimes its subtle. What is the must temp may need a brew belt or heating pad to warm it up. And yes you can add more yeast if it doesnt start.

 

[Tyroneshoolace]

I think youll be fine. Give it another 12 hours. Use your hydrometer to check for fermentation as sometimes its subtle. What is the must temp may need a brew belt or heating pad to warm it up. And yes you can add more yeast if it doesnt start.

+1 I agree. I bet it is gurgling away as we speak

 

[Boatboy24]

What Tony said...

What is the temp of your must?

 

[Jaggz]

You guys are genius! Just went and checked on it this morning...wonderful smells & an awesome foamy top going on! Seriously, this is only day three of my first kit & I'm already looking forward to starting another!

 

[tonyt]

Seriously, this is only day three of my first kit & I'm already looking forward to starting another!

Be careful . . . It's a slippery slope.

 

[Jaggz]

48 hours into primary & I think things are looking pretty good! Must temp was up to about 78 degrees, SG @ 1.070. Instructions say to ensure crushed grape pack stays submersed until day 10, but mine floats right back to the top?!? Is this a big deal?

 

[SouthernChemist]

48 hours into primary & I think things are looking pretty good! Must temp was up to about 78 degrees, SG @ 1.070. Instructions say to ensure crushed grape pack stays submersed until day 10, but mine floats right back to the top?!? Is this a big deal?

It'll do that with the active release of CO2. You can either punch it back down until it stays submerged again or, with sanitized hands of course, squeeze it of all the goodness. Once you put it back into the must it should sink into the bottom. If you do this once a day, you should be fine.

As for making more kits...go for it! As long as your wallet and your space can handle it, that is. Could consider a white wine next - something that will mature faster while you wait for your Syrah.