2018 Grape Season Underway

[pgentile]

Talked to Lenny Procacci today. They have more trucks coming in this week with all new stuff. And trucks will continue coming into October as well.
Got my old man coming by this wknd and will be making the D**o red batch. Meant as a throwback no frills stress free type batch. Still mulling it over- but may go au natural. No yeast. No adjustment/malo or anything. Just crush and let ‘er rip. Like the good old days.
I don’t think 6 gallons will be enough tho. Upping to 15. This is the wine we drink waiting for the rest to age.

**noticed my ph55 meter dried out. Not sure how long ago. Rinsed off the salty chemical deposits— dropped in the 7.0 and 4.0. Both right on the money. Hats off to Milwaukee

Gino's said 9/24 for Paso Robles grapes.

Good luck with D*go Red. I say go au natural. But it's not my grapes.

 

[mainshipfred]

Brix calculator comes up with 16.5 ABV for 26.7 brix.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/brix-converter/

Thanks, I used that but I think the numbers are based on a finish SG of 1.000. AJ and I discussed other calculations that use 1.000 as a base line but I don't remember what they were.

 

[sour_grapes]

This should probably go in another thread but going to post here. My formula for calculating potential ABV is starting minus finish SG X 131. If I have a must of 26.7 brix or 1.114 SG the math takes me to 21.49% alcohol using a finish gravity of .95. Now I know my yeast will die off before and if it didn't I wouldn't want it that high anyway. What am I doing wrong. I really don't want to water it back.

You already got the gist of the answer from others, but what specifically you did wrong was use 0.950 instead of 0.995 as your final gravity.

 

[Ajmassa]

Gino's said 9/24 for Paso Robles grapes.

Good luck with D*go Red. I say go au natural. But it's not my grapes.

I think so too. Perfect opportunity to give it a go. From what I’ve read it may take a little longer to go dry—— which is a good thing

Gonna need another demijohn too. Which I’m happy about. I have 2 and they’re dark green glass which always annoyed me. And Pintos sells em cheap. Wanna grab the 8.8gal too if they have it. Had none in May.

 

[mainshipfred]

Your calculations are off, at least according to FermCalc, which is what I use for all of my winemaking calculations. Fermcalc says that a starting point of 1.114 and ending of .995 yields an ABV of between 15.9 and 16.6, depending upon which calc method you choose. At any rate, that's still a bit stout for most wines, and watering back with acidulated water is pretty much the norm unless you have a lower BRIX must you can blend it with. I've had to water back a few times, and didn't really like the concept, but in the end, the wine turned out wonderful.................

I didn't try it with Fermcalc good thought. I know it's close but the sample I took was from the top of one of two 6 gallons buckets of must shortly after crushing. Not sure if it's a true representation. It's being cold stabilized right now so I'll take it again in a few days before I make any additions. I'm going to use Syrah and Rhone 4600 plus one other yeast I haven't decided yet. Rhone 4600 has a high glycerol production so the perceived sweetness might be a nice offset of the high alcohol.

 

[mainshipfred]

You already got the gist of the answer from others, but what specifically you did wrong was use 0.950 instead of 0.995 as your final gravity.

Brother Paul, you would be the one who found the problem. Thank you, I now have 15.59 ABV

 

[mainshipfred]

I think so too. Perfect opportunity to give it a go. From what I’ve read it may take a little longer to go dry—— which is a good thing

Gonna need another demijohn too. Which I’m happy about. I have 2 and they’re dark green glass which always annoyed me. And Pintos sells em cheap. Wanna grab the 8.8gal too if they have it. Had none in May.

I'm by no means an expert on natural fermentation but it was always my understanding native yeasts often die off before the wine goes dry. Again based on nothing but what read or heard.

 

[Ajmassa]

I'm by no means an expert on natural fermentation but it was always my understanding native yeasts often die off before the wine goes dry. Again based on nothing but what read or heard.

To get around this issue of “not finishing dry” my family had an incredible system. It was to not own a hydromter. Problem solved.
If the ferment stops just shy of dry then that’s just where the wine gods intended it to be.

 

[Ajmassa]

 

[Boatboy24]

I've only ever used opti-malo. Never rehydrated with acti-malo, didn't even know it existed. I'll have to try it but unfortunately my fall yeast and additive order arrrived today and don't think I missed anything.

Fred: let me take inventory, but I may have extra Acti-ML.

 

[mainshipfred]

Fred: let me take inventory, but I may have extra Acti-ML.

Thanks Jim,I was wrong, what I have is acti-malo so I need the opti but I have plenty of time to get it plus I think it is one of the few things MLHBs has.

 

[Boatboy24]

I have Opti-Malo as well.

What I failed to realize, however is that I have only 3 Brutes and 4 batches of wine about to be underway simultaneously. Glad I realized that now, and not next weekend. Off to Home Depot...

 

[Ajmassa]

I never have any lefover Acti-ML. I buy the 50g bags and entire bag gets used on 2.5g of bacteria

 

[mainshipfred]

I have Opti-Malo as well.

What I failed to realize, however is that I have only 3 Brutes and 4 batches of wine about to be underway simultaneously. Glad I realized that now, and not next weekend. Off to Home Depot...

Or use multiple juice buckets and different yeasts.

 

[Ajmassa]

Or use multiple juice buckets and different yeasts.

Lol. Don’t be trying to bait others into using your “mad scientist drunk on 500 different yeast” methods!

 

[jgmann67]

I have Opti-Malo as well.

What I failed to realize, however is that I have only 3 Brutes and 4 batches of wine about to be underway simultaneously. Glad I realized that now, and not next weekend. Off to Home Depot...

I have an extra brute (two actually) if you need to borrow one. Since I only do fresh grapes in the fall, there's no rush getting it back to me, either.

 

[mainshipfred]

Lol. Don’t be trying to bait others into using your “mad scientist drunk on 500 different yeast” methods!

Umm I believe you already started doing it yourself. Next time along with the D80 and D254 you might want to try adding D47 to the mix.

 

[Boatboy24]

I have an extra brute (two actually) if you need to borrow one. Since I only do fresh grapes in the fall, there's no rush getting it back to me, either.

Very generous of you - thanks Jim. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised I don't have 4 - I do 4 varietals almost every fall. This gives me a good excuse to buy another.

 

[mainshipfred]

I just found a winery in VA that couldn't be further away that is closing. Their auction is Friday but online bidding started today. I bid $300.00 for 3 pallets of dark Bourdeaux bottles. I believe there are 56 cases per pallet. May go as high as $600.00 but I will have to pay for shipping. Not that I'll get it but will be fun trying. Also bid $25.00 for 2 thousand natural corks.

 

[pgentile]

I just found a winery in VA that couldn't be further away that is closing. Their auction is Friday but online bidding started today. I bid $300.00 for 3 pallets of dark Bourdeaux bottles. I believe there are 56 cases per pallet. May go as high as $600.00 but I will have to pay for shipping. Not that I'll get it but will be fun trying. Also bid $25.00 for 2 thousand natural corks.

That should get you through the fall. Great prices if you get them