A few lessons learned

[BobF]

Keller's site is an excellent resource for *general* guidelines. Some of the material is outdated, so trust but verify.

1. For example, he discusses bottled vs frozen concentrates. He talks about most bottled juice containing sulfites and most frozen concentrate being pasturized. My experience over the last few months has been just the opposite, but I haven't had a problem getting either to ferment.

2. Just about every one of Keller's posted recipes call for about half of the fruit and/or concentrate that *I* would use. If his recipe doens't call for 100% juice, I would seriously consider doubling the fruit/juice his recipe calls for. At least compare his recipe to others you can find before you start.

3. We are at the whim of manufacturers. A few months ago I made a batch from Welch's "Black Cherry/Concord" bottled juice. It came out *really* good. I had another gallon of the juice on hand, so I went back to get two more gallons to make a 3 gallon batch this time. Guess what? The ingredients changed!! The older gallon lists "Concord grape, grape and black cherry" juices as ingredients. The new bottles list "Concord grape, apple and black cherry" ... We'll see how it goes ... ALWAYS check the ingredients even if you're buying something you've bought before!

 

[Wade E]

If your new to wine making nd see a recipe that you like, discuss it with us first as there are lots of recipes that like said above are just very old and lacking in some degree.

 

[smurfe]

Most of the recipes on that site are good starting places but are not great recipes. What I like about that site is all of the other information besides the recipes. Some great knowledge there. Scrutinize the recipes though and as Wade said, ask here and see if opinions think to tweak.

 

[wood1954]

don't use the carboy to do the primary fermentation

I thought i could just add some cherry juice and sugar, the necessary chemicals and yeast to the carboy. when i came home from work it looked like i had a volcano in the basement. what a mess.

 

[gird123]

I agree. I just went back and read a lot of his web site.

My second wine was his blueberry raisin. I just won 3rd in a local wine competition with it. I started it Aug last year.

 

[docanddeb]

Good for you!!

Debbie

 

[Arne]

I thought i could just add some cherry juice and sugar, the necessary chemicals and yeast to the carboy. when i came home from work it looked like i had a volcano in the basement. what a mess.

I have posted this before, but looks like maybe I should again. Leave plenty of room in your primary for expansion. When you run out of room, be prepared for a big cleanup. Now, I usually get a very large trash bag and set my primary in it. Just leave it poofed up around the base. Since I have done that have never had one overflow, knock on wood. You can also use some kind of tray that the primary can sit in. Use your imagination, but the first time it saves you a big cleanup, you will think it was worth the effort. Arne.

 

[corntassel]

No recip should be written in stone as an absolute. Each crop of grapes or fruit will dictate what needs to be twiked. Example some one asked me for a recip and then made minor changes in it and told me about it. In my aragence I thought (to my self) well that won't be as good as the recip I gave him. About a year later he sent me a bottle of it, even though my wine was very good his version was BETTER. So each to his own. In other words " different strokes for different folks."