Bigjeff's wine making thread :)

[BIGJEFF]

Since don't want to start a new tread everytime I start a new wine, I decided to start this one.....it's'probably gonna be far from serious be heh!
I try to search everytime before asking a question but sometimes I get lost or excited so feel free to remind me to do it or to post a link to the info


SKEETER PEE:
I started this today, I converted the recipe to 6 gal. My SG was 1.05 so I added sugar until I hit 1.075....
My 4 year old daughter helped me (kinda), she was really excited to help daddy make some "beer" and she said she can't wait to be a teenager so she can drink beer! (Scary!!)
I think this SP is gonna turn out great! I'm adding my orange wine slurry to it tomorrow!

 

[Tom]

Keep us Posted

 

[BIGJEFF]

I added the slurry to my SP and it started fuzzing just a couple houres later
I smell succes!!
Can I backsweet whit ice tea concentrate?

 

[BIGJEFF]

A bunch of pics!!



I finally got my computer back up and running after my hard drive died so I can post a few pics

My Orange wine fermenting (smelled SOOOOO good!!)

Orange wine slurry that I used to make my 1st Skeeter Pee

My basement setup, L-R: Pinot Griggio (ready to bottle), Peach Sauvigon blanc (ready to bottle), Skeeter Pee, Shiraz, Pinot Griggio #2, Merlot (secondary fermentation) and Orange wine...

Wine rack....sadly empty!! (wasted last year wine making season because of renos )

So that's it for now!
Have a good day!!

EDIT: Excuse the non-rotated pics....photobucket is no cooperating...I'll try to fix it later...

 

[djrockinsteve]

Watch having those carboys on the concrete. I believe that's what I can see. Place a piece of corragated box or a matt under it. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Tom]

You will have that rack filled in notime. AND will need to buy more soon

 

[BIGJEFF]

Watch having those carboys on the concrete. I believe that's what I can see. Place a piece of corragated box or a matt under it. You'll be glad you did.

I did!
I was running out of room so I got a new table and everything is off the floor now as you can see in the 2nd last pic), high enough to sifon too!
I'll move my orange wine on the floor once I rack it and it has to sit for 3 months but I'll put it on some of those big rubber mats that look like puzzle pieces.

You will have that rack filled in notime. AND will need to buy more soon

Yes it will be and yes I'll have too! lol

 

[countrygirl]

i bet the skeeter pee with the orange slurry will be great!

 

[BIGJEFF]

i bet the skeeter pee with the orange slurry will be great!

I think so too!!
I'm thinking about making a new batch with my pinot griggio slurry and backsweet it with concentrated ice tea....opinions?

 

[BIGJEFF]

skeeter pee racked into clean carboy

I checked the S.G. in my SP today and it was 0.992 so I racked it from the fermentor to a clean carboy, the orange wine slurry gave it a nice yellow color!!

 

[BIGJEFF]

I'm going to start my blueberry wine tomorrow and I have a couple questions...

1- the method on my additive kit says to put it in a cool place (20* and -) in the first stage to extract the juice, is that necessary?
2- They say not to stir the must after putting in the yeast, I tought it was good to stir fruit wine 1-2 times a day to introduce oxygene and help fermentation (yeast is Lalvin EC-1118) what should I do?
3-the kit has a clearing kit, am I better off letting the wine sit for 6 months or use the clearing kit?

Thanks for you help!

Jeff

 

[Tom]

I'm going to start my blueberry wine tomorrow and I have a couple questions...

1- the method on my additive kit says to put it in a cool place (20* and -) in the first stage to extract the juice, is that necessary?
2- They say not to stir the must after putting in the yeast, I tought it was good to stir fruit wine 1-2 times a day to introduce oxygene and help fermentation (yeast is Lalvin EC-1118) what should I do?
3-the kit has a clearing kit, am I better off letting the wine sit for 6 months or use the clearing kit?

Jeff

Thanks for you help!
1st if making 6 gal do it in 2 buckets.
2nd add frozen berry in a straining bag
3rd make sure you added Pectic Enzyme.
4th make a STARTER a big one. Blue can be a bear to start
5th punch down 2X a day .
6th after 1.20 remove the bag.
7th rack @ 1.010
8th When dry add stabilizers and degas

 

[BIGJEFF]

1st if making 6 gal do it in 2 buckets.

Even if I use a 35 gallon bucket?

The starter is water and sugar is it?

 

[Tom]

Cool @ big bucket
Yes add a little sugar. at start and more in a dya or 2 ..repeat.
So U see you may want to start making the starter a day b-4 or same day as you start after adding the fruit.

 

[BIGJEFF]

I picked up my blueberries, crushed them and they are now resting in a nice bath of juice!!
got my yeast started too, it bubbles happily

The blueberries are amazing, 30lbs of wild bluberries sweet as can be! I had to stop myself from eatring them!!

The juice+pulp gave me about 20L (5gallon)

I'll wait until saturday morning before taking out the pulp and put the yeast starter & etc in is and see it bubble like crazy!!

 

[BIGJEFF]

One of my friends told me to "massage" the pulp bag 1-2 times a day...do you advise that?

 

[Tom]

I picked up my blueberries, crushed them and they are now resting in a nice bath of juice!!
got my yeast started too, it bubbles happily

The blueberries are amazing, 30lbs of wild bluberries sweet as can be! I had to stop myself from eatring them!!

The juice+pulp gave me about 20L (5gallon)

I'll wait until saturday morning before taking out the pulp and put the yeast starter & etc in is and see it bubble like crazy!!

U owe me one...

 

[BIGJEFF]

U owe me one...

I owe you a few...let me know next time you're in Halifax

 

[Tom]

is DAT in NJ >?

LOL
pony express will do...

 

[BIGJEFF]

clearing agents

what is the advantage of clearing wine aver a long period VS using clearing agents??