I am very new to wine making but enthusiastic about my new hobby. I recently received a citrus ice wine kit which I, of course, had to start right away. I fermented in the primary per the instructions for approximately 14 days and then racked yesterday into the carboy (SG was .998). I wanted to bulk age my wine (mainly because the book I received with my Starter Kit said this was a good thing to do) so I didn't add any of the additives that came with the kit because it seemed to me that most of these should be added a week or so prior to bottling. I was confident that I knew what I was doing yesterday but today I am having second thoughts. Should I put in the additives (potassium sorbate, flavoring pack [I will have to wait until I get a new one, the one with the kit burst prior to arrival], and clearing agents)?
RJ Spagnols Bulk aging ice wine kit
- Thread starter Batty
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I would recommend you go ahead with the stabilizing and clearing stages per the instructions with the kit as soon as you get the f pack You need the protection the Kmeta and Sorbate provide during bulk aging.Edited by: Waldo
This hobby is addictive! I got a starter equipment kit and a Riesling kit for Christmas. Since then (and yes, I mean only since 12/25/2007) I have started the citrus kit and I started a batch from fresh apples and pears from my grocery store. I had to order more carboys and, wouldn't you know it, had to check out what was on sale......and ordered a chardonay kit! When will it stop???!!!!
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Batty said:
Hi there Batty and welcome to the forum.The guys are giving you solid advice. When you get the f-pack finish the kit up like the directions tell you to, but if you wish, at that point you may bulk age a couple months and it will be safe and stable. It will give it a chance for the f-pack flavors to mingle while aging and the sorbate will keep it from refermenting.
The answer to your question -when will it stop? Probably it won't until you either run out of room to move in your house, run out of money, or find yourself in your own personal root/wine cellar- bulk aging about six feet down!
Since you are new to this I would like to see the recipe you are going to use on the fresh apples to either say good recipe and follow or please dont do this without adding this. Great to have you on this forum and hope you stay awhile. Where are you located?
My husband came home with 2 boxes of mixed apples and pears from our local grocery because, "You can make this into wine, Honey." As I said earlier, I'm brand new to this and have very little equipment. I cored the fruit and boiled w/ a minimum of water until I had a mush. I then strained as much pulp out using a variety of methods. I read theposts on this site talking about presses and steamers but I didn't have either. I had about 4 gallons of juice when I finished (not to mention a huge mess in the kitchen). I took about 8 cups of juice and dissolved 18 cups of sugar in it over heat which I added to the primary fermenter after it cooled; plus 4 crushed camden tablets. I tested the acidity and added 4 tsps. acid blend to reach 6ppt. I also added 8 tsps. pectin, 4 tsp. yeast nutrientand 3/4 tsp. tannin (thank goodness all of those chemicals came with my starter equipment kit) and 4 cups of chopped raisens (there has to be a better way to chop raisens other than w/ a knife!). I let this sit for 24 hours and then added Lalvin yeast, I think it was E-1113 or 1118. I then read some more on theposts about people who had trouble getting their yeast to start so I was really worried mine wouldn't start....but it did. It has been in the primary for about 14 days and the SG is 1.00 now but I don't have any carboys to put it in! I have ordered some 1 gallon carboys because I read on the posts that these are great to experiment w/ and if I mess up, I'll only have to throw out a gallon rather than 4. I tasted it yesterday and all I can say is a person better sit down when they drink a glass...it has a kick! I would love any suggestions...I seem to get started and then try to solve problems rather than think things all the way thru. I know that preparing the apples was alot of work and I'm not so sure I'm ready to do that again soon.
Batty: Sounds like you have done your home work, Good job.
Did you check you beginning SG and ending SG to know what your ABV is?
Your other wine is an Ice Wine, so I assume you don't mind sweeter wines, If this apple is to hot, you could sweeten back with welch's apple juice, or other frozen juices to add flavor and dilute the ABV. Grape or apple juices also tend to add body to a wine. You could also use apple juice off the shelf to help sweeten back and dilute the "Hot taste".
You could also take a gallon and experiment.............. sparkling apple? Oak?
Did you check you beginning SG and ending SG to know what your ABV is?
Your other wine is an Ice Wine, so I assume you don't mind sweeter wines, If this apple is to hot, you could sweeten back with welch's apple juice, or other frozen juices to add flavor and dilute the ABV. Grape or apple juices also tend to add body to a wine. You could also use apple juice off the shelf to help sweeten back and dilute the "Hot taste".
You could also take a gallon and experiment.............. sparkling apple? Oak?
There really isnt too much of a problem with people getting their yeast started, it just seems that way as those are the 1's that get posted. That recipe sounds pretty good to me. I never chop the raisins as the goodness is extracted out with no problem. Its hard to believe until you do a batch with whole raisins and eat 1 after wards, they have little flavor left and just taste like alc. Looks to me like you have a good recipe and have the scientist part down pretty good. Do you have a hydrometer and if so what was your starting SG? if not get 1 so that you can see where you really want to start these wines. Typically you want a fruit wines starting SG around 1.085 -1.090. This lets the flavor profile come through without the gasoline effect.
I checked the beginning SG which was 1.09. I guess the ending SG is what is was yesterday which was 1.00. The taste was actually pretty nice albiet with a kick! I'm not really sure about how to add oak or make the wine a sparkling wine but both sound interesting to try. Do I add the apple juice at bottling or do I do that before I rack into a carboy? I'm just not getting the part of when I should add what after the initial fermentation. I was anticipating aging this wine about a year; is that about right? Edited by: Batty
Here's a link to a thread that NW started when she made her sparkling Apple wine:
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=888&KW=sparkling&PID=12430#12430
Oak can be added during fermentation, or during bulk aging, doesn't really mater.
As far as time frames and what do do after fermentation, follow the same directions as you follow with a kit, with the exception that it may take longer between each step due to the actual fruit being present, that could take months to drop out and clear.
The key item to remember is that during fermentation, the wine is being protected with a layer of co2 that it is producing to fill that head space in the fermenter. Once the yeast start slowing down, 1.010 for 6 gallon batch or 1.020 for a 3 gallon batch, you need to rack under glass to create a smaller head space so air can't get to it. Thats why you rack at those SG's, that is enough pressure to safely ward off air entering the fermenter.
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=888&KW=sparkling&PID=12430#12430
Oak can be added during fermentation, or during bulk aging, doesn't really mater.
As far as time frames and what do do after fermentation, follow the same directions as you follow with a kit, with the exception that it may take longer between each step due to the actual fruit being present, that could take months to drop out and clear.
The key item to remember is that during fermentation, the wine is being protected with a layer of co2 that it is producing to fill that head space in the fermenter. Once the yeast start slowing down, 1.010 for 6 gallon batch or 1.020 for a 3 gallon batch, you need to rack under glass to create a smaller head space so air can't get to it. Thats why you rack at those SG's, that is enough pressure to safely ward off air entering the fermenter.
