Crush day at Crushday's...

[Jay A]

Strictly post primary use or rack & return as well?

 

[crushday]

Strictly post primary use or rack & return as well?

Great question - plan right now is only post primary transfers. I’ll continue using the self priming diaphragm pump for other cleaner tranfers. My bigger one is variable but clogs up too.

 

[Maheesh]

What yeast are you using?

 

[crushday]

What yeast are you using?

I'm using dual yeast for both of these wines. Initial yeast is Prelude (Chr. Hansen) and will finish the job with Avante (Renaissance). The Prelude is only effective to 9 ABV and isn't designed as a total yeast solution. Avante is a workhorse and has been my go to for three seasons. It's solid.

To be clear: Pitch the Prelude after crush. 2-3 days later, pitch the Avante. Trying something different.

 

[Ajmassa]

Sir. You are absolutely crushing it over there! The new toys are so badass. Fresh from road trippin thru wine country, swapping bottles & talkin shop w/ the OG’s, back home w/ a macrobin in tow ready to christen the gear!— that’s gotta be quite the feeling. Riding high on dopamine and making it look easy! It’s not ‘work’ if ya love it. And you most certainly do. Congrats on everything. Keep the pics & updates coming.

 

[Rocktop]

Hi crushday, some more questions.
Primary ferment in the brutes and then into...?
Sorry I didn't see it before, will this be a blend?
Will it be barrel aged?

Txs.

RT

 

[crushday]

Keep the pics & updates coming.

I will! Makes me wish we were all neighbors. Imagine the parties... Epic.

 

[Snafflebit]

I would hate to give you bad advice but I think the ML culture is okay. The worst case is you have to do it again after primary ferment.

 

[crushday]

@Rocktop

-Primary ferment in the brutes and then into...? 120L Speidel fermentors (19" lid) to complete MLF and then into Speidel storage tanks for about a year or until I have a few barrels open.

-Will this be a blend? Going for 100% varietal (PS) and 97% CF/3% Petit Verdot (made this last year and love it). Ultimately, there will be blends also but I need to see what I have to work with.

Will it be barrel aged? Yes, typically. Only exception was last years Pinot Noir. I just bulk aged it in plastic with some oak spirals hoping it would be fruit forward. It's bottled now and good after a 3 hour decant.

 

[crushday]

I would hate to give you bad advice but I think the ML culture is okay. The worst case is you have to do it again after primary ferment.

I'm going to test for evidence of lactic. I thought I would do it tonight but I'm going to wait. I'm not pitching the Avante tomorrow. I checked Brix and I'm still at 24 on the PS.

 

[crushday]

Everything is on cruise control right now. Punching down every 12 hours. Color extraction is amazing. Aroma is wonderful. Fumes…dizzying.

Here's a pic of the Cab Franc during punch this morning:

 

[crushday]

Here's an update and explanation from Lodi Wine Labs on the bacteria (see post 47 in this string for the backstory and picture). This is verbatim the email I received back from Cameron:

"Good morning George!

I reached out to Gusmer and they assured us that those yeast are viable and will be fit to use. So good news for ya!

Cameron Crouch
Sales Manager and Environmental Liaison
Lodi Wine Labs"

 

[Jay A]

Looking great at punch down! I'm sure they are crazy busy at LWL & Gusmer as well. Hopefully "thinking" MLB but responded yeast. Chromotography will tell the tale. Keep updates coming!!

 

[Snafflebit]

Here's an update and explanation from Lodi Wine Labs on the bacteria (see post 47 in this string for the backstory and picture). This is verbatim the email I received back from Cameron:

"Good morning George!

I reached out to Gusmer and they assured us that those yeast are viable and will be fit to use. So good news for ya!

Cameron Crouch
Sales Manager and Environmental Liaison
Lodi Wine Labs"

I kind of recall having similar reservations about the CH16 last year.

 

[stickman]

I've used CH16 for many years and haven't encountered the darker color yet, however, the 2016 CHR Hansen technical data sheet (pulled from the Gusmer site) indicates an appearance of "off white to slightly brown". It's helpful that the manufacturer indicates the potential color variation; it may be related to something simple like the particular type of broth the cells were suspended in right before the drying process.

 

[SLM]

This is a great thread. Thanks for sharing.

 

[crushday]

Quick update: Cap is beginning to weaken and fermentation is slowing. Out of the six fermentors going right now, I did a gravity check on one: Cab Franc #3 - it read 1.006. Although I’ll do a full gravity check on Tuesday or Wednesday I’m hoping to keep this at bay until Friday when I’ll have more time to press.

 

[Kraffty]

Maybe chill them a bit for a couple of days to slow things to a crawl?

 

[crushday]

Update: Just punched the cap for the last time on this ferment. At this point, calling it a cap is an overstatement. The activity has been slowing for the last three days and it’s ready. I don’t even feel compelled to take a gravity reading to confirm. Tomorrow is the day.

I’ve been planning on waiting until Friday - and there’s enough CO2 joining the atmosphere to justify that decision. However, tomorrow we have a 0% chance of rain. Friday-Sunday - well, the screenshot speaks for its self. So, T-Minus 18 hours. Can’t press outside in the rain…

I’ll be sure to provide photos throughout the press tomorrow.

 

[Kraffty]

Looks like the NorthWest Rain Gods made that a pretty easy decision.