Document your process

[arcticsid]

One of the important lessons I have learned from the more experienced winemakers in here is to document what and when you did it from the start.

Not only is this necessary for troubleshooting, if need be, but remeber, we may not know what the final result will be fore several months. If it turns out great, you may want to duplicate it(or tweak it), on the other hand, if it turns out not great, you need to know what NOT to do again.

I thought I seen a downloadable form where you could record your ingredients, temp., SG, dates etc. but I don't remember where I seen it. Maybe someone else has one, or has seen something similar.
Troy

 

[Conquistadude]

I agree completely. I was just writhing all down in word, but now I made a log using Microsoft Excel. I find spreadsheets look nicer and you can program it to do any math you want. Right now I have it really simple, but I am always modifying it when needed. If you have excel I will send you my log spreadsheet.

 

[arcticsid]

I personally don't use excel, though I do have it. There should be a way for you to post it as a blank document that can be downloaded. I was going to design a form myself, but if someone such as yourself already have one I would be curious to see it.
Troy

 

[cpfan]

I use a "carboy tag". Mine is kit oriented as I created it when I ran a Ferment on Premises. Activities and measurements on the front. Recipe on the back. Note the large hole for hanging over the neck of a carboy.

Steve

 

[Manimal]

There is a decent winemaking log form downloadable from the following website: www.vehiculepress.com If I remember correctly, it's a little hard to find on the site, but it's definitely there. It is associated with Daniel Pambianchi's book "Techniques in Home Winemaking," so if you find that book on the site, the form should be in the same area.

 

[arcticsid]

Here the chart Manimal pointed out. You'll need Acrobat reader to open it. It's pretty good chart, wish it had more room for remarks though. www.vehiculepress.com/pdf/wine_chart.pdf
Troy

 

[Luc]

Until now I have not yet found a winemaking log I liked.

I like to take lots of notes lke:

Day 1
Prepared a yeast starter using.....

Day 2:
mashed and pressed the fruit
mashed the fruit by food processor. Or crushed by hand
using a potato masher. Or used 3 different kinds of
fruit and processed one like such the other like so etc etc
adding sulphite and pectic enzymes.

Day 3:
measuring the must, adding the starter
and adding extra acid, sugar etc

etc etc etc

On most charts you can fill in the ingredients
but there is not enough room to describe the actual process.

Besides that, filling in forms is something for government employees. I like freedom

So I still write down all my notes in
small text files.

Luc

 

[bein_bein]

I too have been logging all batch info in an excell spreadsheet. If you go here you can see what it looks like. Unfortunately you'll need to use internet destroyer as Excell's web pages won't display properly in Firefox...not sure about other browsers.
I have the book set up so you can get from Master index to a batch page ans back without using the tabs at the bottom of the book. Also it will automatically calculate your ABV when you input starting and ending PAC values (potential alcohol content based on the incluced SG Table). There's also an area on each sheet to put a small pic of the finished product. I had posted this in another thread , but those webpages are gone. If anyone would like a copy of the excell book drop me a request at [email protected]

p.s. the nice part of using this procedure is that I also have a "template" page in the book. All you do for the next batch is make a copy of the template page, change the the tab name and the name of the batch, add that info to the Master index page and viola!you're good to go!! Nice and easy

 

[Grancru]

Does anyone have a documentary log in Word format that can be typed within and saved?
I would greatly appreciate a copy.
[email protected]

 

[oldwhiskers]

Here is my log in PDF version with forms that can be filled out and saved with ReaderX 10 I believe. I did not create it in Word so I am having to change a conversion issue when I converted from ODF to DOC that Word would not let me change. If you like it I can post the DOC version of it.

View attachment New Improved Brew Log.pdf

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Dont forget to include the BRAND of everything you get, just saying pectic enzyme might be ok, but if you switch brands and it stops working you can figure it might be a difference that counted. CC

 

[Boatboy24]

Does anyone have a documentary log in Word format that can be typed within and saved?
I would greatly appreciate a copy.
[email protected]

I have one in Excel. Would that help?

 

[JoshDivino]

Carboy Tags are nice, so is using word or excel to document your processes. I prefer to use a composition book and write everything that way then cut and glue in the excel sheet that is called the winemakerslog I believe its a sticky by Tom, pretty damn good.

 

[Stefani]

I guess I use a version of a Carboy Tag. It's a larger Post-It and a piece of scotch tape (3M is great) or a 3x5 card taped to the carboy.

Most of my specific notes of the recipe data are in a notebook/folder. What I would on the tag is the last action and date and then recommended action and date of next recommended action. That way I can easily scan then tags to see if I should do anything to them.

I find myself timing my batches so I can rack a couple of batches at the same time or bottling the same day as I'm racking. i.e. A batch would be bottled on the same day as as other batches that need to be racked.

I'm learning that doing less to a batch makes better wine.

 

[Grancru]

I have one in Excel. Would that help?

Yes, I would love to take a look. If it can be saved it would solve so many problems.
The Brewlog PDF is nice but I can't save it.

 

[JoshDivino]

If I knew how to attach a xls i'd attach mine but I can't figure it out :/

 

[Dend78]

how about this guys what if we compile a list of things we want/need for a spread sheet, put it on google docs and make it shareable to those who wish to use it on this site, it can be set to be editable by each person or basically a read only. obviously nobody can make the perfect one for each person but a good collection of ideas can be taken and made available to use and reproduce, then each person can grab and tweak it to their liking in their own version on google docs

 

[oldwhiskers]

The DOC or XLS extension are not valid file type for uploading per the manage attachments info. I could email the DOC format file of the PDF I posted earlier in the thread if anybody wants it.

 

[Tom_S]

I made a spreadsheet on my computer where I document everything I do with the wine. Since I go for long periods between doing things with my wine, sometimes I might forget if I've filtered it, for example. Plus keeping records helps me remember what worked well and what didn't.

Sometimes it feels like I have the memory of a goldfish, so it helps to keep track of things. Now if I could only remember to make entries into the computer when I do something with my wine.