First crush tomorrow!!!!

[nayrea143]

I will be doing my first crush Tom! 198 lbs of cab sav and merlot blend. I will be following the manual on more wine. And I am also going to be doing mlf as well. MW ph meter, hydrometer and chromo test all ready. Any advice?!? I figure I will update on this thread. Wish me luck!!!!!


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[sour_grapes]

Best of luck, nayrea! You get 'em!

 

[Calamity Cellars]

Only advice is to have fun. Enjoy the experience. Expect that you'll make a couple of mistakes and learn from them. Welcome to the addiction!!!


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[seth8530]

Sounds very exciting! Don't forget that you will need some kind of press to extract the juice from the skins. Not trying to bomb your thread but if you want to I also have a thread about my own first grape wine experience! Good Stuff, keep us updated and keep good notes so that we can learn!

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/fall-wine-plans-storm-brewing-39460/

 

[nayrea143]

Sounds very exciting! Don't forget that you will need some kind of press to extract the juice from the skins. Not trying to bomb your thread but if you want to I also have a thread about my own first grape wine experience! Good Stuff, keep us updated and keep good notes so that we can learn!

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/fall-wine-plans-storm-brewing-39460/

Yup!!! I have a huge basket press!!! I have the supplies. Hope I know what to do with them!!! Lol.

Super excited!!!


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[seth8530]

Wow, looks like you are good to go!

 

[nayrea143]

Ok I will update my numbers later today but I have a question. We were planning on destemming by hand and using the electric crusher. Well that was bs and would take forever. Friends of ours who also make wine said they just leave the stems on. So my question is is that ok? Or should I go through the must now and try to pull out as many stems as I can. We have a brute filled 3/4 of the way. Added 1/4 meta yesterday. Waiting till tonight to pitch the yeast.


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[GreginND]

Many wines have been made with stems and they generally turn out good. The only problem with stems is adding bitter tannins to your wine. Ideally they are removed to avoid this. But without a machine it is quite labor intensive to do it by hand. I have seen some people destem by hand by pushing the grapes through a screen or through the bottom of a milk crate to catch the stems. If you've already crushed them, maybe it's too late for that. If you want to pull out as much as you can by hand, it can help. But I don't think I'd worry too much about it at this point of you can't get them out. I might consider pressing a little bit earlier though to avoid too much stem contact in the fermenting wine.

 

[nayrea143]

Many wines have been made with stems and they generally turn out good. The only problem with stems is adding bitter tannins to your wine. Ideally they are removed to avoid this. But without a machine it is quite labor intensive to do it by hand. I have seen some people destem by hand by pushing the grapes through a screen or through the bottom of a milk crate to catch the stems. If you've already crushed them, maybe it's too late for that. If you want to pull out as much as you can by hand, it can help. But I don't think I'd worry too much about it at this point of you can't get them out. I might consider pressing a little bit earlier though to avoid too much stem contact in the fermenting wine.

Ok. Thank u


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[nayrea143]

So it looks like my brix is 24. 13%
Hydrometer at 1.094. I think?? I will test the ph later today when hubby gets home. Am I reading the hydrometer right?!?


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[nayrea143]

Should I add some sugar?? Like two pounds? It was 198 lbs.


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[sdelli]

No sugar! That is plenty high enough..... I just started some Cab and Merlot yesterday... Mine was at 1.091 with some juice mixed in. Keep it warm and let it roll! I recommend a dose of fermaid-k as soon as you see fermenting starting up... I just did mine this morning about 24 hours into it.


Sam

 

[sdelli]

Lay the Brut lid on it loosely with a crack showing for some air... It will help keep a layer of gas from the ferment laying on top of the grapes.

Also, punch down the cap every morning and night. I use a big potato masher to use as a punch down tool.


Sam

 

[nayrea143]

Lay the Brut lid on it loosely with a crack showing for some air... It will help keep a layer of gas from the ferment laying on top of the grapes.

Also, punch down the cap every morning and night. I use a big potato masher to use as a punch down tool.


Sam

Ok no sugar. Lol. I will crack the lid and I haven't added the yeast yet. Guy I got the grapes from said add 1/4 meta and wait 24 hrs then add the yeast. Did I read the hydrometer right?!?!? Can u tell from the pictures??


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[nayrea143]

I plan on adding fermaid about three days in to active fermentation.


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[sdelli]

Ok no sugar. Lol. I will crack the lid and I haven't added the yeast yet. Guy I got the grapes from said add 1/4 meta and wait 24 hrs then add the yeast. Did I read the hydrometer right?!?!? Can u tell from the pictures??


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I use a gram scale.... You want to acquire about 50ppm of so2 at crush. It looks like you have about 20 gallons of must. That would equate to about 6 grams of kmeta... I would do about 5 grams to be safe. Depending if you crushed them or had them crushed. They might of added some. How much is that in teaspoons? I think if you google it there are conversion charts.... Looks like you are reading correctly on your hydrometer. I usually wait 12 hours before I pitch the yeast after adding kmeta... It takes at least that long to get the must temp up to at least 65 degrees before pitching. What is your must temp at now?


Sam

 

[sdelli]

Sam

 

[seth8530]

To me it looks like you read it pretty close. I read 23.5 brix from the picture.

 

[nayrea143]

So I prob could have added a little more of the meta but it should be ok. I was nervous to add too much bc I want to do a mlf. I don't actually have a thermometer. It's in my garage. It's prob close to 70. I will put a thermometer out there and see what the garage is.


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[seth8530]

If the sulfites are a bit high after fermentation you can always test them prior to pitching MLB.