First Try

[Stuart77047]

Well I have my first batch of wine fermenting. I guess it is fermenting. It has only had yeast for about 4 hours. I descided to start with something cheap and simple so I tried some SP. Of course I am using yeast instead of must since this is my first batch ever. Even if I mess it up I am not out much. It started at SG of around 1.075. I made the 16 cups of inverted sugar, but the SG was about 1.060 so I added granulated sugar to get the SG to where it needed to be. Wish me luck.

 

[sevenal]

Good Luck Stuart

The recommended starting SG level is around 1.085 to 1.09
The difference is wine with 7 or 8% Alcohol or one that is 12 or 13%
I am sure some of the expert wine makers here will chime in.

 

[rhoffart]

Good luck ... and welcome

 

[Plmac]

Stuart, my first batch is also in the fermenter. What is SP?

 

[Stuart77047]

Skeeter Pee. There is a whole forum here devoted to it.

 

[ERS]

Good choice for a first batch, fast and tasty. I've made six batches and getting ready for my seventh, every one has been exceptional. I've been doing this for a year and have made more Skeeter Pee than anything else.

 

[Plmac]

Ahh yes and our lemons are starting to turn yellow. Gee I better try to make some.

Thanks

 

[Plmac]

well, sounds like trying SP with fresh lemons might not be a good idea for a beginer. But I think I'll make some from recipes with the juice. Sounds good.

 

[jtstar]

Well I have my first batch of wine fermenting. I guess it is fermenting. It has only had yeast for about 4 hours. I descided to start with something cheap and simple so I tried some SP. Of course I am using yeast instead of must since this is my first batch ever. Even if I mess it up I am not out much. It started at SG of around 1.075. I made the 16 cups of inverted sugar, but the SG was about 1.060 so I added granulated sugar to get the SG to where it needed to be. Wish me luck.

It says here that you made 16 cups os inverted sugar which is good but then you go on to say that you add granulated sugar to get your sg up to where you wanted it this is no good you should always us inverted sugar because granulated sugar will not desolve properly

 

[djrockinsteve]

Always try to invert all of your sugar. With the skeeter pee and having to keep it well aerated it will dissolve but it will be a little harder for the yeast to break down.

Not inverting it will give you a low gravity reading as it won't be full dissolved at that time.

Skeeter pee is a great start and you Stuart do have a must, not a slurry. A must is what you have before it turns to wine. Once you've gone skeeter you won't go back.

 

[docanddeb]

Well, here is the beauty of wine making... we all do it different.

I NEVER invert sugar... on anything. I will blend it with juice or wine in the blender if I need to. The yeast always eats it. You just need to make sure it is dissolved before you check the SG.

More than one way to skin a cat, I guess!

Debbie

 

[Stuart77047]

For the people that invert sugar, how do you store your extra?

 

[Julie]

the skeeter pee is the only thing I invert sugar but like you sometimes my sg is not high enough so I take some of the must and add sugar to that, I heat it up to disolve the sugar.

You do not want to add grandulated sugar without dissolving it first. The yeast have a difficult time in converting that sugar to alcohol.

 

[Stuart77047]

As an update. I checked the SG first thing this morning after a vigorous stirring. Worried about the undisolved sugar all night. It measured 1.080. Not too high. It is foaming and bubbling a little bit. Down to 1.070 tonight. It seems like things are going smoothly.

 

[docanddeb]

WOO HOO... liftoff!! I racked off a bunch of elderberry today... Elder Pee was one of them.

Debbie

 

[Stuart77047]

Slow Slow

Well my SP has been slowly fermenting. It was at 1.010 for the last two days. When I started this batch I thought it would be dry by now. I will be out of town for the rest of the week. Instead of letting it sit in the primary for 4 more days, I decided to splash racked it into a carboy. Trying to make sure it has enough oxygen to finish up. I plan on testing the SG again when I get back. When it ferments to dry, I plan on racking it again and adding the k-meta and PS. Anyone see a problem that I may be missing?

 

[robie]

Well my SP has been slowly fermenting. It was at 1.010 for the last two days. When I started this batch I thought it would be dry by now. I will be out of town for the rest of the week. Instead of letting it sit in the primary for 4 more days, I decided to splash racked it into a carboy. Trying to make sure it has enough oxygen to finish up. I plan on testing the SG again when I get back. When it ferments to dry, I plan on racking it again and adding the k-meta and PS. Anyone see a problem that I may be missing?

Once in the carboy, be sure to add an air lock to it. It should be fine that way for at least a week.

 

[Stuart77047]

Ok. I have my Skeeter Pee cleared and backsweetened. I have the cork in the cork-a-dor along with the cleaned bottles. I will be bottling tonight.

I do have one question. My skeeter pee has a little bit of a weird flavor. It taste great don't get me wrong. It seems to have a malt liquor flavor in it. I don't even know if that is the right term. Is this normal or is it something I did?

 

[JohnT]

Probably just flavor from the yeast.

 

[Stuart77047]

That makes a lot of sense. Maybe I will use a different yeast for the batch that I start this weekend. I will have a free carboy after I bottle this batch. I hear empty carboys get sad.