Greetings, All!

[Butler]

Happy Friday to all of you fellow wine makers!
I am brand-spankin' new to the home wine making scene.
I started my first batch of wine this past Sunday and I am very excited to say the least!
There's lots to read about and learn, so I'm not gonna waste anymore time with introductions...

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome aboard Butler. Feel free to ask all of your questions, this is a great forum with lots of knowledgeable people. What area are you from?

 

[Butler]

I'm from St. Louis.
I live in the suburbs in the city of Ballwin.
I just started my first batch of wine this past Sunday and I am very excited about it.
It's been a long time in the planning stage and although it is finally happening, I feel like it is moving very quickly!
Heck, I could be bottling before the end of the month!
Thanks again for your help with my 'cork size' question in the other thread.

 

[Wade E]

Welcome Butler and hope you stay awhile and learn with us.

 

[St Allie]

Hello and welcome to the forum,

what wine are you making?

Allie

 

[Torch404]

Welcome and feel free to ask any thing on your mind.

 

[Leanne]

This sounds like a kit wine? What are you planning to make next?
Welcome aboard.

 

[arcticsid]

HowdyButler, pull up a stool. Lots of questions to be asked and answered, you're up next.

Whats it gonna be?

Troy

 

[Tom]

Butler,
welcome aboard.
Please do tell us more [introductions]. What are you making? What part of the world are you from?

 

[Wade E]

Dont rush anything into the bttle even if evrything goes much faster then the instructions state. Give it more time as even after using a fining agent it will continue to drop very fine sediment.

 

[Leanne]

Dont rush anything into the bttle even if evrything goes much faster then the instructions state. Give it more time as even after using a fining agent it will continue to drop very fine sediment.

Yeah, I wondered about that. I just assumed it was one of those really quick kits.

 

[Butler]

Well, Hey. Thanks for the warm welcome and all your interest in what I am doing.
My first wine is indeed a kit, (Vintner's Best).
The box says that it is a Riesling.
I hope it is one when it's done!

 

[Tom]

Yeah, I wondered about that. I just assumed it was one of those really quick kits.

Patience X 3 !!

 

[Wade E]

Just follow the directions until the part about bottling and then give it a little more time to age in the carboy as it will most likely still drop fine sediment. Also make sure you do a good jog degassing as thats 1 of the top reasons people dont like their home made wine.

 

[Butler]

Good advice.
I saw a muti-part video on Youtube of a guy making wine.
When he got to the degassing atage, he whipped it in his carboy with an oak dowel.
Man, did he beat it and stir it!
He was very clear that this was an important step.
So I bought me a 36" x 7/8"dia dowel and I'll be degassing the heck out of my wine.
I guess you degass it and then let it settle back down before bottling?

 

[Wade E]

You should be degassing your wine before clearing it so that the wine will clear better as trapped C02 in your wine will keep sediment in suspension. Get yourself a drill mounted stirrer, they are excellent for making sure when you start making a wine that everything is stirred properly so that you get an accurate sg reading and itll work better to degas your wine. Here is a link for you to look at some. Dont get "The Whip" as it will break due to it being plastic and the force you will exert on it. Get either the Fizz X or the Mix Stir as these have Stainless Steel shafts and the blades on them are also replaceable and the parts are dirt cheap. I prefer the Fizz X as it has a pce of plastic that you use as a guide to center the shaft in your carboy. Ive had mine for 8 years now and just replaced the blades on them for the 1st time a few months ago. http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Wine-Making-Equipment-Stirrers.asp

 

[Tom]

DO NOT WHIP IT !
You want to aggressively STIR it.
Like Wade said get the Fizz X or the Mix Stir and make sure it has a metal shaft (well worth the little extra$)

 

[Butler]

Good advice.
Poor choice of terminology on my part when I said that this guy "whipped it".
It really was as you say, "agressively stirred".
Many thanks.

 

[Wade E]

The best way to do it is to use very aggresive short bursts goiung from forward to reverse so as not to create a vortex in your wine which will suck in air and expose more of youtr wine to 02.

 

[Butler]

Good suggestion, Wade.
Thanks.