Help with MLF

[Charlietuna]

Hey guys. Sorry for all the posts. This wine out of grapes thing is new to me & I feel better talking it thru on this forum.
I've made a ton of kits. Why do they not mention MLF? Is this something that can be done with a kit? But isn't why?
I have 30 gallon of chamborcin that I've just added yeast to tonight. Will I need to buy some enzyme & monitor temperature closer than I ever have to make a good wine with it?

I'd never heard of MLF until starting to read this branch of the forum.
I did read a good PDF from more wine that explained it somewhat.

Thanks!
Brian

 

[monkfe]

I have limited experience, but wine kits don't use MLF as I was told. MLF is the conversion of malic acid to latic via a bacteria (Oenococcus oeni) that you either inoculate into the recently fermented wine (different schools of thought here as to when). This can occur naturally in red wines and often does. It's what gives wine the buttery taste (think milk-latic acid). A simple test kit will tell you when you're about done with the conversion. Don't add sorbate or additional Kmeta if you're going to do this after fermentation.

 

[cmason1957]

MLF should never be done on a kit. If you try, you will end up with a flabby wine. Kids are aid balanced to be correct at the end.

With your Chambourcin you will want to make sure you add some yeast nutrients. It can always benefit with some. Many monitor temps, you want to get it up above 75 at some point for best color extraction. That more wine PDF is a very good read on what you will need to do.

Ask plenty of questions, you will get answers, maybe more than you want.