Just resrved a juice bucket

[mikey1273]

Ok new here and want to get in to making a few batches this spring and summer and some in the fall. I have not made any yet, just got my equipment to start and plan to start a kit this weekend.

I just reserved a juice bucket of Chilean juice for Chianti from a near by vineyard. I know this is going to be a lot like the kit but the amounts of things to add are up to me to figure out. I'm sure I will need bentonite, a clearing agent and need to choose a yeast and decide what else needs to go in for flavor like oak or anything else .

it will be coming around the end of April so I have a month to learn and be ready to go

 

[Arne]

You mite want to find out if they have adjusted the acid, ph, and or added yeast already. I have not done a juice bucket, but think I have read some on here have had all that done before they bought the juice. Arne.

 

[reefman]

Mikey1273,
The things Arne list are very important, and I couldn't agree more.

Where did you reserve the juice bucket? I only live an hour from your area, and would like to try new suppliers of juice.

I've also found that most vinyards offering juice will tell you and stock the ingrediants you need. This forum is great for information, and a very friendly group. They have helped me alot, and I can't say enough good things about them.

 

[mikey1273]

Reefman

I reserved it from Harford vineyards.
http://stores.harfordvineyard.com/-strse-template/index/Page.bok

Another member here gave me the link that lives close as well

I have to check with them, perhaps a call to them before pick up time and ask these questions. they do sell wine miking supplies too so between here, my local store and the winery I'm sure I will figure it out.

 

[reefman]

I know them well, bought juice from them last year....Chiliean Muscat.
They are very friendly and helpful as well. They even made labels for me a couple years ago.
I expect you'll be happy with them.
I live about 30 minutes from them.

 

[mikey1273]

I know them well, bought juice from them last year....Chiliean Muscat.
They are very friendly and helpful as well. They even made labels for me a couple years ago.
I expect you'll be happy with them.
I live about 30 minutes from them.

Good to know. I have not even been there yet, they are not too far from me maybe 45 minutes... being I'm in York PA and very close to 83 it should be a short ride.

I'm gong to need some help being New at this. I just started a batch of Island Mist from wine Expert. So far I think I did well nothing confused me at all. I was super careful to sanitize everything before use. I will have to look at the sheets I have from my class at Mr. Steve's and see if I can decide on a good yeast to use.

 

[Boatboy24]

Mikey,

I ordered from them as well. This will be my first run with fresh juice/grapes. Do you have any way to measure SG, pH, and TA? I asked them if the buckets are balanced and was told they should be, but they can be off. I'm doing a Malbec and a Carmenere and will go with a bucket of juice and lug of grapes for each.

Other than some measurements, I think you're right about them being like a kit. The process is largely the same, but you need to have your own additives. I'm glad you mentioned bentonite. I'm getting an order together for yeast, etc and had forgotten about that.

It'd be great to potentially meet some members up there. I will most likely try to take a Friday or Monday off to do my pickup. If anyone is interested in meeting up and possibly exchanging some wine, let me know.

 

[mikey1273]

I have a way to check the the SG but nothing else

 

[harleydmn]

We can arrange a time and date when they come in. I be happy to meet everyone.

 

[saramc]

You can ask your supplier if they can check levels onsite, many times they can and will. Otherwise, you may consider adding a pH monitor and acid test kit to your supply list, so easy to check TA (especially a red wine) using pH monitor.

 

[mikey1273]

Ok what things do I need to do this I used the chart Mr Steve had handed out at class to figure out I need Red Star Pasteur Red yeast. got Benoite too. not sure what else. I got some wine Tannin and Potassium sotbiate. is there a recipe for Chianti some place I can read?

 

[mikey1273]

well I got my Juice yesterday and got some advise from Roxanne at Harford Vineyard. I let it set overnight in the basement near the mechanicals where I work to come up to temp. I did what she told me and tossed in the yeast this afternoon around 1pm. So I guess I'm off it seems like the lid to my bucket is starting to bulge up a little already. My starting SG was 1.094 so if I read my charts correct it should have a 13% abv potential.

 

[Julie]

well I got my Juice yesterday and got some advise from Roxanne at Harford Vineyard. I let it set overnight in the basement near the mechanicals where I work to come up to temp. I did what she told me and tossed in the yeast this afternoon around 1pm. So I guess I'm off it seems like the lid to my bucket is starting to bulge up a little already. My starting SG was 1.094 so if I read my charts correct it should have a 13% abv potential.

What did I ya get? And loosen up the lid just let it sit on top for now and stir daily.

 

[Boatboy24]

Curious to know what you got, Mikey. I'll be headed up hopefully next week when the grapes are in.

This is my first go at fresh grapes/juice. I've exchanged a few emails through this process with Roxanne, and she's been very helpful.

 

[mikey1273]

Thanks Julie I was wondering how important stirring was..... I only made the two kits (one of them in process) and a daily stir was not part of that, but the directions for making from Juice I got off the Winery's site said to stir 2x a day. I have it sealed under airlock for now. I seen this morning when I went to fetch clothes from the dryer the gas pressure is doming up the lid some. So is ok to leave it UN-sealed now and for how long into the ferment? Or should I stir daily and seal again? Sorry for being so not in the know. This is my first time making from juice and not a kit.

Oh and the juice I Got was a Chilean Chianti. The goal is to make it a dry but very bold flavored red. I am fermenting it in basement where its about 67 all the time instead of upstairs where its often 70+ hoping for a slower ferment to keep much of the rich flavor the juice had with Red Star Montrachet Yeast that was recommended. I tasted the juice as I was working with it.....WOW was it nice.

If this goes well I'm going to try to do two buckets of California juice, a red and a white when those before available. maybe some Canadian and Chilean again next year as well.

 

[mikey1273]

Boatboy, Roxanne has been helpful to me as well we exchanged a few emails and talked some there. She offered help if I had any questions later too.

I'm sure I will be going back there

 

[CBell]

It's fine to leave it unsealed for your entire primary ferment, down to an sg of ~1.010, as oxygenation is not a worry. If it is in a dirty place, put a towel over the top of your bucket. Sounds like your bucket is getting ready to burst. I don't use a lid at all until I transfer to secondary to a carboy

 

[mikey1273]

It's fine to leave it unsealed for your entire primary ferment, down to an sg of ~1.010, as oxygenation is not a worry. If it is in a dirty place, put a towel over the top of your bucket. Sounds like your bucket is getting ready to burst. I don't use a lid at all until I transfer to secondary to a carboy

Its not in a place as neat and clean as my kitchen, Its in my basement. its not dirty but not a finished living area. (concrete floors, stone, concrete and brick walls no finished ceilings) I do have a large work counter made of a nice salvaged laminate island counter top that only had one tiny blemish, so I have a clean work area but I would prefer to keep it covered when I'm not working with it. Yes the bucket is filling with gas but no more than with wine kits, it's never exploded with those and I have an air lock in the lid so it will vent.