WineXpert Mezza Luna Red redux

[bilbo-in-maine]

I just started this kit tonight. Measured water ok up to the 6 gallon line
after putting in the concentrate (bentonite went in first - some lumps
never did stir away). The temperature was at 80 degrees F, a little warm I
says to myself. The SG was 1.080 to 1.082, not quite sure because the
hydrometer floating around in the wine thief kept reading differently
depending upon how it was twirled and then held - I hae to get used to
using all the equipment. I took Masta's advice and checked the calibration
of the hydrometer in 60 degree water, and it looked like it read .998, a
tick off. If this is so, the readings I take from now on need to be adjusted
by .002 units, right? Heeding Hippie's statement that a warm must will
give a lower SG, I figured I have two things skewing a reading near the
one the kit says I need, 1.085 - 1.095.

I will proceed without adding sugar, assuming that as the must cools
(outside on a chilly Maine evening) closer to 75F, and that my hydrometer
is off by a tick, that I will have an SG around the low end of the desired
range. I'll add the yeast in about 30 minutes. Maybe someone can offer
quick advice before that. All thoughts will be much appreciated!

Bill

 

[masta]

Looks like the SG is typical for this type of kit at roughly 1.085 after adjusting for temp. Go ahead and pitch your yeast if you already didn't and don't let the must cool off too much. 80 degrees must temp is certainly not to high to pitch the yeast...I do it all the time! I like to ferment all my wines at 70-72 degrees room temp. The must will actually be a bit higher during the very active part of the fermentation since this process is exothermic and creates some heat. I once tried to keep my fermentation room cooler at 65 degrees since I had wine stored in the back but this added at least5-7 days to the total fermentation time.


After adding yeast there isno need to do anything with it for at least 6 days unless you don't see signs of fermentation.


Keep us posted and we will guide you along the way if needed

 

[peterCooper]

And welcome.
The first time you do this is nerve wracking. "Am I doing it right?" Am I
really going to screw this up?" The answer is usually No if you follow
the directions.

Good luck!

 

[Hippie]

Sounds like you are doing a good job. I agree with the above 2 posts.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Masta, Peter, Hippie - You guys are great. Thanks for your replies. Peter's
right, the anxiety level was up some. Well, early morning nine hours later
and the surface of the must has numerous small bubbles sitting there,
but no active bubbling. I've left off the plastic lid and covered the pail
with several paper towels. I think I've read enough of the other forums to
understand that at this stage the yeasts need lots of oxygen. I'll check SG
and temperature this evening.

 

[Vaughn]

(bentonite went in first - some lumps
never did stir away)
Bill

Start the bentonite in the blender. WAY easier.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

HOW - Yes, I saw that in one of the forum pages later after I had already
added bentonite - I will remember for next time though. Thanks.

 

[peterCooper]

You can also treat it like corn starch.
Put bentonite in a cup. Add a small amount of water to make a paste and
use a teaspoon to smooth it, then repeat until it's runny. then it can be
added with no lumps. Saves clean the blender.

Either way, you have to sterilize the equipment. I find my blender hard to
clean. It's plastic for one, has the grooves running vertical down the sides
and I always cut myself trying to get the business end out of the bottom of
the container.
Edited by: peterCooper

 

[masta]

I put roughly 12 oz of warm water in a measuring cup and sprinkle the bentonite in slowly while stirring vigorously with a wire whisk....works well for me!

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Advice about bentonite will be heeded in future. Thanks

Now, about temperature.

Even at this time of year Maine can be chilly. Last night was upper thirties
in southern Maine (AAAStinkie is further north and inland, and it might be
even cooler there!) When it gets this cool the house cools off overnight to
low to mid sixties (since it is still summer in my mind, I just can't bring
myself to start the wood stoves yet.) So, being concerned that my
fermenting must might cool and slow down, I put a heating pad under the
bucket and covered it all over with a down jacket. This morning the must
was about 82 degrees. The yeast in the kit was a Red Star Premier Cuvée.
I'm curious to know how warm other people let their fermenting get, and
generally what temperature range you try to stay in.

It is amazing how one becomes enmeshed in all the lab sciences when
making wine. It was interesting to read about Martina running aground on
the issue of acidity. Well, with a kit I don't have to be concerned with that,
but am curious about temperatures at various stages.

 

[Jackie]

The optimum temp is 72-75 degrees all the way through stabilization and clearing. It won't hurt the wine unless it gets up in the 90s. The max for that yeast is 95 degrees. Fermentation generates heat so you probably don't need the heat pad any longer or maybe just at night if it gets in the low 60s.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Twelve hours later and the very audible, bubbling surface action of this
morning has lessened to a steady quiet fizzing sound - temperature
down to 76F. So I guess the 82F of last night drove the stronger
fermentation. It is going to be another night in the upper 30's so I'll tuck
the bucket in snugly.

The odor is pretty heady. I have a college age son who brews his own
beer and ale. He's home for the weekend and related this story. Being the
young rash dude that he is, he thought it would be interesting to put his
head in the fermenting bucket of his new batch of ale and take a big
lungful. His lungs tingled all the way down and after several seconds his
vision danced a bit and he thought it best to sit. Well, that sounded pretty
interesting to me, and I figured my fermenting wine must would offer a
similar experience. It did.

 

[peterCooper]

Sounds like everythings going well. Now come the most difficult
part....waiting.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Waiting, and more waiting - you are right, Peter.

Son Charlie walked in while I was racking the Mezza Luna from fermenter to a carboy and he got some pics.



Here's the carboy filling. The pail is not from George and I found that
the spigot was smaller than the diameter of the transfer tubing so...

I quickly sanitised the auto-siphon, gave myself a crash course in how
to get it to work and watched as the carboy steadily filled

Six gallons in a pail should logically fit in a six gallon glass jar,
right? Toward the bottom of the pail I started getting a little
antsy... Anyway, I wanted to see what the sediment looked like.

Whew - job done, airlock in, now we ease back and wait...

Another kit arrived yesterday! Good 'ol George

 

[Hippie]

Good job Bilbo!