WineXpert Mezza Luna Red - Started my kit (pics included)

[scubaman2151]

Hey guys,
I started my Mezza Luna Red wine kit, here are the pics of what I did.

Juice in the primary^

Checking SG^

The Oak is now in the juice^

Oak and Yeast are now in the juice^


I tried to push down the oak as much as possible into the juice but most of it seem to stay towards the top. Is that ok? I made sure to get at least all the oak wet so maybe it will sink.


Thanks guys.


SG Temp
Day 1 (Sunday) - 1.087 71*

 

[NorthernWinos]

That sure is fine oak chips...I bet the flavor gets extracted quicker than the larger chips.


The oak always floats at first...then the bubbling will mix it in.


Keep those photos coming...

 

[Wade E]

Thats the way its done Scuba. Wait till you get into 1 of the kits where there is 2 big oak bags that get opened and dumped in like yours, 2 more oak infusion bags, and a big bag of grapeskins or raisins. You wonder if te yeast will ever get wet but it does.

 

[grapeman]

That second photo up looks like a sheet of OSB(oriented strand board)sheathing. I think you have nailed this kit! Good job with the pictures.

 

[scubaman2151]

Thanks guys,




Ill keep you up to date on whats hapening with this.


Appleman: what do you mean about the second pic?

 

[NorthernWinos]

I think he means the 4th.......It looks like building material....that fabricated plywood stuff. Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Wade E]

Applemam means the 2nd picture up or 4th down and he is correct. It looks like a sheet of that exterior sheating which is like plywood only they compress and glue together big chips of wood to make a 4' x 8' sheet.

 

[uavwmn]

I think I need a lesson on reading the darn SG meter.


Your SG reads 1.087? I read it as 1.87. Is it the same reading? I get confused reading the dang thing.


Example: if I needed to see .996, the correct reading would be ABOVE the 1.000 mark, correct? uavwmn

 

[Waldo]

Looking good scuba.......That should be one awesome wine when bottled

 

[Wade E]

UAV, If you look at the hydrometer you will see where it says 1.000 at the top. After that it goes down to 1.010, 1.020 and so on until about 3/4 of the way down where youll see where there is actually 1.100. From there on in it is 1.110, 1.120 until you reach the last part on the scale which is usualu 1.160 or 1.170.

 

[grapeman]

Scuba, that's exactly what I meant. The second from the bottom has so many wood chips on it that it looks like a sheet of building material-OSB.That's a good thing- lots of oak chips. And yes they will sink after a while and they really add complexity to your wine.

 

[tcb54]

This is looking good.


I just stabilized my Luna Rossa today. Can anyone tell me the difference in Mezza Luna Red and Luna Rossa?

 

[scubaman2151]

The oak looked pretty good so and the juice was a very nice dark rich red. Im looking forward to this one.
About the SG question:


The SG measures sugar as you know and like Wade said way up towards the top of the hydrometer it says 1.000 (this is usually where we move the wine to secondary.) Then it goes and the numbers get higher as you move down the hydrometer (moving towards the larger bottom end). 1.010, 1.020 etc....then you get to 1.100, whats the difference you ask? Think of it this way, would you rather have $1.86 or $1.08, without that zero the number is very different.

 

[Wade E]

The Mezza Luna is a Vintners Reserve kit which is a 7.5 liter kit. It is a 4 week kit and will drink much earlier as the smaller the kit, the less time it needs to age. These smaller kits(especially with red wines) will be much thinner then that of a 15 liter kit or bigger. That being said there are some very good 7.5 liter kits out there. The white wine kits do get better as they get bigger but there is not a massive difference like there is with the reds. The Luna Rossa is a 15 liter kit and supposedly is 1 of their biggest sellers as Im told it lives up to its description. Tim Vandergrift, ( the man behind Winexpert wine kits) sats that this is 1 of their fullest body kits they sell. They both contain French oak but the bigger kit has a much bigger oak nose that is supported with a much stronger tannin finish.

 

[scubaman2151]

SG Temp
Day 1 (Sunday) - 1.087 71*
Day 2 (Monday) - 1.080 69* (Im looking for the heating pad to help fermentation along.)
Day 3 (Thuesday) -1.060-1.062 74* (im thinking that it dropped so much becuase the temp went up.)
Day 4 (Wensday) - 1.045 71*
Day 5 (Thursday) - 1.030-1.032 72*Edited by: Scubaman2151

 

[Wade E]

A brew belt works good to and saves on electricity.

 

[scubaman2151]

A brew belt works good to and saves on electricity.

What is that?

 

[Wade E]

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<td width="5%"><div align="center">

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<td width="20%">

Brewing Belt


Designed to wrap around most primary &amp; secondary fermenters.</td></tr></t></table>

This will heat your wine to a constant 75* and is adjustable by lowering or raising it up on your carboy or bucket. I have 2 and they work great for me.

Edited by: wade

 

[scubaman2151]

nice.

 

[Wade E]

@ $20 bones it seems a little high but will save you that in your 1st winter. A lot of heating pads will shut offafter a few hours where as the brew belt will stay on continuously so going away for the weekend or just not having to worry about checking in on it or keeping track of when it was turned on and when it will shut off wont be needed.