Muscadine Wine
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Good Lord, NO!!!
Gonna coarse filter my 3 gallon batch 1 of '04 Muscadine in the morning.
Quick lesson, Waldo...
Freeze them Muscadines for a few weeks, thaw well, place a double handful at a time in a gallon ziplock, try to get most of the air out while zipping closed, mash by pressing down on the bag with one hand on top of the other using your palm of the bottom hand. Dump from bag into straining bag in primary fermentor. Simple enough? I do lots of fruit this way. Works very well with blackberries. It is important to freeze them for long enough that they are all frozen solid for a while and their whole molecular system seems to break down when they are thawed. Blackberries will juice themselves when thawing.
Gonna coarse filter my 3 gallon batch 1 of '04 Muscadine in the morning.
Quick lesson, Waldo...
Freeze them Muscadines for a few weeks, thaw well, place a double handful at a time in a gallon ziplock, try to get most of the air out while zipping closed, mash by pressing down on the bag with one hand on top of the other using your palm of the bottom hand. Dump from bag into straining bag in primary fermentor. Simple enough? I do lots of fruit this way. Works very well with blackberries. It is important to freeze them for long enough that they are all frozen solid for a while and their whole molecular system seems to break down when they are thawed. Blackberries will juice themselves when thawing.
Hi In The Pines
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For my peaches and nectarines, I cut up into marble sizes and then with my food vaccumn I cut extra long plastic bags and then take all the air out and seal. When I thawed, I used a wooden rolling pin and my hands and crushed well. I poured it into my course straining bag and then crushed more with my sanitized hands.
With my Zante Currants, I froze sticks, stems, leaves, everything. Once frozen, I then went through and then de-stemmed, leaved and such, then quickly air sealed again, for later crushing. The grapes were very easy to clean while frozen especially since they were very small. I didnt want to crush them too soon.
With my Zante Currants, I froze sticks, stems, leaves, everything. Once frozen, I then went through and then de-stemmed, leaved and such, then quickly air sealed again, for later crushing. The grapes were very easy to clean while frozen especially since they were very small. I didnt want to crush them too soon.
Thanks, but it is too late. To freeze them was my first inclination. Not so much that I knew it would be better but as a matter of giving me some time. Based on (1) No room at the freezer for 17 lbs of muscadines and (2) They had been picked for 2 days already and had been sitting in a refrigator I went ahead and processed them. Going for a 3 gallon batch, I washed them good, removed the stems, washed them again and then smushed the heck outa them in a 5 gallon paint strainer bag ( A tip from Hippie
)in my well sterilized primary fermenter. I then dissolved 6 lbs sugar in some hot water along with 3 campden tablets and 1 TBSP of yeast nutrient. Added this to my fermenter and stirred well and put the lidon it (loosely) with an sg of 1.085. My only dilema is I have no way of testing the PH unless I can use the kit I have for our hot tub ?????? I am going to add pectic enzyme to the must before I leave for work this morning. Oh yes, there was about 30 big golden beautiful scuppernongs in with the muscadines and I left them in.
Edited by: Waldo
Edited by: Waldo
Was planning on pitching Montrachet but open for suggestions. I also have Lalvin EC1118, 71B1122 and KI-V1116.
I added 2 tsp. of pectic enzyme to it this evening. Gave it another good stirring and planning on checking the SG andpitching the yeast before I leave for work in the morning.
I added 2 tsp. of pectic enzyme to it this evening. Gave it another good stirring and planning on checking the SG andpitching the yeast before I leave for work in the morning.
I would go with the 71B. You won't be sorry. It will help reduce the harsh acid and help's a dry wine seem less harsh when young. You might still want to finish it off-dry or even semi-sweet. Sounds like you are doing a good job!
How ddid you get the SG so high? In the above post it says 1.085! I hope the yeast starts ok in that much sugar. I reckon when you tested before it was warm? You have to learn about adjusting for temperature. There is a chart somewhere. You have enough sugar there for at least 17%, if the yeast can go that far, doubtful.
Im not sure Hippie. I was surprised myself. I just checked it and there is a smidgen of activity but it has only been about 14 hrs so I will check it again in the morning and see what is happening. If the yeast does not begin to ferment is my best approach going to be try to whip me up a starter and then add that to it?
Yep,I would anyway with more of that EC-1118. It will go to 18% maybe, but I ain't saying it will be good muscadine wine with an alcohol that high. Might take alot of sweetening after stabilizing if the EC-1118 takes it all the way dry. I would have suggested the EC-1118 if I had known the SG was gonna be that high.
Checked the SG again and it is still at 1.120 and no sign of fermentation. Drew out about 1/6 cup, added 1 cup filtered waterand used it tomake a starter with the Ec-1118.
It sure do look "purty" though. Nice deep rich color to the must
It sure do look "purty" though. Nice deep rich color to the must
Good deal. Just do that starter like you did the other one and it should get going. Don't forget to stir it good before you pitch. You didn't get too much sulphite in the must did you? Probably not. I think it is too much sugar hindering the other yeast.
It appears to be on the mends Hippie. Have a good layer of fermentation on it right now with the odor of muscadines very prominent when the lid was raised to check it. If it continues, I will airlock it this evening and ler her bump.
Yes, it should help, then move it back into the cooler room when you rack at about SG1.010 or so, if you wanted you could rack into a 5 gallon sooner, but you might want maximum skin contact for flavor and color. You don't wanna go too low with alot of airspace.
I would leave it in until you rack to glass. You get more flavor and color that way. Also more tannin, which helps it age to it's full potential. All I do to the pulp twice a day is just turn the bag over. Sometimes I jab at it with the plastic spoon. You should be stirring it all up at the same time. Are you getting alot of CO2 coming out of the pulp bag?
Not sure how to tell Hippie. Thus far it has been crusted over with a foam also and I did turn it over when I stirred. Another question, When I get ready to do a SG reading I sanitize everything well and after I get my reading I return the wine to the fermenter/carboy. I just read this morning in "Joy of Home Wine Making" that it is best not to do that? What isthe forums'opinion on this? Edited by: Waldo
