Wade, the must temperature is running right around 66 degrees right now and I was going to put the elec. blanket back on to bring it back up to about 75, but now I'll hold off. Fermentation is slowing down just a bit and I thought it was because of the temperature, but it could also be that the sugar content is going down. It is bubbling right along so I will leave well enough alone. I'll check the SG sometime next week and rack to clean carboys.
Muscadine wine
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I checked the carboys last night and one is at .994 and the other at .996. Since I'm below 1.000 I think I should rack the wine into clean carboys and get rid of the sediment. I'll also add one Campden tablet per gallon to reduce oxidation. Would this also be a good time to and the oak chips? Should I soak them in a Campden solution to sterilize them? Right now the wine is bubbling along very nicely.
OK, just a bit confused here. Isn't 'sulfite' the same as Campden tablets? I thought Campden was the same as Potassium metabisulfite.
Now, when should I add the Potassium sorbate to kill the yeast? The wine is still brewing and bubbling well. Should I wait until it stops completely, then add the sorbate, and then re-sweeten to taste? Just trying to get all the steps lined up. So far, the video I have and the rate my specific gravity is changing don't match, so I can't use their timeline.
Now, when should I add the Potassium sorbate to kill the yeast? The wine is still brewing and bubbling well. Should I wait until it stops completely, then add the sorbate, and then re-sweeten to taste? Just trying to get all the steps lined up. So far, the video I have and the rate my specific gravity is changing don't match, so I can't use their timeline.
Silfite is Campden and Campden is k-meta in pill form. Do not add any sulfite to a wine that is not done fermenting. Add sorbate after adding sulfite as without a decent sulfite level sorbate will give off a geranium smell and taste to your wine. Dont add any stabilizers(k-meta and sorbate) till after you have verified that you wine is done fermenting by checking the sg 3 days in a row to make sure your sg i not dropping anymore.
Sacalait
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I agree with Wade but there is no need to add sorbate unless you plan to back sweeten after it has fermented out.
At .994 and .996 your wine is likely finished (.992 is as low as I've ever seen) and needs to be degassed. Shake the carboy vigorously and you'll likely see lots of foaming which is just entrained CO2. Once all the CO2 has dissipated your wine will clear quickly.
At .994 and .996 your wine is likely finished (.992 is as low as I've ever seen) and needs to be degassed. Shake the carboy vigorously and you'll likely see lots of foaming which is just entrained CO2. Once all the CO2 has dissipated your wine will clear quickly.
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I racked for the first time tonight and was really surprised by the amount of yeast sediment and grape pulp left behind in the carboy. My wife is going to feed it to the animals (cows and goats). Hope they enjoy it!
I added five Campden tablets to each carboy and also checked the SG. - 0.994 for both. They were still bubbling, but much slower, so you all are probably right about fermentation coming to an end. I’ll see if it starts up again.
I decided not to add the oak chips right now and will wait until I rack the next time. Just want to see how things go for a while. I also shook the carboys to set some of the carbon dioxide out. It looks like I will need to add a little over a half gallon of water to each carboy.
Just so everyone can see what I have been doing, here are some photos. In the first photo you can see the three buckets used as primary fermenters. You can see my multi-meter, in the upper right of the photo. It is hooked up to the temperature probe attached to the middle bucket. In the last photo, you can see how much water needs to be added: http://www.pbase.com/dloftus/muscadine_wine_making
I added five Campden tablets to each carboy and also checked the SG. - 0.994 for both. They were still bubbling, but much slower, so you all are probably right about fermentation coming to an end. I’ll see if it starts up again.
I decided not to add the oak chips right now and will wait until I rack the next time. Just want to see how things go for a while. I also shook the carboys to set some of the carbon dioxide out. It looks like I will need to add a little over a half gallon of water to each carboy.
Just so everyone can see what I have been doing, here are some photos. In the first photo you can see the three buckets used as primary fermenters. You can see my multi-meter, in the upper right of the photo. It is hooked up to the temperature probe attached to the middle bucket. In the last photo, you can see how much water needs to be added: http://www.pbase.com/dloftus/muscadine_wine_making
oldwino
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If you have problems with birds you may check on the web for bird netting. The netting I purchased is 14 ft wide and comes in 100 ft rolls. They have longer rolls but more that 50 ft long is hard to handle. If you can't find the netting I can furnish a supplier I get mine from on the web.
Oldwino, thanks for the info. I don't really have too much trouble with birds. They may peck a few here and there, but overall damage is light. My biggerst problem is with wasps, stink bugs and ants. One of the insects puts a hole in the skin and then everybody comes to eat. After a short time, all I have left is a little hollow ball that use to be a grape.
Our plan to reduce crop loss is to begin the picking season as soon as possible. We (my wife and I) will pick as early as possible for sale to grocery stores and start the u-pick as soon as there are enough grapes to satisfy the demand. One of our concerns is that if people come out too early, they will pick unripe grapes and won't realize how much better they are if they just wait another week or two.
Since we are just getting started (September 07 was our second season), my biggest crop loss is due to rotting fruit on the vine. Not enough pickers. That will get better as we become better known and develop our markets. I retire in about a year and a half, so working in the vineyard will be much easier when I don't have a full time job.
Our plan to reduce crop loss is to begin the picking season as soon as possible. We (my wife and I) will pick as early as possible for sale to grocery stores and start the u-pick as soon as there are enough grapes to satisfy the demand. One of our concerns is that if people come out too early, they will pick unripe grapes and won't realize how much better they are if they just wait another week or two.
Since we are just getting started (September 07 was our second season), my biggest crop loss is due to rotting fruit on the vine. Not enough pickers. That will get better as we become better known and develop our markets. I retire in about a year and a half, so working in the vineyard will be much easier when I don't have a full time job.
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Sacalait
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This has been my worse year for damage caused by birds, mostly blue jays and cardinals. It looks like I'll have to resort to hanging aluminum pie pans above the vines. This works fairly well but out of laziness I didn't put them up this year.
I think that part of the reason I don't have too much of a bird problem is I have hawks that patrol the pasture. I also have fox and owls in the area, which help to keep the squirrels, raccoons and field mice in check. My vineyard is also out in the open with no trees close by. Any critter making a grape run has a long way to go without cover and then a long way back. The vineyard is also protected by a couple of strands of electrified wire, and that seems to keep the deer out. Overall, my biggest problems has been insects, but I don't spray insecticides, pesticides and only a little herbicide to control the weeds. I'm not 'organic' but the fruit is chemical free when picked, and my customers seem to appreciate that.
How long to wait
It has been about a week since I racked the wine for the fist time. One carboy is still bubbling, veeery slowly, and the other one does not show any activity. Both carboys have sediments in the bottom and I'm wondering how long should I let them sit before I rack again and add the roasted oak chips? When would be a good time to try a sample? I have the feeling the hardest part of wine making is the waiting.
It has been about a week since I racked the wine for the fist time. One carboy is still bubbling, veeery slowly, and the other one does not show any activity. Both carboys have sediments in the bottom and I'm wondering how long should I let them sit before I rack again and add the roasted oak chips? When would be a good time to try a sample? I have the feeling the hardest part of wine making is the waiting.
I would wait till you rack off the lees to add the chips so that you are not sitting on those lees for too long. After adding chips I would sample after 2 weeks and then if its getting close to the taste you are looking for sample frequently, if not give it another 2 weeks and then sample.
In regards to sampling, I personally think you should be tasting small amounts starting with the pre-fermentation must, right through the entire fermentation process. In my opinion, the best way to learn about wine and in particular, the changes that occur from start to finish of the winemaking process is to taste, taste, taste. This frequent tasting will also allow you to detect and treat any possible problems such as H2S before it becomes serious. SG and TA readings are important, but they should always be treated as information to be used in conjunction with sensory evaluation, not as a substitute for it.
Thanks for everyone's input. As suggested, I sampled the wine to see how it's doing. Well, is it very dry and a bit harsh or sharp, not sure exactly how to describe it. I'm thinking it might be a result of high acid. I would like it to be a bit sweeter and more mellow.
My plan is to:
1. Wait until the bubbles quit completely, let it sit a while to help clear
2. Rack and add oak chips (maybe it will add some mellow flavors), let that sit a while (about two weeks, I think)
3, Rack off the oak chips and let it rest (maybe add some finings to help clear)
4. Rack, add potassium sorbate and sweeten to taste
5. Bottle and let that age for several months
6. Start sampling on a regular basis.
Does that sound like a good plan?
My plan is to:
1. Wait until the bubbles quit completely, let it sit a while to help clear
2. Rack and add oak chips (maybe it will add some mellow flavors), let that sit a while (about two weeks, I think)
3, Rack off the oak chips and let it rest (maybe add some finings to help clear)
4. Rack, add potassium sorbate and sweeten to taste
5. Bottle and let that age for several months
6. Start sampling on a regular basis.
Does that sound like a good plan?
Sounds like a pretty solid plan to me... just make sure to keep it well topped up at all points during the process. Also, I wouldn't personally degas the wine as suggested by Sacalait... there's no real reason to do so unless you're rushing to get the wine fined and bottled and you may inadvertently impart excess oxygen to the wine thereby speeding up oxidation. The wine will naturally give up its dissolved CO2 over time and throughout the rackings. Be aware, though that some fining agents will not be effective unless the wine is fully degassed, so make sure you give the wine lots of time to settle and clarify on its own and only fine the wine if you really think it needs help clearing. By this time though, the wine should be adequately degassed.
All this talk of gas (buuurrp, sorry!) has me wondering about sparkling wine. I started in brewing by making beer and "gas is our friend". I still have cases of beer bottles and was wondering if I can use them for the wine. If I don't degas, would the wine be carbonated? I understand that I couldn't add any sweetener because I would have to rack and add the sorbate, which would remove a lot of CO2, but I could bottle it dry and add sweetener once it was in my glass. I like the idea of a little bubbly in the wine.
Also, as for sweetner, what would be best? I was thinking corn sugar since it won't impart a flavor as opposed to cane sugar (which I've already used to raise the SG, so I guess it won't matter now), but what about artificial sweeteners like Splenda or 'Sweet N' Low'? They are so much sweeter than sugar and you would have to use a lot less. Any benefits or risks?
Thanks everyone for your input. Lots of good information.
Also, as for sweetner, what would be best? I was thinking corn sugar since it won't impart a flavor as opposed to cane sugar (which I've already used to raise the SG, so I guess it won't matter now), but what about artificial sweeteners like Splenda or 'Sweet N' Low'? They are so much sweeter than sugar and you would have to use a lot less. Any benefits or risks?
Thanks everyone for your input. Lots of good information.
