Muscadine Wine

[Ernest T Bass]

I started this wine on 8/31/13, I am at a point to adjusting the pH, it is 2.8. I have read of two different ways to bring it up to target = 3.3 - 3.4. One way suggested is to add water to get the pH up. The other way is add calcium carbonate before fermentation, then you should cold stabilize for about a week then rack and filter before fermenting.
History of process so far:
2 gallons of Isons black muscadines
Frozen for a week or 10 days
Thawed on 8/1/13 and mashed each muscadine between sanitized fingers and added 1/16 tsp of k-meta and let it set overnite
Press with home-made press which yielded approx 1/2 gallon of juice
Added hulls back in bucket with juice
Added 1/2 tsp of pectic enzyme
pH 2.8
Possible replies: Add water, if so, how much and when
Add calcium carbonate, if so how much and when
A combination of water and calcium carbonate, if so how much
of each and when
Other_____________________________
Thanks for any and all help
Semper Fi

 

[Turock]

I have never heard of using calcium carb and filtering BEFORE you ferment. I think you're confused.

You adjust the PH with calcium carb before you begin the ferment--which means before pitching yeast. Once you have the PH set where you want it, you adjust the brix, then pitch the yeast.

I'm also confused on your timeline. You said you thawed on Aug 1 and didn't start the wine until Aug 31. Can't understand what protocol you're trying to use.

 

[Julie]

Bud, I'm with Turock on what your timeframe is did you by chance type a wrong date in? Add a 1/2 gallon of water and test ph, if still too low add a quart of water at a time and test after each time and take a sip to see how the flavor is after each addition. Unlike other grapes, muscadines are one of those types that can take the water and the flavor is still pretty strong.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

Thanks for the reply's, sorry the date mistakes derailed my question.
Semper Fi

 

[garymc]

I'd go with water. I did as batch of muscadine that started at the low end of the Ph range (too acidic) and ended at the high end of the range. So, unless I did something I'm unaware of, fermentation apparently will lower the acidity. Did you pick some Isons in July? Mine are just now ripening. They're about 3 weeks late, I think.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

I have picked about 10 gallons since they started getting ripe about 2 weeks ago. The scuppernong's are beginning to get ripe, none yet thou. Some of the muscadines are loaded and I have some that don't have any muscadines on them at all. I sent a soil sample to the county agent and corrected the pH for muscadines and fertilized as Isons recommended. I had 5 or 6 six that I had to replace and they are just now reaching the wire. My blueberries aren't mush bigger than they were when I planted them, but they did have a few blue berries on them. The blackberries went wild, they are suspose to be erect but they really spread out, I trimmed them back to about 2 o 3 feet, hope they stand up next year.
Semper Fi
Bud

 

[garymc]

What variety or varieties of blackberries did you get? Mine are more erect the second year. I have one variety of muscadine that only had half a dozen grapes the first year when the others had a couple of gallons. Next year a dozen to 20 grapes. This year maybe 3 dozen grapes. It won't be there next year. It's a very vigorous vine, trunk as thick as my wrist. Just not productive.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

I have 10 Navaho's and 10 Apache's, planted them 1/29/13. I sure hope they quit running or they will cover the whole vineyard.
Semper Fi

 

[mijoguero]

Hi, My name is Shannon I work at Paulk Vineyards in Wray Ga. We have many different varieties of muscadine and scuppernongs. From Supreme, Fry, Darlene, and Pam, to Cowart,Noble,and Carlos. Check us out at www.paulkvineyards.com or muscadineproductsco.com Or stop by our season is almost over only two more weeks to go. 1788 Satilla rd. Wray Ga. 31798 229-468-7873

 

[Pamrn35]

I'm really hoping this is the appropriate place to post this question. I'm extremely new to this...as in very first time attempting to make muscadine wine. I'm using kirk's Muscadine wine recipe I found on Pinterest, it's very basic and I didn't take a sg level when I began...I got a little nervous about it not turning out very well so I bought a hydrometer and took a reading today, which is day 5 of my primary fermentation, sg level is 1.132 is this good, bad or ugly....if ugly can it be fixed?

 

[garymc]

I'm thinking your sg is 1.032. I have a batch of elderberry about 5 days old and it's 1.040. It started a little higher than normal. If the liquid level is about 2 or 3 inches from the top of the hydrometer, it's 1.032. If it's more like six inches from the top, then it's 1.132. I can't imagine you followed a recipe and got that much sugar in it.