My turn

[gaudet]

Well my primary isn't quite as big as I thought it was.... I had my first krausen overflow. Thank god I had it in a drip pan cause I would have had to call disaster masters for clean up. I racked 3/4 a gallon to a 1 gallon jug under airlock and I am in the process of moving the rest into a clean primary. That yeast starter kicked some major a$$........

 

[vcasey]

Wow that must have been some very happy yeasties. Hubby thinks I'm being too careful because I'll set anything that is in the primary or just racked in a bus tub. Thank goodness I am careful because a couple times it was a bit messy......
VPC

 

[gaudet]

 

[Tom]

Looking good !

Can you tell me why you used Montrachet?

 

[gaudet]

I used it just because I had it. I have used it before with another fruit wine and liked the results.

 

[vcasey]

tepe, what yeast would you have used? I am planning a strawberry/banana mead and I am considering cotes or 71b.
VPC

 

[Tom]

I use Cote des Blancs for al my fruit wines. Gives you a nice fruit charactor



Cote Des Blancs. AKA Geisenheim Epernay. A low foaming slower speed fermenter with low alcohol tolerance. This strain emphasizes fruit character in both reds and whites making it an excellent choice for fruit wines, especially apple. If fermented at cooler temperatures it will not ferment to dryness producing a sweeter wine with some residual sugar. For the production of Chardonnay use in conjunction with yeast nutrient. Sweet whites, fruit wines.

 

[vcasey]

That's the direction I was leaning. I think the original recipe called for 71b but in my notes I indicated I wanted to use Cotes. For some reason I have had challenges getting the fermentation started with this yeast so I've been making up starters, seems to work better.
Not much in the way of cooler temps here, summer has arrived.
VPC

 

[Tom]

Dont for get to add nutrient with the yeast

 

[vcasey]

Always, I may have just had a bad batch. Anyway its nice to know I was on the right track. I have Sweet Mead yeast listed as a possibility as well, but I had wanted to go with a dry yeast that I generally keep in stock. Gaudet bet you had fun cleaning that bucket! That wine has a nice head of foam.
VPC

 

[Wade E]

I like Montrachet for some fruit wines but you must use both nutrient and energizer with it as its not a good yeast to use with low nutrients or you will get H2S smell and taste problems. It does do a nice job though with proper nutrients.

 

[gaudet]

I used both energizer and nutrient. I also used a starter. This one really took off. Yes it was fun cleaning the bucket.

 

[gaudet]

Today's sg was 1.054, a lot higher than I was expecting as the yeast seemed to be rolling hard. But it is only the 4th day since yeast was pitched. Will check again in a couple days to see where it stands.

 

[gaudet]

I use Cote des Blancs for al my fruit wines. Gives you a nice fruit charactor



 Cote Des Blancs. AKA Geisenheim Epernay. A low foaming slower speed fermenter with low alcohol tolerance. This strain emphasizes fruit character in both reds and whites making it an excellent choice for fruit wines, especially apple. If fermented at cooler temperatures it will not ferment to dryness producing a sweeter wine with some residual sugar. For the production of Chardonnay use in conjunction with yeast nutrient. Sweet whites, fruit wines.

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Tepe,

What is the alcohol tolerance for cotes de Blanc?

 

[Wade E]

12-14%

 

[gaudet]

I happened to check the sg today (I was going to do it tomorrow) and lo and behold 1.012 time to rack to the carboy to finish fermentation. So flight of the bumblebee to get it done before I have to leave for work, but it was done with no shortcuts. I even have a picture or two, just will upload it later tonight.

 

[gaudet]

Amazing how time flies............. I forgot to post those pictures. Don't even think I took them.
Ahem!!

Well I racked this one off the lees this morning. I racked to a 5 gallon and a 1 gallon carboys. Taking the SG I somehow cracked the bottom of my glass test tube. The leak was minor and I was able to get a reading of &lt; 0.990, so for all practical purposes I will use 0.990 as my finished gravity. I started at 1.084 and that makes me have about 12.77% abv. Its probably less than that, but its in the target range I was shooting for . Not too bad. Of course we extracted a glass for tasting, and it was alcohol forward, then you could taste the strawberries coming through at the end. Time will fix that of course. We also put about 1/2 tsp of sugar to taste it and it helped curb the alcohol. We will probably back sweeten next month and allow it another couple months before bottling.

Enough rambling here is a picture of the 1 gallon carboy with my first strawberry wine. I expected it to lose the red color, but its holding on so far.

 

[gaudet]

On August 19th, I racked this one and backsweetend with with 2#'s sugar dissolved to simple syrup. I also stabilized via k-meta and k-sorbate. Seeing no reason not to, I bottled today. I have about 3/4ths of a 750 ml bottle for sampling tonight. Will take pictures of the young wine then...

 

[Goodfella]

Sounds good Gaudet.


Did you do a F-pack? or just back sweeten...

 

[gaudet]

Just backsweetened it.....

Its a light but nice taste of strawberry. I'm sure it will develop more as it ages..... I'm trusting in the wisdom of others here.......

I have 2 quarts of strawberry juice left. I might make a mead out of it.....